Those who buy Viagra need to shop around to find the best available price, and there are a number of different places that sell it. Though patent, brand name Viagra is owned by one company, the price of each tablet can vary depending on where you go to fill a prescription. Remember, no matter where you buy it, it’s exactly the same.

Many pharmacy chains, such as CVS and Walgreens, order Viagra in bulk, which allows them to offer lower prices than some private pharmacies may have. Stores like Walmart, which have pharmacy sections that accept different insurances also carry these sorts or drugs, and can order in bulk. However, these stores are still not always the best option. Here is a comparison in pricing of Viagra tablets at major retailers:

Buying Viagra online at CVS

The average price for a tablet of Viagra at CVS is $44.70, make it one of the most expensive options. It is also not available with insurance as of 2016.

Buying Viagra online at Walgreens

Walgreens is one of the cheapest options for purchasing Viagra, at only $42.10 per tablet.

Buying Viagra online at Walmart

Similar in price to Walgreens, a single tablet at Walmart comes out to $42.12.

Conclusion

Looking at the different price options at the above stores and pharmacies, it doesn’t seem as though there’s really much of a difference in cost. Or at least, there’s no option that really offers Viagra online at an affordable price. In addition, all of these retailers require a doctor’s prescription in order to purchase Viagra online, which is another cost in addition to the medication. You would need to schedule regular appointments, as prescriptions also cannot last forever. The dosage of Viagra can vary from man to man, and a doctor determines what amount of dosage is best for a patient. Though these dosages tend to cost about the same, they can also cause the price to fluctuate slightly.

There are a few ways to get around such high prices. Some of these stores charge almost the same price for 50 mg tablets as they do 100 mg ones. This means, if you can get a prescription for and purchase 100 mg tablets when you only need 50 mg ones, you can cut them in half and get double out of each purchase. Some men only require 25 mg, and thus the same method can be used to save even more money. Of course, this means that your doctor would have to agree to write a prescription for a stronger dosage than you may need, which may not always be possible. There would still also be a limit on how many tablets you would get in each filled prescription.

The only other way to save money on erectile dysfunction medications is through insurance copays or coverage. Though it is not universal, some health insurances will help to cover the cost of prescription Viagra. Unfortunately, there’s no health insurance plan that will completely cover such a cost, unless the medication is used for a condition other than erectile dysfunction (Viagra is sometimes used to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension). Medicare and Medicaid do not help with the price of erectile dysfunction medications, and many private insurance companies have also stopped offering copays or coverage on such drugs if they ever did in the first place. Because erectile dysfunction is not life-threatening in most cases, it can be considered unnecessary for full coverage of treatment. Insurance companies often also limit the amount of Viagra that can be covered in a plan. For example, they may decide that five tablets per month is enough, and only help cover the price of that much. If you feel that you need or want more than that set amount (which is often the case), you are forced to pay out of pocket. As with most medications, insurance may not be accepted everywhere, which could mean changing your doctor or the place that you buy the medication, which could also affect the overall price you pay of getting the medication you need.

This is another option of buying Viagra online

Luckily, traditional pharmacies are not the only option for purchasing Viagra online. They are also not the cheapest or easiest. A tablet of Viagra bought online can cost as low as $0.79. Obviously, that is a massive price difference. Buying generic Viagra online is not only significantly cheaper but also offers many more advantages to buying Viagra in stores.

For one, you don’t need a prescription to purchase generic Viagra online. This means that you can purchase as much or as little as you like. You don’t need to go to a doctor once, or multiple times in order to be checked out and given a prescription. It also means that you can try more than just one type of medication. Though Viagra (also know under its chemical, generic name, Sildenafil) is arguably the most popular medication for treating erectile dysfunction, it is not the only one. Cialis (Tadalafil) and Levitra (Vardenafil) are two other FDA-approved and widely used medications for treating erectile dysfunction. As with all medications, some men find that one or more of these different tablets work better for them personally. It’s also possible that they may find one medication works well for an amount of time, and then switching to another is more effective for another few months. Basically, switching the type of medication you use every so often helps your body react effectively to them. If you go to a doctor and get a prescription, unless you find that a certain medication is not working, or have a valid reason for wanting to try or change to a different drug, you likely won’t be able to get a prescription for a different medication. This means that you can’t really try different options to see if one works better than another. By ordering online, you can try small quantities of each, and afford it.

Another advantage of buying online is that you can order in bulk. As with all prescriptions, you can only get so much Viagra at a time, at which point you have to fill the prescription again and drive back to the store to get it. By ordering online, you can purchase enough to last you a longer time, and have it arrive directly to your door. It’s significantly easier to go online once every few months or years and order yourself another supply of generic Viagra than it is to go through the hassle of a doctor and a pharmacy.

Why is it cheaper?

All of this information begs the question, why is it so much cheaper to order Viagra online than to get it at a pharmacy? Viagra is considerably expensive for a number of reasons.

It was developed and is produced by Pfizer, who still owns a patent on it in the US. Patents serve to allow companies that research and develop drugs to make the money back that they spent on that research before they face market pricing competition. Patents are useful in that they encourage pharmaceutical companies to continue research for new drugs, because they know that they will make a good amount of money on any new drugs. However, it also means that they have a monopoly on the drug, and have no limit on what they can charge for it. Until that patent expires, Pfizer can charge whatever they like for the drug, as they face no market competition. They can also raise the price whenever they like. Unfortunately, because of agreements between politicians, legislators, and big pharmaceutical companies in the US, these patents can last a long time, and be renewed even if they are set to expire. The patent on Viagra was recently renewed, and isn’t set to expire now until 2017. Once it does expire (if it is not renewed again), other companies will be able to produce a generic form of the drug, which will likely be sold for much cheaper. In some countries, Pfizer was never granted a patent, that patent expired, or (in the case of some countries with socialized healthcare) there is a legal cap on how much they can charge, and thus other pharmaceutical companies produce the generic drug cheaply. In contrast, the price of Viagra in the US has actually gone up over the years, due to a few price hikes over time and the growing demand for it as baby boomers age.

While there are other drugs that treat erectile dysfunction, such as Cialis and Levitra, these too have patents. The chemical makeup of these drugs differs from Viagra, but also are not produced in a generic form. Because of the popularity of Viagra, and because it went on to the market years before Cialis or Levitra, the competition from these companies doesn’t lower the price on any of these drugs. In fact, it’s possible that these companies have agreements on how much to charge for their brand name drugs, so that prices remain high for all, and they can continue to bring in high revenue until their patents expire. Many men believe that Viagra works better for them than other similar drugs, and so are willing to continue paying such high prices, despite there being other options.

Generics

A generic form of any drug is a drug that has the same chemical makeup as the name brand, but is sold under its chemical name. In every way except name, a generic is the same thing as the name brand drug. One example of this is ibuprofen, which is sold under that name at many pharmacies, but also has a few name brands on the market. Just as you wouldn’t care about picking between a CVS-brand ibuprofen and Advil, there’s no reason to hesitate between choosing from a generic form of Viagra or its name brand. Once the patent on Viagra expires, you will probably see many companies and chains producing and selling their own version of the generic drug, right next to Viagra on the shelf. Generics tend to be much cheaper than their brand name counterparts, mainly because of the fact that because the generic is produced there is market competition for it, and no company would be able to charge much more than another. Competition drives the price down. This begs the question, where can you get generic Viagra, if not in the US, or at least not yet?

Outside countries

Because patents are granted by the courts or governments of different countries, the patent rights on different drugs can vary greatly from country to country. The company that wants the patent must file with each individual country. It often only gets a patent within the countries that the company operates. Some countries do not grant patents at all. In some countries, like the UK or Canada, the patent on Viagra was limited, and has expired, allowing companies there to make the generic form of the drug. When these patents expired, the price typically dropped 90%, which it very well could in the US as well. However, while many countries enjoy cheaper, affordable erectile dysfunction drugs, the same laws that control the patents in the US also block the importing of generic drugs from outside countries. Credit cards companies will sometimes block the purchase of these drugs online. Though generics are widely sold and prescribed by doctors in other countries, they are unavailable in the US.

Though some countries may not have patents, generic forms of any drug must still be approved by the government or FDA, ensuring that they are safe for use. Because Viagra was developed so long ago, many countries, like India and China, have been safely producing and selling these medications for years. The chemical makeup of Viagra is well-known, and other pharmaceutical companies have already perfected their own way of testing and producing it.

Where to buy online

There are a number of websites that connect consumers to pharmacies outside of the US so that they can order affordable generic forms of Viagra, Cialis, and Levitra. Countries like India (where there is not a patent on the drug) are especially popular for ordering generics from. So long as a website has good reviews and a safe way of processing your payment, they can be a great place for all your erectile dysfunction medication needs.

The medications that you see online are simply the medications that people in other countries use every day, at an affordable price. In fact, you could fly to another country yourself and pick up the same drug to use, you just would not be able to bring it back into the US due to the patent restriction. These generics are approved by different country’s governments and regulators for production and sale.

Stop paying the CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart price for Viagra

If you purchase, or are looking to purchase medication to treat erectile dysfunction, look online for the generic, affordable forms of these drugs. Many, many men outside of the US already enjoy the benefits of generic Viagra online, without the crippling price tag. You should too. Unlike shopping around for a phone, there’s really no comparison in prices with Viagra. Generics are by far the cheapest and easiest option, and ordering through an online company will allow you to take advantage of those prices.

Relying on insurance or major retailers will get you nowhere. Though some stores can order in bulk and compete with one another enough that they may cut the price on Viagra slightly, the starting price for the drug is so high that it is simply not possible to get Viagra from a store in the US for a decent price, let alone a price comparable to those that you can find on many online retailer’s websites. Now that you know the price comparisons are roughly $40 to $1, you know where to get the best possible value. And aside from the great price, ordering online offers more choice in medications, quantity of your order, and ease in placing your order and having it shipped directly, discreetly to your home.

Stop paying such high prices for brand name Viagra. You don’t have to wait until 2017 and beyond in order to get fair prices for the drugs you need. Browse all of the affordable erectile dysfunction medication options available online today, and start shopping smart. Get help today! Order our set of free ED pills & get it delivered by mail in just 7 days.

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