If you get arthritis, the doctor might prescribe Lodine. Both are the same drug, the chemical etodolac, and are made by the same company. Comparing drug prices The same drugs are often prescribed for human and pet ailments. But the drugs meant for humans usually cost more, even when the manufacturer and the dosages are the same. The study compares prices for identical pills, not the amount that might be prescribed.
Democrats say the price differences show that prices are arbitrary.
They seek reform to control high prices paid by the elderly and others. The pharmaceutical industry says the Democrats are barking up the wrong tree. They're trying to say, 'Fido pays pennies for his heart drug while Granny pays dollars. But the comparisons are bogus because the differences between the human and animal markets are so great. Animal drugs cost less to get approved because they piggyback on the expensive research required for human use, Mattingly says.