National Partnership for Women and Families

Daily Women's Health Policy Report

May 7, 2008

Wal-Mart Stores on Monday announced that it is adding several women's health-related medications to its discounted prescription drug program, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Wal-Mart pharmacies will provide $9 generic prescriptions for up to 30-day supplies of several drugs that treat breast cancer, hormone deficiency, menopause and osteoporosis (Zimmerman, Wall Street Journal, 5/6). Some of the drugs that will be sold for $9 include: the breast cancer drug tamoxifen; alendronate, the generic version of the osteoporosis medication Fosamax; and a combination of estrogen/methyltestosterone tablets for menopause and hormone deficiency.

In addition, Wal-Mart plans to lower the prices of monthly supplies of more than 1,000 over-the-counter drugs, including its own brand of prenatal vitamins, to $4 or less. It also will offer 90-day supplies of more than 300 generic medicines for $10. Target late Monday said it will match the major elements of Wal-Mart's program, adding that more details about which drugs it will discount will be released soon (AP/New York Times, 5/6).

Wal-Mart's discount program, which started in September 2006, also provides 30-day supplies of several family planning drugs, including generic versions of Ortho Cyclen and Ortho Tri-Cyclen for $9. Kroger launched a similar discount program in March (Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 2/7).