Looking to save money on medicine? Don't go to the drug store, state survey finds

Head to one of the giant retailers - either Target or Walmart - and skip CVS and Walgreens and the supermarket if you want to save money on medicine, a state survey found.

State inspectors visit more than 100 supermarkets, drug stores and discount retailers across Massachusetts and found the highest average prices in their survey of eight name brand drugs and seven generics were at either CVS or Walgreens. The cheapest on average: Walmart and Target.

“Consumers have clear choices when it comes to shopping for drugs to help fight the sniffles and coughs of the winter season,” state Consumer Affairs chief Barbara Anthony said in a statement. “While convenience is a significant factor when sick, shopping at a big-box store and for generics will save consumers money in most cases.”

Among the remedies included in the survey were: Afrin Original 12-hour spray, Vicks DayQuil Cold and Flu Relief Liquid and NyQuil Cold and Flu Relief Liquid, Cold-Eeze Cold Remedy lozenges, Mucinex DM, Theraflu Nighttime Severe Cold and Cough, Robitussin Peak Cold Multi-Symptom, and Tylenol Cold Multi-Symptom Nighttime Warming Liquid. The state also checked on generic equivalents.

For name-brand drugs, the difference in prices from the highest to the lowest was about $3, the state found. The biggest spead was for Mucinex - $16.99 at Walgreens and $10.68 at Walmart. The results among generics was similar.

The finding also reinforced the obvious: generics are cheaper than brand-named drugs.

“When generics offer the same active ingredient with the same amount of the ingredient, they present a strong option for consumers concerned about cost,” Anthony said. “However, consumers need to check to ensure the generic offers the same drug at the same potency as the name brand, and should not assume they are identical without checking.”