Wal-Mart sells generic Ritalin for $4. So why don’t they want you to know about it?
A blogger recently did a little investigating and discovered that generic Ritalin (methylphenidate) is available for $4 at Wal-Mart, as well as competitors Target and Kroger.
What’s interesting about this is that not one of the retailers includes the drug on its official list of $4 generic drugs. Here’s Wal-Mart’s list, for example. No trace of methylphenidate anywhere.
We can only assume the omission is intentional. Selling a highly addictive drug like methylphenidate for such a low price might raise eyebrows in some health and medical circles, so the retailers probably want to keep the promotion quiet.
Already, physicians are complaining loudly about supermarkets that are offering free antibiotics as a way to increase foot traffic — because overuse of antibiotics leads to antibiotic resistance and the decreasing effectiveness of these drugs. That would seem like a pretty minor concern compared to selling a Schedule II controlled substance like methylphenidate for $4. Drugs like cocaine, opium and morphine are in the same class. And we know what Tom Cruise thinks about Ritalin.
It’s a curious marketing strategy. If the purpose of the generic drug programs is to be a loss leader, drawing foot traffic to these stores in hopes shoppers will buy other items, doesn’t it defeat that purpose to keep generic Ritalin’s price a secret? Why offer it at the promotional price at all?
Whatever the backstory may be, it’s a secret no longer.
Tweet
July 27th, 2009 at 6:39 PM
I may not be the brightest bulb in the pack, but I might see why a retailer would not want to 1.) advertise to the general public how inexpensive a CII is (how much is generic morphine?), nor 2.) put it on the $4 generics list just for every Tom, Dick, and Harry to come up with bright ideas.
We have enough meth labs out here in the mideast, people blowing up each other with their chemistry experiments and ending up in burn centers, and deadly associated with anhydrous ammonia exposure, without crazed methmouths showing up in the pharmacies.
September 15th, 2009 at 4:34 PM
well i would really like to find out who is spouting off at the mouth about this. my reasoning for saying this is because it is a damn lie! i just got off the phone with a walmart pharm tech and they DO NOT offer generic ritalin at the $4 price and target only offers it for the 10mg generic, and since i am prescribed 20mg it doesn’t mean jack shit to me.
September 30th, 2009 at 10:35 PM
Maybe it’s regional… I got an Rx for generic ritalin last year for $4 at my local Wal-Mart.
October 3rd, 2009 at 4:45 AM
If Wal-Mart sells methylphenidate for 4$/month, what I want to know is why they keep charging me over 50$/month. This is simply uninformed bs. I have been on Ritalin for over 12yrs and never abused it. Heck, a 1 month supply lasts me over 2.5 months as I use it PRN(as needed) being a nurse I do need it at work. Don’t believe this story!!! It is propaganda pushed on the public by people who have no knowledge of physiology or pharmacology.
October 24th, 2009 at 10:04 AM
I went to my local Walmart, asked for the genaric form of ritalin and the teenaged pharmicist in a dirty lab coat looked at me blankly and said they don’t have wither Ritalin or methylphenidate. I read online that it has been added to the list.
“Nope.”
The prescription drop-off area was filthy as was the entire store.
Ticket counters at Grand Central Terminal are cleaner.
This corporation is bad for main street America. To hell with them.
January 2nd, 2010 at 5:01 PM
My son is currently taking Concerta for ADD. We have been on government insurance for the last 2 years so the government has been paying for the medication. We now go over the income guidlines and have had to purchase insurance on our own. They consider ADD a pre-existing condition and will not cover his meds. The Concerta is $171 for a 30 day supply. I have researched cheaper alternatives and have found forums talking about Generic Ritalin (Methylphenidate) being offered at Walmart for $4. I called my local Walmart pharmacy and yes they do have it available in the 5mg and 10mg doses. I also looked on their Walmart $4 list and did not see it on there. I can only assume they are keeping this on the hush to keep people from abusing it. I talked with the pharmacist about 5 minutes on what alternatives I had to Concerta and she did tell me about the $4 generic ritalin. I think they are trained to keep it on the hush. If you just call them and say hey do you offer Methylphenidate for $4….yes they will probably tell you no they dont offer it. I think if they feel you honestly need it they will tell you. But this drug can be abused very easily so they dont want to give it to anyone and everyone. I still dont know if this drug will be an option without first talking to my sons doctor. But for those of you who need it talk to the Walmart pharmacist about it and ask them to look it up on their computer. Dont just take their word for it. And if they do tell you no, call the next local Walmart till you get a yes.
June 1st, 2010 at 3:10 PM
I’ve actually done it and 1 month 10mg tabs cost $9 not $4.
July 24th, 2010 at 3:41 AM
Ebay Mom’s comments are kinda scary. First of all, a huge leap has been made from “they don’t have it at my walmart” to “then because they have it at mine yours must be secretly withholding it from you.” And if that were true, is that legal? And legal or not, what the hell? You wouldn’t be outraged by the idea? It isn’t up to WalMart to be deciding who should be dispensed a Schedule II drug based on “if they feel” the person “honestly” needs it. If someone presents a valid prescription from a legitimate doctor, and there is no pharmacological reason not to fill it, the pharmacy should fill it. Now, if a person comes in there looking like a meth freak clearly amped up and looking to score, a chat with the doctor is in order. And don’t get me wrong, I think these drugs are overprescribed and don’t want them being given out gratuitously or without strict oversight, but the pharmacy’s oversight should end after they’ve ensured that the prescription is valid, the person is who they say they are, there are drug interactions or dosage issues, etc. It should not include deciding, based on the sound of someone’s voice, whether that person should be told that the medicine they need on a daily basis is available to them.
August 13th, 2010 at 1:08 PM
It is availabe and I have been getting my perscription filled for that price for over a year. Dont bother calling, most of the Pharmacists wont even look it up, they just say that it is not on the list. I have to say that most of them dont even know that it is on the list, so I dont even bother saying anything. Go in with your perscription and ask for the generic and ask them to run the price in their computer and it will either be $4.00 or $8.00 depending on the dosage. I take 20 mg dosage and switched to the 10 mg so that it will be covered. Your doctor does have to write it out correctly, so make sure that is done before you even go to fill it. Example: 20 mg 3x per day. New perscription needs to say 10 mg 6x per day. Same dosage, but Walmart only covers the 5 & 10 mg. I explained this to my doctor and he called Walmart and wrote it they way it needed to be. I hope this helps.
August 13th, 2010 at 1:22 PM
As far as the 1st comment, I would like to say that we probably should take Crayola crayons off of the shelves too, because 5 out of 10 kids write on their bedroom walls or 8 out of 10 kids have even eaten one or two for Christ sakes; and well for the other kids who didn’t — it just sucks to be you! Give me a break! You will ALWAYS have people who abuse things that are out there. When one thing is not availabe, abusers will find something else to abuse. I love crayons and I never wrote on my wall or ate one, yet I take Ritalin — but my kids have — and not one of them are on ANY medications — go figure!