Generic Depomedrol

[bronchospasm]

I have only used kenalog in fellowship and continued that trend in PP.

Kenalog 40 mg/ml from Pfizer(12286 RX/0003-0293-05 KENALOG 40MG/ML 1ML)
Typically use 80g for an ESI. Cost $ 7.50 per vial. Total cost $15.00 per injection.
http://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?id=51678#nlm34067-9

Planning on switching to Generic Methyprednisolone acetate (140504 BIO/0703-0051-01 METHYLPRED ACE 80MG/ML 1ML) Cost $7.59. Total cost $7.59 per injection.
http://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/lookup.cfm?ndc=00703005101&start=1&labeltype=all

Methylprednisolone acetate injectable suspension USP is an anti-inflammatory glucocorticoid for intramuscular, intra-articular, soft tissue or intralesional injection. It is available as single-dose vials in two strengths: 40 mg/mL; 80 mg/mL.
Each mL of these preparations contains:
Methylprednisolone acetate USP ....................................40 mg .............80 mg
Polyethylene glycol 3350 ................................................29 mg .............28 mg
Myristyl-gamma-picolinium chloride.........................0.195 mg ........0.189 mg

All things being equal and hopefully there is no difference between Kenalog V/S Depomedrol, Motivation is purely.. financial. Based on past 3 months of data and doing in 40-50 procedures a week including TPI's etc. Cost savings about $1500 a month or $18,000 a year.

After the recent DRACONIAN cuts, it looks like a no brainer in terms of cost savings.

Wondering what other veterans on the board think. Thanks .

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[SSdoc33]

kenalog for epidurals is SO 2011.

still like it better for joints, though, as i feel there is less sludge. i dont think anyone would blame you for switching to depo

 

[Aether2000]

May be a better choice to guard against claims of contraindicated use.

 

[bedrock]

If you want to save yourself even more money, I wouldn't use it for TPIs which it looked like you were doing. Lots of patients respond to just saline in TPI's, and some patients can have local muscle wasting after superficial kenalog/depo injection.

If you want to use some kind of anti-inflammatory for your TPI, I'd just use ketorolac which is also cheaper, ($3 vial)

 

[pmrmd]

kenalog for epidurals is SO 2011.

Kenalog for ESIs is 2014 for me. 2015, 2016, and 2017 too.

 

[clubdeac]

I am a strong supporter of kenalog but think I too may be switching to the cheaper depomedrol

 

[Dr. Ice]

wasnt depo the one implicated in that meningitis outbreak? I know it was the pharmacy but still.. No thank you..

 

[Pain Applicant1]

wasnt depo the one implicated in that meningitis outbreak? I know it was the pharmacy but still.. No thank you..

I don't really think that makes any sense. Those vials became contaminated because of fungus growing on the ceiling in their lab. Has nothing to do with the steroid used. If you're concerned, stay away from the compounds and purchase from big pharma manufacturers only.

 

[emd123]

Don't buy compounded injectables.


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[bronchospasm]

It is not from a compounded pharmacy and the depomedrol is supplied by PSS in SDV.

 

[Aether2000]

Correct. Generic depomedrol is a FDA approved product that has anti germicidal agents (benzyl alcohol or MGPC depending on the formulation). MGPC is a quaternary ammonium detergent and may serve as an antifungal agent. The compounded methylprednisolone manufactured by NECC was not FDA approved and neither was their illegal manufacturing process nor the illegal method the doctors used to obtain the drug (fake names on a prescription, falsifying the identity of the recipients of the drug). The physicians and surgery center administrators specifically had to request the dangerous preservative free formulation, ignoring previous meningitis outbreaks when the same thing had been done 10 years earlier.

 

[Ducttape]

by the same company, to wit...

 

[bronchospasm]

Made the switch this week. Cost cut in half.