Available en espagnolCosts for commonly prescribed drugs to treat heartburn, ulcers and gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, vary from 79 cents a day to more than $8.00 a day. This report compares the effectiveness, safety and cost of five medicines in a class called proton pump inhibitors, or PPIs.
Among these are the widely advertised medicines Nexium and Prevacid and the newly available nonprescription drug Prilosec OTC.
This report shows how you might save more than $200 a month, or $2,400 a year, if you have to take a PPI.
PPIs are overused and individual needs vary, so talk with your doctor about whether you need one. Your doctor may not be aware of price differences between medicines. Taking the effectiveness, safety and cost of PPIs into account, our evaluation found that:
- If you have no health insurance or coverage for prescription drugs, omeprazole (Prilosec OTC), at a cost of around 79 cents a day, is the Consumer Reports Best Buy Drug. This nonprescription medicine costs one-fifth as much as the next least expensive PPI and is just as likely to relieve symptoms for most people with GERD.
- If you have drug coverage, find out if your health plan provides a discount coupon for Prilosec OTC. If not, talk with you doctor about choosing the PPI that has the lowest out-of-pocket cost under your insurance plan.
Safety Note: PPIs interact with some other medicines. If your doctor prescribes a PPI, tell him or her about any other medicines you are taking. People aged 65 and over, and people with chronic medical conditions, who take a PPI should be sure to get vaccinated against pneumonia and get a flu shot every year.
Be sure to check the possible downloads on this Consumer Reports site.
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