Is There a Way to Save on Colchicine?

By: | | Topics : Colchicine, Mitigare,

save on colchicine

If you take a urate-lowering therapy (ULT) for gout, you may also take one of these colchicine products to help prevent gout flares:

  • Mitigare® (Colchicine) 0.6 mg Capsules
  • Authorized Generic Colchicine 0.6 mg Capsules
  • Colcrys (colchicine, USP) 0.6 mg tablets
  • Generic colchicine tablets

The costs of these medications can vary, however. Is there a way to save on colchicine? For many patients, the answer is yes. Here are some tips that may help you to get the best price on your colchicine therapy.

 

Find out if colchicine is covered

Due to recent formulary changes, patients covered by Medicare, Medicaid and many major commercial insurance plans now have coverage for their Mitigare® and Generic Colchicine Capsules prescriptions. Call your insurer directly or check their website to find out if colchicine is covered by your plan.

 

Remind your doctor of your coverage

When your doctor writes your colchicine prescription, be sure to remind him or her which colchicine product (if any), is covered by your insurance. Providing this information to your doctor (before you leave the office with your prescription) could make a big difference in the final cost of your medicine.

 

Get a True Blue Savings Card

If your doctor has prescribed Mitigare® or , visit  Mitigare.com to download and activate your True Blue Savings Card.

With this savings card, eligible patients can receive Mitigare® or Generic Colchicine Capsules for as little as $0 for the first 30 days and receive refills for as low as $5.* Read the complete Terms and Conditions to learn more about the program and eligibility restrictions.

IMPORTANT: If you have a dark blue True Blue Savings card, it expired on 12/31/19. Be sure to visit Mitigare.com to download and activate your new True Blue Savings card.

 

Use the Inside Rx pharmacy discount card

If you are uninsured, underinsured or are not eligible for the True Blue Savings Card, you may be able to access discounts for Mitigare® or Generic Colchicine Capsules using the Inside Rx pharmacy discount card. Inside Rx offers a discount option for eligible cash-paying patients. The card is not insurance, and there is no membership fee. View a list of participating pharmacies, eligibility and medication information, and other important terms and restrictions.

 

Check your colchicine at the pharmacy

If your doctor writes you a colchicine prescription but does not specify a specific brand (eg, Mitigare®) or formulation (eg, capsules), you may not get the lowest cost for your medicine. This can happen when your pharmacy stocks only one colchicine product, and it’s not the one covered by your insurance.

Be sure the pharmacy filling your prescription has your covered colchicine in stock. If it doesn’t, consider taking your prescription to another pharmacy that does have your covered colchicine in stock (and may be able to give you a better price).

 

Talk with your doctor

If you suffer with gout flares, consider preventive therapy with colchicine. Colchicine has been proven effective in helping prevent flares in adults with gout1 and may make a difference, especially if you are starting a urate-lowering therapy ULT) 2. To learn more about colchicine and how it may be able to help prevent gout flares1, talk with your doctor.

 

*For all eligible patients 18 years or older who are legal residents of the United States or Puerto Rico. First 30 days are as little as $0 only for eligible patients. Maximum savings of $65 on the first fill and $50 on refills. Please see complete Terms and Conditions.

 

Mitigare® is a registered trademark of Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA Inc.

Colcrys is a trademark of Takeda Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc.

 

Important Safety Information

Colchicine 0.6 mg capsules are contraindicated in patients with renal or hepatic impairment who are currently prescribed drugs that inhibit both P-gp and CYP3A4. Combining these dual inhibitors with colchicine in patients with renal or hepatic impairment has resulted in life-threatening or fatal colchicine toxicity. Patients with both renal and hepatic impairment should not be given Mitigare®.

Fatal overdoses have been reported with colchicine in adults and children. Keep Mitigare® out of the reach of children.

Blood dyscrasias such as myelosuppression, leukopenia, granulocytopenia, thrombocytopenia, and aplastic anemia have been reported with colchicine used in therapeutic doses.

Monitor for toxicity and if present consider temporary interruption or discontinuation of colchicine.

Drug interaction with dual P-gp and CYP3A4 inhibitors: Co-administration of colchicine with dual P-gp and CYP3A4 inhibitors has resulted in life-threatening interactions and death.

Neuromuscular toxicity and rhabdomyolysis may occur with chronic treatment with colchicine in therapeutic doses, especially in combination with other drugs known to cause this effect. Patients with impaired renal function and elderly patients (including those with normal renal and hepatic function) are at increased risk. Consider temporary interruption or discontinuation of Mitigare®.

 

Please see the full Prescribing Information and Medication Guide for Mitigare® for complete product details.

 

NOTE: This article was not written by a medical professional and is not intended to substitute for the guidance of a physician. These are not Hikma’s recommendations for gout flare prevention, but rather facts and data collected from various reliable medical sources. For a full list of resources and their attributing links, see below.

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References

  1. Borstad GC, Bryant LR, Abel MP, Scroggie DA, Harris MD Alloway JA. Colchicine for prophylaxis of acute flares when initiating allopurinol for chronic gouty arthritis. J Rheumatol. 2004 Dec;31(12):2429-2432.
  2. Khanna D, Khanna PP, Fitzgerald JD, et al. 2012 American College of Rheumatology Guidelines for Management of Gout. Part 2: Therapy and Antiinflammatory Prophylaxis of Acute Gouty Arthritis. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2012;64:1447-1451 and 1456-1459.

Important Safety Information for Mitigare® (colchicine) 0.6 mg capsules

  • Colchicine 0.6 mg capsules are contraindicated in patients with renal or hepatic impairment who are currently prescribed drugs that inhibit both P-gp and CYP3A4. Combining these dual inhibitors with colchicine in patients with renal or hepatic impairment has resulted in life-threatening or fatal colchicine toxicity. Patients with both renal and hepatic impairment should not be given Mitigare®.
  • Fatal overdoses have been reported with colchicine in adults and children. Keep Mitigare® out of the reach of children.
  • Blood dyscrasias such as myelosuppression, leukopenia, granulocytopenia, thrombocytopenia, and aplastic anemia have been reported with colchicine used in therapeutic doses.
  • Monitor for toxicity and if present consider temporary interruption or discontinuation of colchicine.
  • Drug interaction with dual P-gp and CYP3A4 inhibitors: Co-administration of colchicine with dual P-gp and CYP3A4 inhibitors has resulted in life-threatening interactions and death.
  • Neuromuscular toxicity and rhabdomyolysis may occur with chronic treatment with colchicine in therapeutic doses, especially in combination with other drugs known to cause this effect. Patients with impaired renal function and elderly patients (including those with normal renal and hepatic function) are at increased risk. Consider temporary interruption or discontinuation of Mitigare®.
  • The most commonly reported adverse reactions with colchicine are gastrointestinal symptoms, including diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.

Indication

Mitigare® is indicated for prophylaxis of gout flares in adults. The safety and effectiveness of Mitigare for acute treatment of gout flares during prophylaxis has not been studied.

Mitigare® is not an analgesic medication and should not be used to treat pain from other causes.

For Full Prescribing Information please CLICK HERE and for Medication Guide CLICK HERE.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA.

Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Manufactured by: West-Ward Columbus Inc., Columbus, OH 43228

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Important Safety Information for Mitigare® (colchicine) 0.6 mg capsules

  • Colchicine 0.6 mg capsules are contraindicated in patients with renal or hepatic impairment who are currently prescribed drugs that inhibit both P-gp and CYP3A4.