The price of psychotropic drugs: a neglected factor.

Of the various factors that determine the choice of psychotropic drugs, economic cost to patients is often not adequately considered. The authors present results of a small survey of private pharmacy prices for psychopharmacologic agents, and compare these prices with wholesale prices and prices from alternative retail sources. They report a large degree of price variability, which sometimes even overshadows price differences between trade and generic preparations. Problems with bioequivalency among different preparations, the ramifications of prescribing the largest possible dose unit, and other issues related to drug cost are discussed.