Why is Farxiga So Expensive? Generic + Cost Saving Options
high drug prices
Diabetes management is a critical part of many American patients’ lives—and Farxiga is one of the drugs that makes effective diabetes management possible.
That’s not to say Farxiga is remotely accessible. Although prescription Farxiga can bring significant health benefits to the millions of United States residents battling type 2 diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and even certain types of heart failure—conditions that are among the highest medical causes of death in the country!–-it’s not exactly priced to ensure that everyone who needs it can buy it.
If you’re facing frustrating health conditions and financial challenges at the same time, you should know that buying your critical meds from international and online pharmacy websites can be a great way to access safe, authentic, name-brand and generic prices for up to 90% off their United States prices.
Here, we’ll talk a little about Farxiga’s role in diabetes management, and then provide practical ways to save big on this life-changing prescription medication.
What, Exactly, Does Farxiga Do? (And Info About Farxiga’s Cost)
Farxiga helps people with diabetes manage their condition by controlling and, ideally, reducing blood sugar levels. It’s effective and efficient, making it a common doctor recommendation for patients with this health challenge.
But how exactly does it accomplish that goal? Here’s a quick biochemical walkthrough.
What Is Farxiga and How Does It Help?
Farxiga (dapagliflozin) is a type of diabetes medication that functions as a sodium-glucose-co-transporter 2 inhibitor.
Clearly, that’s a mouthful. Usually, this class of medications is referred to by its abbreviation: SGLT2 inhibitors. These medications, Farxiga included, reduce blood sugar by blocking the kidneys’ ability to reabsorb glucose.
When patients take Farxiga, they excrete excess glucose instead of returning it to their system. This reduces blood sugar and helps improve their condition, their prognosis, and their quality of life.
Of course, those significant benefits don’t come cheap.
The Cost of Farxiga: A Brief Overview
In America, patients may pay as much as $623.00 for a 30-count bottle of this medication.
For those counting, that means each pill of Farxiga, which needs to be taken daily, costs about $20.00. Again, that’s per day! That’s more than most patients can afford, no matter where they live or their insurance coverage. (More on insurance later.)
If you’re looking for a reliable way to afford Farxiga without having to depend on insurance, you’re in the right place. Through NorthWestPharmacy.com, you can buy that bottle of Farxiga for just over $105.00, or approximately $3.40 per pill. That represents a savings of up to 83%! Plus, you can get the generic for much less than this
But is the Farxiga I Can Buy Through an Online Pharmacy Safe?
The safety of the medications you buy online depends entirely on where you’re buying them. If you can find a reputable, certified online pharmacy in Canada or internationally that requires prescriptions and has great online reviews, you’re likely in good hands.
This will be a very different experience from buying medications from shady-seeming websites that don’t require documentation and offer miracle cures, for example.
If you don’t want to chance it and want a dependable third-party source to back up your research, we recommend making sure that the pharmacy website you buy from is certified by CIPA, the Canadian International Pharmacy Association. Not many websites make it through CIPA’s stringent requirements! Check our CIPA certification to learn more.
Why Is Farxiga So Expensive?
If you can buy Farxiga so affordably through an online Canadian pharmacy or an international one, why is it so expensive in the United States?
Factors Contributing to Farxiga's High Cost in America
As it turns out, there are specific reasons that medication is so expensive stateside. These reasons include:
Research and Development Costs. When manufacturers decide to make drugs, they need to spend a lot of money to make that happen! Farxiga’s manufacturer spent millions of dollars on extensive research, clinical trials, and the stringent regulatory approval process.
For the company to make back its money, it usually prices the medication relatively high for the end user—you. (That’ll be a recurring theme.)
Patent Protection and Market Exclusivity. When Farxiga was ready to go to market, its manufacturer was able to achieve something called “patent protection.” In the United States, this essentially means that only AstraZeneca could sell Farxiga or any extremely similar offerings.
Until Farxiga’s patent protection expired in various countries, no one else could make generics. This patent has since lifted in some countries and generic Farxiga is available, but before that happened, the manufacturer was able to ensure the brand drug was as popular as possible.
Of course, this leads us to…
Marketing and Promotion Expenditures. In America, a gigantic portion of drug manufacturing and associated budgets goes to marketing. If you’ve ever turned on a TV in the United States, you’re likely aware of this: An untold number of pharmaceutical commercials are running at any given time.
Pharmaceutical companies do this to increase brand awareness and drive prescriptions. While it can be successful, it’s also very expensive. The manufacturer offsets its costs by pricing its drugs high for consumers.
Manufacturing and Regulatory Costs. We can’t forget that actually making the drug on a regular basis costs a lot of money, too!
To make sure that every batch of Farxiga is safe and effective, the manufacturer needs to source raw materials, invest in specialized equipment, and work with quality control experts to ensure that the medication is ready for therapeutic use.
All of these factors work together to drive up prices for American consumers.
But you might ask: Most of these factors also apply in international markets.
Why is the United States special, with uniquely increasing drug prices?
The Role of National Healthcare Systems in Drug Pricing
The way your country thinks about and regulates healthcare systems has a significant impact on the way drugs are priced.
For example, if you live in a country with a centralized healthcare system, your government can decide to negotiate drug prices directly with pharmaceutical companies.
In the United States that does not happen. Further, the government cannot step in and set pricing caps on any medication—which means that manufacturers can price their drugs as they please. This is particularly true in that early patent protection phase when there isn’t even competition to help drive prices down.
And we haven’t even layered on the complexity of American insurance, yet.
What About Insurance Coverage?
If you have affordable, reliable, comprehensive healthcare coverage, you may be in the clear.
Unfortunately, having dependable coverage over the long term may be less common than you think. In America, it’s common for insurance to be tied to your work, which means if you’re suddenly unemployed or unable to work, you may equally suddenly lose coverage. If you’re relying on insurance coverage for your required medication, that could result in more than one unwanted life change happening at once.
That’s not even the worst of it.
Even if you have great insurance and are not worried about losing it anytime soon, your insurance company may not cover specific medications. It’s very common for insurers to cover only the generic version of a drug, or one cheap medication in a specific category instead of a range of options. This can narrow your ability to make the best possible choice for your care—say, if you and your doctor agree that the brand-name or non-covered medication is your best route.
(And insurers can change their mind at any time, so today’s covered medication may not be covered tomorrow.)
If you’re interested in reliable, affordable ways to buy your critical medications, it’s a good idea to find a consistently low-cost way to source your meds that doesn’t necessarily require insurance cooperation.
That’s where safe, certified online Canadian pharmacies and international websites come in!
Are There Generic Options for Farxiga?
Yes, there is a generic version of Farxiga. Whether you’re able to access it depends on where you live.
In the USA, they approved generic dapagliflozin in early 2022. Since the drug manufacturing and regulatory process takes a while, this drug won’t be sold in the States until late 2025.
Meanwhile, in Canada, a generic version of the drug was approved in May 2023, and, if you buy your generic Farxiga through a compliant online Canadian pharmacy website, you may be able to purchase it and ship it directly to your home in the USA.
For example, you can buy a 30-tab supply of generic Farxiga through NorthWestPharmacy.com for a significant discount to the brand price.
Strategies for Reducing Farxiga Costs
In need of ways to overcome the cost barrier associated with high-quality medication?
We’ve got you covered. Here are some of our favorite strategies for reducing the cost of prescription medication without risking any harm or stress.
How to Get Farxiga (And Other Meds) Cheaper
Know how to use your insurance plan. If you have insurance coverage, check your insurer’s list of covered medications, and check it often to be aware of any changes. Then, make sure you understand any deductibles or copayments that apply to your situation, and how your overall costs compare to buying drugs through safe international pharmacies.
You’d be surprised—often, buying Canadian meds online without insurance can be quicker, easier, and even more affordable than navigating a complex insurance system.
See if you qualify for any patient assistance programs. The manufacturer does have a patient assistance program to help people afford its medications more easily. It can be hard to get into, but depending on your circumstances, it may be worth a try. Talk to your doctor to help determine your eligibility and walk through the next steps.
Compare prices. Did you know that different pharmacies can sell drugs for different prices? Driving across town to compare prices at different grocery store pharmacies, as just one example, can save you a considerable amount of money.
Of course, this takes time (and gas!), so you might find that shopping online, through pharmacy websites that display clear prices on product pages, may be more worth your while.
Buy generic drugs when possible. If the generic version of your drug is available and it works well for you and your symptoms, you may opt for generic Farxiga. Just know that the two versions of the drug aren’t entirely the same. For example, they may differ slightly in the type of filler ingredients included.
Listen to your body, listen to your doctor, and know that it might be a good idea to find a low-cost way to buy both generic and brand medications for less—just in case it’s abundantly clear that the brand-name alternative is better for you!
Why is Farxiga So Expensive? Buy It Here to Save
Farxiga can make a massive difference for people who are looking for effective ways to manage their type II diabetes (or heart failure, or chronic kidney disease). Unfortunately, the benefits associated with Farxiga are hidden away behind a steep paywall! If you’re one of the millions of Americans who can’t reasonably afford hundreds of dollars for just one prescription medication per month, you might find yourself making really tough decisions.
Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be this way.
By purchasing high-quality brand-name medications from a safe Canadian pharmacy and international drug websites, you can save time, money, and stress. No need to pay skyrocketing fees, interact with people (if you don’t want to!), or even leave your home!
However, we understand that buying medications online can feel a little stressful. That’s why we have a team of friendly customer service representatives and pharmacists ready to address any concerns you may have.
Want to learn more about how NorthWestPharmacy.com can support you? Check out our hundreds of thousands of satisfied online pharmacy customer reviews to see what it’s like to be a member of our community, or contact our customer service team with questions or assistance placing your order. The team at NorthWestPharmacy.com looks forward to helping you reach your health goals!
