Tamiflu prices vary widely at drugstores

Some pharmacies in Indianapolis are charging more than double for the H1N1 drug Tamiflu.

24-Hour News 8 discovered that various pharmacies including both large corporate-owned pharmacies and small locally-owned pharmacies are charging different prices.

The biggest discrepancies in prices were found for children's Tamiflu. Part of the reason is a nationwide shortage of the children's dosage.

Pharmacists said they make the children's dosage themselves by grinding up adult pills and adding flavored syrup. The process takes time and some pharmacies charge you for that time.

The lowest price 24-Hour News 8 found for children's Tamiflu was at Walmart on East Washington. The store charges $51 but said they're out right now and waiting for a new shipment to arrive. The highest price came at Walgreens at 146th and Gray Road in Noblesville for $116.

Downtown at the CVS on North Meridian, children's Tamiflu costs $75. Go across the street to Walgreens for the same children's Tamiflu and it jumps to $103. Both are mixing the kid's liquid version on site.

The lowest price for the adult version of Tamiflu, distributed in the 75 milligram 10-pack, was again found at Walmart for $87. Nora Apothecary came in at $102, CVS was $105. The highest was $108 at two Walgreens stores.

Prices quoted without insurance factored into the cost. That's important when you consider that, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, 2.2 million children under age six in this country have no health insurance.

Two attorney generals are investigating claims of price gouging when it comes to Tamiflu: Connecticut and Mississippi.

The Indiana Attorney General’s Office said Indiana law only allows them to investigate price gouging when it comes to gas prices.

They added, "Ultimately, one company, even if it is ‘gouging’ in a time of scarcity, wouldn't necessarily be illegal under state antitrust laws."

Meanwhile, Senator Chris Dodd of Connecticut has called for a federal investigation into Tamiflu price discrepancies.