Why Is Farxiga So Expensive? Understand the Cost Factors

Farxiga is expensive because it’s a newer, brand-name diabetes and heart failure medication backed by extensive research, development, and marketing costs. Limited competition, patent protection, and complex manufacturing processes also contribute to its high retail price.

Did you know that 2021 was the 100th anniversary of insulin? Even after 100 years of managing diabetes symptoms through medication, prices for this highly in-demand medication sadly continue rising for many Americans.

According to the CDC, 11.6% of Americans have diabetes, and approximately 97.6 million have pre-diabetes. Have you heard of Farxiga medication? 

This newer diabetes medication holds promising results in managing diabetes and other chronic illnesses. Yet, if you have already done some research, you may be shocked to find out that it can cost you thousands annually in out-of-pocket costs. So, why is Farxiga so expensive?

Are you interested in saving money on your prescription medications? We have a comprehensive guide that breaks down exactly what Farxiga is, its side effects, how to take it, and more. Keep reading until the end, as we have an easy way to save money on your next prescription refill. 

What Is Farxiga Medication?

Farxiga is a brand-name medication that requires a prescription. Daily oral dosages range from 5 mg to 10 mg, and Farxiga’s two primary prescribed uses are:

• Type II diabetes
• Heart failure

In patients with diabetes, Farxiga has shown promising results in lowering blood sugar levels. Its secondary use with patients at risk of heart failure shows reduced hospitalizations and glomerular filtration rates (GFRs). Lower eGFR indicates worse kidney health, and higher levels can increase a patient’s risk for end-stage renal disease. 

Farxiga’s Drug Classification

Farxiga is widely known as a diabetes medication, but patients with type 1 diabetes should not take it. Your physician may combine it with other diabetic or cardiac medications for the best health outcomes. 

All drugs fall under a clear classification system. Understanding its umbrella classification can help you see how it compares to other medications and its mechanism of action. Farxiga is a sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor and contains the active ingredient dapagliflozin. 

How Does Farxiga Work?

SGLT2 inhibitors are newer diabetes medications. Their primary role is to help lower blood glucose levels. SGLT2 inhibitors block SGLT2 proteins located in parts of your kidneys.

These proteins facilitate filtered glucose reabsorption. SGLT2 inhibitors increase the amount of glucose excreted in your urine, which lowers blood glucose levels.

The downside of many other types of diabetes medications is that they negatively impact your cardiovascular system. Studies show that SGLT2 inhibitors reduce the risk of hospitalization for heart failure by ~30%. 

Farxiga Side Effects

Like any prescription drug, you may notice some mild side effects when you buy Farxiga. Most side effects should dissipate within a couple of weeks of starting a new medication. Some of the most common Farxiga side effects include:

• Yeast infections
• Urinary tract infections
• Nausea
• Frequent urination
• Constipation

For this reason, some people choose to take the medication in the morning and avoid nighttime interruptions. However, check with your clinician as to the best timing for you.

There is also a risk of more severe side effects, such as dehydration and low blood pressure. This effect can cause feelings of faintness, dizziness, or weakness. Another medical risk of taking diabetic medication is hypoglycemia. 

Hypoglycemia occurs when your blood sugar levels drop too low. It can be a medical emergency if left untreated. If you use Farxiga with other medications such as insulin or Glucotrol, here are some hypoglycemic side effects to watch out for:

• Drowsiness
• Headache
• Confusion
• Sweating
• Weakness

Allergic reactions are rare, but they can occur when someone reacts adversely to one of the medication’s ingredients. Some key signs of a drug allergy include rashes, itching, and flushed skin. 

Is Farxiga a Long-Term Treatment?

Farxiga is often a long-term treatment option. Why? 

Type II diabetes and cardiovascular disease are chronic illnesses that will likely need lifelong management. In most cases, you can effectively manage diabetic symptoms through lifestyle changes and medication. Without healthy eating, adequate exercise, and diabetes medication (as needed), you may put yourself more at risk for:

• Heart disease
• Nerve damage
• Vision loss
• Kidney damage
• Infections or wounds
• Osteoporosis 
• And more

Experts also find that some diabetic medications can help people lose excess weight, reducing their diabetes risk factors. 

How To Take Farxiga

Luckily, Farxiga is unlike other medications that require taking with food. You can take Farxiga with or without food, and you should always drink a full glass of water with any medication. Doing this can help absorption and avoid pills getting “stuck” in the back of your throat. 

If you miss a dose, you have two options. You could still take it if you aren’t too far off on your typical timeframe. Otherwise, you may want to wait until your next dose rather than accidentally doubling them. 

You should always consult your physician about any questions regarding missed doses to avoid the more serious side effects noted above. 

How Much Does Farxiga Cost?

When you purchase medication such as Farxiga, you may be surprised by its high price. A 30-day supply of 10 mg of Farxiga costs $615 in the United States.

For comparison, Canadian Pharmacy Online offers Farxiga at slightly over $200 for almost 100 5mg or 10mg tablets. However, generic options sit at only around $55-$60.

Why Is Farxiga So Expensive?

One of the primary reasons Farxiga has been expensive is the lack of a generic version in the United States until recently. Following research and development, pharmaceutical companies earn patents on any medicines they invent. Patents are property rights that can lead to market exclusivity. 

Exclusivity is when competitors cannot make their drug available for a specific period. When new drugs enter the market, they can meet eligibility requirements that prevent market competition. 

How long are patents? These patents can last up to 20 years, and exclusivity can range from three to seven years. The second reason medications like Farxiga are expensive is the lack of government regulation on price caps. 

In the United States, drug prices are unregulated, allowing private pharmaceutical companies to set their price caps. Often, they state that the high costs of experiments and drug marketing warrant exorbitant prices. 

Yet Americans pay approximately three times as much for prescription medications as other nations do. 

In 2024, the Biden-Harris Administration announced that it had negotiated a lower price for ten of the most expensive and frequently used drugs in the United States. 

This list includes Farxiga. As such, it and nine other drugs are now available to patients in the United States much more easily.

Why Pharmacy Benefit Manager Efforts Inflate the Price

Pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) are third-party administrators that handle negotiations between health insurance providers and pharmacies or other companies. When doing this, they will attempt to pull a significant cost off of any high “list price” that a manufacturer promotes. In most circumstances, this is a “rebate”, a retrospective refund of the money paid after the sale resolves.

Given this expectation, manufacturers often keep list prices high, knowing they will only be negotiating them down to start with. These interactions are then more akin to a marketplace “bartering”, with the drug companies appearing to offer their wares at a significantly inflated price.

As insurance plans often charge patients based on this inflated list price and not the lower, rebated price. As such, patients are usually expected to pay much more, even when insurers pay less by the end of the full transaction for the medication.

Insurance companies also categorize drugs into different price tiers and may require you to use specific drugs first if you do not have a clinician’s pre-approval or authorization. They tend to favor medications in this situation that give the insurer larger rebates, saving the plan money. However, because your cost is usually based on the higher list price, you may end up paying more even if the plan pays less behind the scenes.

How Wholesaler-Pharmacy Markups Can Cause Prices to Vary

Sitting between the manufacturer and the pharmacy exist wholesalers. These groups buy contracts from both to handle the organization and transfer of the pharmaceuticals, in exchange for services to both.

When they do this, they often tell the manufacturers that they need to charge less to realistically make a sale. Meanwhile, they say to the pharmacy that the business needs to pay more. In the middle, they can make a lot of money.

As a result, the pharmacy needs to charge more to break even and make a profit, with the patient being the one affected at the end of the chain.

Additional Costs from the Supply Chain and Compliance Efforts

To get the drug from the research stage to your hands, there are many more steps that we haven’t mentioned here. Each of them adds to the cost that a manufacturer charges and then passes it down to you.

• Sourcing or producing active ingredients
• Quality testing
• FDA-mandated track-and-trade handling
• Batch spoilage costs
• Regulatory compliance and fees
• Inventory and warehousing
• Auditing and logistics

Each of these adds further to the whole process and the cost to manufacturers, shippers, and pharmacies. These are then baked into the price you pay.

Can You Lower Your Out-of-Pocket Expenses?

In some cases, you may be able to ask your prescriber for a larger prescription. For example: “90-day supply, with refills. If that is the case, you may only need to pay one copay and one dispensing fee, rather than three.

You may also be able to look into cash payments at multiple pharmacies, including Canadian ones like ours. In some cases, a cash price or a discount card can beat your plan’s copay. However, this is not guaranteed.

Ask Whether a Generic Option Is Available

In Canada and the United States, Farxiga has recently seen a generic version enter the market from various pharmaceutical companies.

At the same time, it is still available as a brand-name prescription and enjoys the protection of several further patents for other uses. Farxiga is also heavily produced and marketed by AstraZeneca AB. 

They still currently hold several United States patents that help protect this medication. However, many from other countries, such as the UK, have been invalidated because the patents failed to meet specific legal standards.

Purchasing the generic version of Farxiga through an online Canadian pharmacy could save you money (more on that below).

Are Generic Versions Equal to the Brand? 

The short answer is yes. Generic versions of a drug contain the same active ingredients and dosages as the brand-name version. 

It must meet comparable quality standards to its counterpart. When generic drugs enter pharmacies, you can often purchase medication much more cheaply, as this increases market competition. 

To be considered a generic version of the same drug, it must have both the same chemical formula and also the same amount of said material.

There may be occasions when the brand version is required, such as when there is an intolerance to some of the extra ingredients added to the drug. However, that is a rarity.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Does Farxiga Compare to Jardiance?

Now that you know how much Farxiga costs, you may wonder if you can find a cheaper medication. Jardiance, for example, is another diabetes medication that contains empagliflozin. 

Both medications treat type II diabetes symptoms. They differ mainly in their effects on cardiac disease. While Farxiga reduces hospitalization risks with heart failure, Jardiance shows a significant reduction in cardiovascular issues leading to death. 

They are both brand-name prescriptions. Yet, Jardiance prices in the United States are almost $30 per tablet. At Canadian Pharmacy Online, however, you can find Jardiance medication prices starting at $75 for 30 tablets. 

Are Drug Prices Lower in Canada?

An online pharmacy in Canada can offer lower prices on prescription medications. You will generally see lower prices when you buy medicines in Canada because of more significant government regulations on price adjustments. Canada compares medication prices with those of other countries and sets a maximum.

How Can You Buy Medication from Canada?

The process for purchasing medication at Canadian Pharmacy Online is simple! After creating an account, you will need a valid prescription to upload to our website. 

Next, your prescription is reviewed and verified. You will have access to your medication and dosage. Simply select which one matches your prescription and check out. 

If you don’t happen to find it, ask your doctor about dapagliflozin instead. This medicine is one of the available generics, and may be available for less in some cases. 

All online pharmacy medications are high-quality and safe, so you won’t have to sacrifice quality for the price. The smoothest part of this process is that the medication gets delivered right to your doorstep!

Refill Your Prescription Today

Have you wondered, “Why is Farxiga so expensive?” After all, in the United States, Farxiga and other diabetes medications can cost thousands of dollars annually. 

These medications are critical to managing diabetic symptoms and reducing hyperglycemic episodes. Ultimately, using these medications with a healthy lifestyle can prevent other health risks or diabetic complications. 

Rather than skipping your next prescription refill due to high costs, check out how to order from Canadian Pharmacy Online. We have many diabetes medications, including Farxiga, at cost-friendly prices!