Prilosec OTC is now touting its price in their DTC ads.

So, is 68 cents a day a good deal? Let’s compare with the prescription PPIs.

For a 30-day supply (from drugstore.com):

Prilosec OTC $20 (68 cents x 30 tabs)

Nexium 20mg $120.99

Protonix 40mg $103.99

Prevacid 15mg $124.44

In most health plans, the co-pay for the prescription PPIs are third tier ($25 to $45 for a one month co-pay).

How about the H2-blockers?

For a 30-day supply (from CVS.com):

Zantac $17.99

Ranitidine (generic) $11.99

Pepcid AC $21.99

Famotidine (generic) $11.99

So, the bottom line – Prilosec OTC seems like a pretty good value if you need a PPI. $20 is still cheaper than many third tier co-pays. However, the H2-blockers will still always be cheaper and are quite effective for the initial treatment of GERD.