Tepadina

Introduction

Written by Rachel Maynard, PharmD
Medically reviewed by Alex Brewer, PharmD, MBA
Updated on February 21, 2024

Thiotepa (thye oh TEP a) is a generic medication that’s prescribed for certain types of cancer. The brand-name version of this drug is Tepadina. The cost of thiotepa with or without insurance can depend on several factors.

Thiotepa is given by injection by a doctor or a healthcare professional under the direct supervision of a doctor in a hospital or clinic setting.

Read on to learn about thiotepa and cost. If you’d like more information about thiotepa, including its uses, talk with your doctor.

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Cost of thiotepa

Like other medications, the cost of thiotepa can vary. Certain factors may affect its price, such as:

• your insurance plan, if you have coverage
• the cost to visit a healthcare professional to receive doses of thiotepa

To find out how much thiotepa costs, ask your doctor or insurance provider.

Coupons for thiotepa

Prescription drug coupons can help you save money by lowering the cost of certain medications. The Optum Perks coupons above can provide significant savings if you take prescription drugs.

However, coupons aren’t available for medications like thiotepa that are only given by a healthcare professional in a hospital or clinic.

Note: Optum Perks coupons cannot be used with insurance copays or benefits.

Available app for coupons

To make finding and using these coupons easier, you can download the Optum Perks app. To learn more about this prescription discount app, see this article.

Insurance and other considerations for thiotepa

Here’s a list of things to consider about the cost of prescription drugs:

• Prior authorization: If you have prescription drug insurance, your insurance company may require prior authorization before it covers the cost of thiotepa. In this case, your doctor will communicate with your insurance company regarding your prescription for thiotepa. The insurance company will decide whether to cover the medication. If a drug requires prior authorization and you begin treatment without this, you may have to pay the full price of the drug.
• Insurance coverage: Even if your policy has prescription drug coverage, the price of thiotepa may instead be billed through your medical coverage. This is because a doctor or another healthcare professional gives doses of thiotepa. The cost of your doses will depend on your specific insurance plan and whether you receive the doses at your doctor’s clinic or a hospital. If you have questions about this process, contact your doctor or your insurance provider.

If you have questions about these considerations, ask your doctor. Or contact your insurance company and talk with a representative.

If you don’t have a health insurance plan, let your doctor or pharmacist know. You can also ask them about ways to obtain health insurance coverage.

Generics vs. brand-names

Thiotepa is a generic medication. The brand-name version of this drug is Tepadina.

A generic medication is an identical copy of the active ingredient in a brand-name medication. An active ingredient is what makes medication work. Generics usually cost less than brand-name drugs. And they’re believed to be as safe and effective as the brand-name version.

In addition to being approved for treating certain forms of cancer, the brand-name version of this drug (Tepadina) is approved to lower the risk of rejection in some children before a stem cell transplant.

Before your procedure, ask your doctor whether generic thiotepa or Tepadina will be used. Your doctor may have a reason to choose one medication over the other. Also, check which forms of the drug your insurance plan covers, as it may not cover all forms.

To learn how the cost of thiotepa compares with its brand-name version, talk with your doctor. The hospital or health system may also have a financial representative who can discuss costs with you.

Common questions about thiotepa and cost

Here are some common questions and answers about thiotepa.  

Is thiotepa covered by Medicare?

Thiotepa may be covered by Medicare. It’s given by a healthcare professional in a hospital or clinic setting. For this reason, thiotepa may be covered under your medical plan instead of your drug plan.

If you have questions about this, ask your doctor or your Medicare plan administrator.

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 patent and 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 ingredient in a brand-name medication. An active ingredient is what makes medication work.

This competition may help keep the costs of generic medications lower. Also, generic medications contain the same active ingredients 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 or pharmacist.

What to ask about thiotepa

This article provides cost information related to thiotepa. It also offers suggestions for ways to save money on your prescription. Above on this page, you’ll find coupons for certain medications. But coupons aren’t available for drugs like thiotepa that are only given by a healthcare professional.

If you have more questions about paying for this medication, ask your doctor. You can also contact your insurance company.

Here’s a list of questions you may want to ask regarding the cost of your medication:

• Does my insurance cover the cost of thiotepa?
• Are there other lower cost drugs that could be used to treat my condition?
• What options do I have if I can’t afford thiotepa?

Resources

• Food and Drug Administration. (2024). Orange Book: Approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence evaluations. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/ob/index.cfm
• Tepadina (thiotepa) for injection, for intravenous, intracavitary, or intravesical use. (2019). https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2023/208264Orig1s003Corrected_lbl.pdf
• Thiotepa for injection, for intravenous, intracavitary, or intravesical use. (2023). https://nctr-crs.fda.gov/fdalabel/services/spl/set-ids/4b4725eb-95f1-45cc-852f-152beb5f1e2c/spl-doc

Disclaimer: Optum Perks has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.