Finding Cheaper, More Affordable Epogen… Somewhere

At almost $3,000 a pop, it’s probably no surprise that we get lots of questions about trying to find cheaper, more affordable sources for Epogen. If you are a kidney patient undergoing dialysis, Epogen is one of the most commonly-prescribed treatments, but unfortunately, it’s also one of the most pricey.

And unfortunately, if you’re looking for a cheaper, more affordable substitute for Epogen like a generic, there’s not a whole lot of good news. Epogen is a “biologic” which isn’t subject to the same laws and rules as traditional prescription drugs for generics. Because of the way that biologics like Epogen are made, it’s really unlikely that there will be a generic version of Epogen anytime in the near future, if ever. Even if the laws regarding biologics change, Epogen is protected by a fistful of patents, so the chances of a generic version of Epogen in the near future are pretty dim. At this rate, who knows when a cheaper, more affordable generic version of Epogen will hit the market?

Crummy! And I Still Can’t Afford $3,000 for Epogen!

Okay, the situation is not great (to say the least!), but we still have some options for cheaper, more affordable Epogen:

The Amgen Safety Net Program. Amgen offers assistance to patients with a financial hardship who are not eligible for prescription drug coverage through Medicare, Medicaid or any other public or private health program. Patients who meet the program’s eligibility criteria are provided Amgen products like Epogen free of charge.

Generic Epogen from Online Foreign Pharmacies. Okay, we know we’ve mentioned the possibility of buying generic prescription drugs from foreign pharmacies as a way to save money before, and for some drugs, it’s a real alternative if you can’t afford your prescriptions otherwise. However, even though there are some online pharmacies which claim to be able to get your cheap, generic versions of Epogen, please don’t fall for them! As we mentioned, Epogen is biologic and almost impossible to copy. Anything that promises you generic Epogen is sure to be a scam. At best, you could waste your time and money on these “generic Epogens” and at worst, they could be really dangerous.

Do you use Epogen? Tell us about it in our Prescription Drug Forum!

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