New York Times Examines Effect of Claritin’s OTC Status

The New York Times on May 8 examines the effect of an FDA decision last November to switch the prescription allergy medication Claritin to over-the-counter status. WellPoint Health Networks, which lobbied for the switch of Claritin to OTC status, said that the move would benefit consumers, but "insurers -- and the employers that pay for health insurance themselves -- have so far been the biggest beneficiaries," the Times reports. The price of Claritin has decreased by 50% or more, to about $1 per pill, because of the switch to OTC status. However, consumers must cover the full cost of Claritin, and a month's supply of the medication today costs about $30, compared to the $15 to $20 copayments that those with health insurance had paid. Some pharmacies have begun to sell less-expensive generic versions of Claritin, and the FDA might shift other prescription allergy medications, such as Allegra, Zyrtec and Clarinex, to OTC status, a move that could reduce costs for consumers. Many health plans have begun to increase premiums for prescription allergy medications, to $35 to $40, and some plan to drop coverage for the treatments, the Times reports (New York Times, 5/8).