How much are you paying – and should you pay – for your natural desiccated thyroid (NDT) medication?

 

The cost of NDT depends on the dosage size, but using a dosage of 60/65 mg (1 grain), you can expect to pay a copay of $10-$50 if it’s covered by insurance, or from around $11 up to as much as $100 retail cash price for a 30-day/one-month supply.

 

When NDT drugs are on backorder and there are shortages, or there are FDA recalls, the prices of NDT tend to rise.

 

Here are some key pointers on how to get the best price: 

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• Armour® Thyroid is the most expensive NDT drug. (There is no apparent reason why other than name recognition.)

• Acella’s NP Thyroid® is designated as a generic equivalent to Armour® Thyroid, is significantly less expensive, and is considered equally safe and effective as Armour®.

• RLC’s Nature-Throid® is the best value when it’s available, with the lowest prices available from multiple sources. 

• Prices for compounded NDT vary significantly, depending on the pharmacy. You can pay anywhere from around $40 a month to as much as $100 a month for compounded NDT. 

• Be careful about pharmacies that tell you they don’t have your prescribed NDT drug available and attempt to substitute another brand. Some pharmacies receive financial incentives for promoting specific brands. 

• Always check both GoodRx and SingleCare for discount prices because they have different coupons and savings, and they can change frequently. 

To get the best price, I suggest you compare prices with several recommended resources/pharmacy services: