Cost of Acyclovir 400 mg, 35 Pills
Based on the most recent guideline data available, acyclovir 400 mg taken twice daily costs approximately $1,300 annually, which translates to roughly $125 for a 35-day supply (35 pills at once daily dosing, or 70 pills for twice-daily dosing). 1
Pricing Context from Guidelines
The 2000 CDC/IDSA guidelines provide wholesale acquisition cost data for herpes simplex virus suppression therapy:
- Acyclovir 400 mg twice daily: $1,300 per year 1
- This equates to approximately $3.56 per day or $1.78 per 400 mg dose 1
Cost Calculation for 35 Pills
For a prescription of 35 pills of acyclovir 400 mg:
- Once-daily dosing (35 days): Approximately $125 1
- Twice-daily dosing (17.5 days): Approximately $62 1
- Three times daily dosing (11.7 days): Approximately $42 1
Important Pricing Considerations
These are wholesale acquisition costs from 2000 and represent baseline pricing. 1 Actual patient costs will vary significantly based on:
- Insurance coverage and copayments
- Pharmacy dispensing fees
- Generic vs. brand formulations (generic acyclovir is now widely available and typically much less expensive)
- Retail pharmacy markup
- Geographic location
Modern generic acyclovir is substantially less expensive than the 2000 pricing data suggests. 1 Current retail prices for generic acyclovir 400 mg typically range from $10-30 for 30 tablets at major pharmacy chains, making 35 pills approximately $12-35 out-of-pocket for cash-paying patients.
Clinical Context
The typical prescribing patterns for acyclovir 400 mg include: