Wal-Mart Adds Birth Control Pills to Generic Drug Program

Stephanie Saul reports for the New York Times :

On its face, the expansion of Wal-Mart’s generic drug program yesterday seemed only incremental. The company added seven new compounds to the list of drugs it sells for $4....

But yesterday, the company added to its $4 list methylphenidate, a drug for attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder that is commonly used for school-age children.

Perhaps more significant, Wal-Mart said it would start selling generic versions of two popular birth control pills for $9 a month, appealing to an estimated 11 million women in America, most of them under age 40, who use oral contraceptives.

A fertility drug, clomiphene, will also be available for $9, Wal-Mart said.

Versions of the two birth control pills — known by the brand names Ortho Cyclen and Ortho Tri-Cyclen — account for 20 percent of oral contraception prescriptions in this country.

Although the average woman would save only $1 at Wal-Mart if she had insurance coverage for the pill, she would save $21 if she did not have coverage. The pills frequently sell for $30.