Thiamine

Introduction

Written by Lindsay Bebout, PharmD
Medically reviewed by Bryson Russell PharmD, MHSA, MSc
Updated on November 17, 2023

Thiamine (THYE a min) is a generic medication that’s prescribed for low thiamine (vitamin B1) levels in adults. Thiamine is not available in a brand-name version. The cost of thiamine with or without insurance can depend on several factors. It might be lowered by using a coupon.

Read on to learn about thiamine and cost. You’ll also find available coupons and suggestions for ways to save on prescription thiamine. If you’d like more information about thiamine, including its uses, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Cost of thiamine

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

• the form of thiamine you use
• your insurance plan, if you have coverage
• the pharmacy you use
• the cost to visit a healthcare professional to receive doses of certain forms of thiamine

To find out how much thiamine costs, ask your doctor, pharmacist, or insurance provider. They may be able to suggest ways to save money on prescription thiamine, including those described in this article. To find out what you’d pay using savings coupons, read the “Coupons for thiamine” section.

Coupons for thiamine

Prescription drug coupons can help you save money by lowering the cost of prescription thiamine. The Optum Perks coupons above can provide significant savings on your prescription costs.

Note: Optum Perks coupons cannot be used with any 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 thiamine

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 prescription thiamine. In this case, your doctor will communicate with your insurance company regarding your prescription for thiamine. 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 prescription thiamine may instead be billed through your medical coverage. This is because doses of prescription thiamine are given by a doctor or another healthcare professional. 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.
• A 3-month supply. If you’re taking thiamine long term, your doctor may suggest a 90-day supply of the medication. Getting a 90-day supply could help lower the drug’s cost. It could also save you time having to make trips to your pharmacy.

If you have questions about any of these considerations, ask your doctor or pharmacist. 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. They may suggest online pharmacy options you could use. You can also ask them about ways to obtain health insurance coverage.

Generics vs. brand-names

Thiamine is a generic medication. It’s not available in a brand-name version.

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.) Thiamine is based on the brand-name version Thiamilate, which is no longer available.

Generics usually cost less than brand-name drugs. And they’re thought to be as safe and effective as the brand-name 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.) Generics usually cost less than brand-name drugs. And they’re thought to be as safe and effective as the brand-name versions.

Common questions about thiamine and cost

Here are some common questions about thiamine and their answers.

Does thiamine oral tablet cost less than the injection form of the drug?

It depends. Thiamine is available as an oral tablet you can get over the counter (OTC) without a doctor’s prescription. Thiamine also comes as an injection administered into the muscle or vein with a prescription from a doctor.

The cost of the OTC tablet can depend on the amount you buy and the pharmacy you use.

The cost of the prescription injection can depend on whether or not you have insurance and your specific insurance plan. Usually, prescription medications tend to cost more if you do not have insurance. For more details about how much thiamine may cost with insurance, see the “Insurance and other considerations for thiamine” section.

To learn the cost of thiamine oral tablet compared with thiamine injection, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. You could also contact your insurance company. 

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 or pharmacist.

What to ask about thiamine

This article provides cost information related to thiamine. It also offers suggestions for ways to save money on your prescription. Above on this page, you’ll find coupons for thiamine.

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

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

• Will my dosage of thiamine affect its cost?
• Are there other lower-cost drugs that could treat my condition?
• What are my options if I am unable to afford my medication?

Resources

• Food and Drug Administration. (2023). Orange Book: Approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence evaluations. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/ob/index.cfm
• Thiamine HCl tablet. (2022). https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/fda/fdaDrugXsl.cfm?setid=cdc2e185-c683-4ec6-a498-5db3a1c80919&type=display
• Thiamine hydrochloride injection, solution. (2019). https://nctr-crs.fda.gov/fdalabel/services/spl/set-ids/e2b6bd0c-6e45-4edb-8c2a-df1564e6d367/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.