A Comparison of Pharmaceutical Prices for Generic Erectile Dysfunction and Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Medication in 2 Socioeconomically Disparate New York City Neighborhoods

Abstract

Introduction: Erectile dysfunction (ED) and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) are frequently managed with medications. Variability and poor understanding of medication prices have been shown to hinder patient adherence, leading to worse clinical outcomes. We sought to explore how pharmacy type and neighborhood socioeconomic status influence pricing for generic ED and BPH medications.Methods: A total of 96 pharmacies within the adjacent higher income Upper East Side (UES) and lower income East Harlem (EH) New York City neighborhoods were classified as chain or independent. Telephone surveys identified cash prices for 30-day supplies of 14 medications including phosphodiesterase 5-inhibitors, 5-alpha reductase inhibitors, alpha blockers and antispasmodics. Pricing variability based on pharmacy type and neighborhood was evaluated using Mann-Whitney U-tests.Results: Of 96 pharmacies, 81 responded (84.4%). Independent pharmacies showed significantly reduced prices for 9/14 and 14/14 medications in UES and EH, respectively. The greatest independent pharmacy price reductions were for tadalafil 20 mg (15.0-fold in UES, 26.7-fold in EH) and sildenafil . The least significant reductions were in mirabegron (1.1-fold in UES, 1.2-fold in EH). Independent pharmacies in EH showed lower prices for 9/14 medications compared to those in UES.Conclusions: Across both neighborhoods, independent pharmacies offered consistently lower cash prices for ED and BPH medications. Lower independent pharmacy prices in the lower income EH neighborhood suggest that neighborhood socioeconomic status may impact pricing. Physicians and patients alike must understand the factors that influence pricing to ensure more optimal patient compliance for uninsured patients.