Why Is Ranexa So Expensive? A Patient’s Guide

If you suffer from coronary heart disease, you likely experience angina or chest pain, too. It's one of the most common ways heart disease manifests, and it affects 10 million people in the U.S.

Your doctor may have prescribed you Ranexa, an antianginal medication, as part of your medical treatment. So, you look it up online, and to your shock, you learn that a pack of 60 x 500 mg capsules can cost upwards of $500!

As a result, you may be asking, "Why is Ranexa so expensive?" Most importantly, can you do anything to make it easier to afford?

This guide answers those questions, so read on. 

Why Is Ranexa So Expensive?

One of the primary reasons that Ranexa is expensive is that it's a brand-name drug. It also has properties that make it preferable over similar medication options. However, there's also the lack of drug price control policies in the U.S.

Let's explore how exactly these factors drive Ranexa prescription costs. 

What Being a Brand-Name Drug Has to Do With Cost

A brand-name drug is the first version of a medication approved for marketing and sales in a country. Ranexa is one such drug. 

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Ranexa (ranolazine) in 2006. At the time, it was the first treatment for chronic angina to receive FDA approval within the last ten years. It was also the first of its kind from the class of drugs known as metabolic modulators.

As a brand-name prescription medication, Ranexa is expensive because its original manufacturer, CV Therapeutics (now owned by Gilead), made significant investments in its:

• Research and development (R&D)
• Patenting
• Marketing
• Branding

All those steps required a lot of money. Indeed, studies show that R&D alone costs drugmakers an estimated $4 to $10 billion.

Manufacturers then pass some of those costs to consumers to recoup their expenses and create profits. That's one of the primary reasons brand-name drugs like Ranexa are so expensive. 

The Ranexa Advantage

There are other types of medications for angina, one of which is ivabradine. Like ranolazine, it's also effective in minimizing the symptoms of angina.

However, studies have shown that patients appear to tolerate ranolazine better. For instance, the primary side effect reported by patients on ranolazine was nausea. By contrast, those on ivabradine said they experienced backaches, muscle cramps, headaches, and dizziness.

Research also found ranolazine to be the only antianginal medication tested to be effective in patients with angina and type 2 diabetes. 

Those advantages make Ranexa in demand and, in some cases, preferable over other antianginal drugs. Unfortunately, they also contribute to the brand-name drug's higher price. 

The Lack of Drug Price Control

Unlike other industrialized countries such as Canada, the U.S. doesn't negotiate drug prices. As a result, many drug manufacturers can set the cost of their products with little restriction. So, it's no wonder many brand-name drugs, such as Ranexa, are much more expensive in the U.S. than in other nations. 

Tips to Make Ranexa Easier to Afford

Just because Ranexa is expensive doesn't mean you're out of options. You can still get the medication you need by talking to your doctor about taking the generic version. You can also cut costs with discount coupons and by working with a reliable online Canadian pharmacy.

Get Your Doctor's Approval for Ranolazine

Since Ranexa's patent has already expired, you can now buy it in its generic form, ranolazine.

Generic drugs are FDA-approved and bioequivalent to their brand-name counterparts. Bioequivalence means they have the same active ingredients and results for patients. 

The primary difference is that generics cost significantly less than branded ones. That's because their manufacturers no longer have to spend money on R&D.

But before you start taking generic ranolazine, talk to your physician first. While generic drugs are generally safe, they may have inactive ingredients you may be sensitive to. It's better to be safe than sorry, so get your doctor's approval before switching to ranolazine. 

Buy Your Medications From a Reputable Online Pharmacy

As mentioned above, Ranexa's average retail price in the U.S. is over $500 for 60 tablets. But why spend that kind of money if you can buy Ranexa online at PricePro Pharmacy for as little as $175? That's 66% less, saving you over $300!

If your doctor has given you the green light to switch to generic ranolazine, you can save even more. At PricePro Pharmacy, we offer generic Ranexa for as low as $55 for 100 x 500 mg tablets. That's about nine times cheaper than the average retail price of Ranexa in the U.S.

As a reputable online Canadian pharmacy, we require a copy of your valid prescription issued by your licensed doctor. You can take a photo using your smartphone and upload it on our website. Alternatively, you can email, fax, or mail it to us. 

Use Discount Coupons

Discount coupons offered by legitimate online pharmacies can help you save anywhere from $10 to $20 extra on your orders. For instance, at Price Pro Pharmacy, new members can get a $10 discount on their first order worth at least $50. If your order totals at least $100, you can get a $20 discount! 

Consider Buying in Bulk

You can save even more on your Ranexa prescription orders by purchasing them in bulk. This way, you'd spend less per tablet.

You can typically buy up to a 90-day supply of prescription medications like Ranexa or ranolazine. If you purchase from PricePro Pharmacy, you can get 180 tablets of Ranexa 500 mg for only $495 or $2.75 per unit. That's still cheaper than the typical retail price in the U.S., and you'd even get three times the supply. 

Ranexa Doesn't Have to Be Exorbitant

Now you know the answer to the question: why is Ranexa so expensive? It's because it's a brand-name drug, it's in demand, and the U.S. doesn't regulate drug prices.

Fortunately, you don't have to let those reasons stop you from following your prescription. First, ask your doctor if you can take generic ranolazine. Then, maximize your savings by buying from a reputable online pharmacy.

Let PricePro Pharmacy be your go-to for all your affordable prescription medication needs. Contact us now, and we'll happily teach you how to order from us!

WORKS CITED:

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK559016/
2. https://www.healio.com/news/cardiology/20120225/ranolazine-approved-for-angina-treatment
3. https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/060115/how-much-drug-companys-spending-allocated-research-and-development-average.asp
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5933631/
5. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.2217/fca-2021-0058
6. https://inthesetimes.com/article/drugs-bernie-sanders-insulin-price-controls
7. https://www.pricepropharmacy.com/how-to-find-and-order-from-a-reliable-canadian-pharmacy/
8. https://www.pricepropharmacy.com/what-are-generic-prescriptions-and-when-you-should-use-them/
9. https://www.pricepropharmacy.com/product/ranexa/
10. https://www.pricepropharmacy.com/contact-us/