Common questions about estradiol and cost

Here are some common questions about estradiol and their answers.

Does estradiol oral tablet cost less than the vaginal cream form of the drug?

Yes, it might. The cost of various dosage forms of estradiol, such as tablet or vaginal cream, depends on several factors.

For example, the cost for each type of dosage form may depend on whether you have insurance coverage, your dosage of estradiol, and your treatment plan.

Without insurance, your cost for estradiol tablet versus vaginal cream may depend on the pharmacy you use and your days’ supply of the medication (30 days versus 90 days).

If you have questions about the cost of estradiol tablet versus cream, talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or insurance provider (if you have insurance).

Why are costs different for brand-name drugs vs. generic drugs?

Brand-name drugs can be expensive because of the studies needed to test how safe and effective they are.

Makers of a brand-name drug can sell their drug for up to 20 years. When the patent for a brand-name drug expires, other drugmakers can make and sell generic versions. A generic medication is an identical copy of the active drug in a brand-name medication. (An active drug is the ingredient that makes a medication work.)

This competition may help keep costs of generic medications lower. Also, generic medications contain the same active drugs as brand-name medications. So they don’t require the same testing, which can be costly.

If you’d like to know more about the cost differences between brand-name and generic drugs, talk with your doctor.

Is estradiol available over the counter (OTC)?

Some forms of estradiol are available OTC. These are mainly low dose, topical forms, such as the vaginal cream, used to manage vaginal symptoms of menopause.

OTC medications may be slightly cheaper than prescription ones.