1340 - Variations in Drug Prices of Oral Spasticity Medications across the United States

Objectives: In the treatment of spasticity, oral baclofen 10mg and tizanidine have emerged as common treatment modalities in adult populations. Similarly, baclofen 5mg and ozobax have emerged as common modalities in pediatric populations. This project uses the GoodRx platform to describe pricing variations between the four medication types across the most populous zip codes in America.

Design: We queried GoodRx for pricing details for the oral medications of baclofen 5mg tablet, baclofen 10mg tablet, tizanidine 4mg tablet (30 tablet), and ozobax 473mL bottle for each pharmacy in the most populous zip code in each of the 50 states. Highest price, lowest price, and mean difference between these prices were described.

Results: The mean lowest prices for baclofen 5mg, baclofen 10mg, tizanidine, and ozobax were $6.23 ± $1.26, $9.63 ± $1.33, $4.84 ± $1.40, and $800.20 ± $12.82, respectively. The mean highest prices for these drugs were $62.54 ± $13.97, $57.90 ± $31.92, $48.70 ± $15.65, and $1168.00 ± $0, respectively. The mean difference between the highest and lowest prices for these drugs were $56.32 ± $14.08, $48.27 ± $31.94, $43.86 ± $15.40, and $367.80 ± $12.82, respectively. For Baclofen 10mg and tizanidine, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Delaware had the highest price disparities. In contrast, baclofen 5mg and ozobax demonstrated distinct regional patterns. Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi had the most substantial price differences for baclofen 5mg, compared to Massachusetts, South Dakota, and Missouri for ozobax.

Conclusions: Significant differences between GoodRx sale prices and mean retail prices demonstrate the potential for increased financial burden on patients unaware of GoodRx. These findings also highlight the clear impact of geographic location on drug pricing variations and further underscore the potential cost-saving benefits of utilizing GoodRx sale prices across different regions. Providers in each region must be aware of these financial differences to better advise their patients on medication options.