Wal-Mart is again expanding its $4 prescription drug program to include 12 more states. The program has been met with enthusiastic response.

Wal-Mart sells a 30 day supply of 314 generic prescription drugs for $4 and offers the program now in 27 states. Wal-Mart says it intends to spread the program nationwide.

The discounts are available at Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club and Neighborhood Market stores in the following states:

* Alabama
* Alaska
* Arkansas
* Arizona
* Delaware
* Florida
* Georgia
* Illinois
* Indiana
* Iowa
* Kansas
* Maryland
* Michigan
* Mississippi
* Missouri
* Nevada
* New Hampshire
* New Jersy
* New Mexico
* New York
* North Carolina
* Ohio
* Oregon
* South Dakota
* Texas
* Vermont
* Virginia

Doctors underprescribe medication for older adults as often as they overprescribe, according to a study done by researchers at the San Franscisco VA Medical Center.

The study of 196 outpatients, 65 and older, found that 65% of them were taking a drug that was inappropriate for an older person, ineffective or duplicative of another drug they were taking. 64% had not been prescribed a drug that would have been appropriate for a medical condition they had.

The study found that more than 40% of patients were simultaneously taking at least one inappropriate medication and not taking one or more other medications that would have been helpful to them.

More about the study:
University of California San Francisco Study

Wal-Mart has announced plans to expand its $4 generic drug pricing to 14 more states. It first rolled out the $4 generic plan in Florida where it has been very successful.

Wal-Mart will sell generic versions of 143 different presciption drugs in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Texas and Vermont.

A new study in the British Medical Journal found that trials and reviews of drugs that are sponsored by the pharmaceutical companies are more likely to show results favorable to the drugs than are independent studies on the same drugs.

According to the authors, bias in drug trials is common and often favors the trial sponsor’s product. To balance this effect, independent reviews — which can have a more critical and systematic approach — are essential to ensure doctors and other health professionals have the information they need.

Study Finds Bias in Drug Studies