While the vast majority of brand-name prescription drug prices continue their seemingly inexorable climb to ever new highs, the average prices of most branded erectile dysfunction drugs moved lower from mid-2019 to early 2020.
In fact, only Viagra inched higher in price over this period, although its increase was very modest indeed — a mere 0.8 percent from $79.28 in July 2019 to $79.93 in January 2020. All other branded ED medications had lower prices in January 2020 than they did in July 2019.
Generic Competition a Driving Force
Generic competition no doubt accounts for some of the price softening that occurred during this period. After all, the Big Three ED drugs — Viagra, Cialis, and Levitra — all compete with generic equivalents and have for more than a year.
Ironically, however, Viagra, which has faced generic competition longer than any other ED drug in the United States, was the only medication in this group to go up, albeit slightly, in price.
Levitra Prices
Among the Big Three branded ED drugs, Levitra experienced the biggest drop in average price during this period, falling 14 percent from $62.98 in July 2019 to $54.13 in January 2020. This moderate price decline could very well be explained by competitive pressures. Levitra, the second of the Big Three ED drugs to come to market, today runs a distant third behind Viagra and Cialis in terms of sales. A lower price might hopefully stir up more consumer interest and translate into higher sales.
Cialis Has Two Formulations
Among the Big Three ED drugs, Cialis is unique because it’s actually sold in two formulations, although the only difference between these formulations is the amount of active ingredient each contains.
Lower-strength Cialis (2.5 to 5 mg) is marketed as Cialis daily, designed to be taken every day to ensure that the user is able to get an erection whenever the moment is right.
Like both Viagra and Levitra, higher-strength Cialis (10 to 20 mg) is designed for use as needed, meaning that it’s to be taken an hour or so before the expected start of sexual activity. However, unlike Viagra and Levitra, the effects of which last four to six hours, Cialis as-needed can last for up to 36 hours.
Cialis Prices
The average price of 5 mg Cialis daily dropped 16.4 percent from $16.46 in July 2019 to $13.76 in January 2020. Its higher-strength sibling, Cialis as-needed, slipped 4.2 percent from $78.06 per 20 mg tablet in July 2019 to $74.75 in January.
Apart from the Big Three branded ED drugs, all of which face generic competition, two other brand-name medications, Staxyn and Stendra, remain without generic counterparts. Despite the absence of generic competition, the average prices of both these drugs were down from mid-2019 to early 2020.
Prices for Staxyn, Stendra
Staxyn, which is an orosoluble form of vardenafil hydrochloride, the same active ingredient in Levitra, slipped 15.6 percent from $41.44 per 10 mg tablet in July 2019 to $34.96 in January 2020. The average price for a 100 mg tablet of Stendra slipped a modest 2.2 percent from $70.60 in July 2019 to $69.02 in January.
What’s Ahead for Viagra?
It will be particularly interesting to track Viagra’s prices after April 2020, which is when Pfizer will lose its final U.S. patents on the drug. This likely will open the door to increased generic competition and presumably greater downward price pressure. Time will tell.
Longtime online medical facilitator eDrugstore.com stocks a full range of ED medications, including all brand-name and generic drugs. Its prices include not just the drugs themselves but also a number of time- and money-saving services that can collectively lower the total cost of acquiring these drugs. To learn more, visit eDrugstore’s Erectile Dysfunction page.
