Pill Prices Peak
Legislation forces birth control prices to rise by 400 percent
Holly Meyer, News Reporter
Issue date: 1/25/07 Section: News
New legislation has caused the price of four types of birth control to increase by about 400 percent at the SIUE Health Services Pharmacy.
"The current issue of price increases at Health Services concerns four name brand birth control products," SIUE Pharmacist Tina Roundcount said.
The products include Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo, NuvaRing, Desogen and Cyclessa. These birth control products were sold at $9, $8, $7 and $7 respectively. They are now selling for $38.50, $34.50, $34.60 and $34, respectively.
According to Roundcount, these products will be sold at the original prices until her current stock runs out. She will then be forced to purchase the products at the higher price, and in turn sell it to students for the higher price.
"These increases are a direct result of new legislation, effective January 2007," Roundcount said. "The university no longer qualifies for the contracts we once received."
Eligibility requirements for the reduced rates are found in another piece of legislature.
"Low prices for brand name birth control products will only be offered to certain entities, determined by guidelines found in the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005," Roundcount said.
Organon International, the maker of NuvaRing, Desogen and Cyclessa, did not return a phone call requesting comment.
"It seems really strange that in order to reduce a budget deficit, people would raise the price of medication," senior and Making Waves member Kathrine Davis said. "This is a college population where sexual activity happens. Now, birth control has quadrupled. That is staggering."
According to Roundcount, the reason that just the birth control prices are affected at SIUE is because they are the only name brand products sold at the pharmacy. All other medications are generic and therefore exempt from the legislation.
"One way paying for high birth control prices can be avoided is to use generic products if available," Roundcount said.
Roundcount said the generic versions of Desogen and Cyclessa will soon be offered at the pharmacy for $16 and $17, respectively. There are not generic versions for Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo and NuvaRing.
The goal of Health Services is to inform the students of SIUE early so they can make arrangements for the purchase of their medications.
"Health Services is trying to be proactive on the price increase by informing students before the increase is in place," Roundcount said.
"The current issue of price increases at Health Services concerns four name brand birth control products," SIUE Pharmacist Tina Roundcount said.
The products include Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo, NuvaRing, Desogen and Cyclessa. These birth control products were sold at $9, $8, $7 and $7 respectively. They are now selling for $38.50, $34.50, $34.60 and $34, respectively.
According to Roundcount, these products will be sold at the original prices until her current stock runs out. She will then be forced to purchase the products at the higher price, and in turn sell it to students for the higher price.
"These increases are a direct result of new legislation, effective January 2007," Roundcount said. "The university no longer qualifies for the contracts we once received."
Eligibility requirements for the reduced rates are found in another piece of legislature.
"Low prices for brand name birth control products will only be offered to certain entities, determined by guidelines found in the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005," Roundcount said.
Organon International, the maker of NuvaRing, Desogen and Cyclessa, did not return a phone call requesting comment.
"It seems really strange that in order to reduce a budget deficit, people would raise the price of medication," senior and Making Waves member Kathrine Davis said. "This is a college population where sexual activity happens. Now, birth control has quadrupled. That is staggering."
According to Roundcount, the reason that just the birth control prices are affected at SIUE is because they are the only name brand products sold at the pharmacy. All other medications are generic and therefore exempt from the legislation.
"One way paying for high birth control prices can be avoided is to use generic products if available," Roundcount said.
Roundcount said the generic versions of Desogen and Cyclessa will soon be offered at the pharmacy for $16 and $17, respectively. There are not generic versions for Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo and NuvaRing.
The goal of Health Services is to inform the students of SIUE early so they can make arrangements for the purchase of their medications.
"Health Services is trying to be proactive on the price increase by informing students before the increase is in place," Roundcount said.
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