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Diabetes Drugs: Summary of Recommendations
Six types of oral medicines (and 12 individual drugs) are now available to help the 25.8 million people in the U.S. with type 2 diabetes control their blood sugar when diet and lifestyle changes are not enough. Our evaluation of these medicines found the following:
  • Newer drugs are no better. Two drugs from a class called the sulfonylureas and a drug named metformin have been around for more than a decade and work just as well as newer medicines. Indeed, several of the newer drugs, such as Januvia and Onglyza, are less effective than the older ones.
  • Newer drugs are no safer. All diabetes pills have the potential to cause adverse effects, both minor and serious. The drugs' safety and side effect "profiles" may be the most important factor in your choice.
  • The newer drugs are more expensive. The newer diabetes medicines cost many times more than the older ones.
  • Taking more than one diabetes drug is sometimes necessary. Many people with diabetes do not get enough blood sugar control from one medicine. Two or more may be necessary. However, taking more than one diabetes drug raises the risk of adverse effects and increases costs.
Taking effectiveness, safety, adverse effects, dosing, and cost into consideration, we have chosen the following as Consumer Reports Health Best Buy Drugs if your doctor and you have decided that you need medicine to control your diabetes:
  • Metformin and Metformin Sustained Release — alone or with glipizide or glimepiride
  • Glipizide and Glipizide Sustained Release — alone or with metformin
  • Glimepiride — alone or with metformin

These medicines are available as low-cost generics, costing from $10 to $60 a month. If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, we recommend that you try metformin first unless your health status prevents it. If metformin fails to bring your blood sugar into normal range, we recommend you add glipizide or glimepiride.

This report was updated in June 2011.

Cost comparison of diabetes drugs
Note: If the price box contains a , that indicates the dose of that drug is available for a low monthly cost through programs offered by large chain stores. For example, Kroger, Sam's Club, Target, and Walmart offer a month's supply of selected generic drugs for $4 or a three-month supply for $10. Other chain stores, such as Costco, CVS, Kmart, and Walgreens, offer similar programs. Some programs have restrictions or membership fees, so check the details carefully for restrictions and to make sure your drug is covered.


Recommendations: Diabetes Drugs
CR Best Buy Generic Name and Dose Brand Name (or Generic) Number of Pills (Per day)1 Total Daily Dose1 Average Monthly Cost2 Compare Prices
  Acarbose 25 mg Generic Three 75mg $78
  Acarbose 50 mg Generic Three 150mg $82
  Acarbose 100 mg Generic Three 300mg $99
  Acarbose 100 mg Precose Three 300mg $122
  Glyburide 1.25 mg Generic One 1.25mg $10
  Glyburide 2.5 mg Diabeta One 2.5mg $29
  Glyburide 2.5 mg Generic One 2.5mg $6
  Glyburide 5 mg Generic One 5mg $6
  Glyburide 5 mg Diabeta One 5mg $47
  Glyburide micronized 6mg Glynase One 6mg $71
  Glyburide micronized 6mg Generic One 6mg $8
  Glipizide 5 mg Glucotrol One 5mg $27
Best Buy Glipizide 5 mg Generic One 5mg $5
  Glipizide 10 mg Glucotrol One-Two 10-20mg $41-$82
Best Buy Glipizide 10 mg Generic One-Two 10-20mg $4-$8
  Glipizide 5mg, sustained release Glucotrol XL One 5 mg $29
Best Buy Glipizide 5 mg, sustained release Generic One 5mg $9
  Glipizide 10 mg sustained release Glucotrol XL One-Two 10-20mg $52-$104
Best Buy Glipizide 10 mg, sustained release Generic One-Two 10 mg-20 mg $13-$26
  Glimepiride 1 mg Amaryl One 1mg $27
Best Buy Glimepiride 1 mg Generic One 1mg $6
  Glimepiride 2 mg Amaryl One 2mg $39
Best Buy Glimepiride 2 mg Generic One 2mg $6
  Glimepiride 4 mg Amaryl One 4mg $68
Best Buy Glimepiride 4 mg Generic One 4mg $8
  Metformin 500 mg Glucophage Two 1000mg $76
Best Buy Metformin 500 mg Generic Two 1000mg $14
  Metformin 850 mg Glucophage Two 1700mg $129
Best Buy Metformin 850 mg Generic Two 1700mg $26
  Metformin 1000 mg Glucophage Two 2000mg $151
Best Buy Metformin 1000 mg Generic Two 2000mg $24
  Metformin sustained release 500 mg Glucophage XR One 500mg $40
Best Buy Metformin sustained release 500 mg Generic One 500mg $7
  Metformin sustained release 750 mg Glucophage XR One 750mg $56
Best Buy Metformin sustained release 750 mg Generic One 750mg $23
  Saxagliptin 2.5 mg Onglyza One 2.5mg $252
  Saxagliptin 5 mg Onglyza One 5mg $247
  Sitagliptin 100 mg Januvia One 100mg $248
  Sitagliptin 50 mg Januvia One 50mg $250
  Pioglitazone 15 mg Actos One 15mg $197
  Pioglitazone 30 mg Actos One 30mg $291
  Pioglitazone 45 mg Actos One 45mg $305
  Rosiglitazone 2 mg Avandia Two 4mg $202
  Rosiglitazone 4 mg Avandia One 4mg $146
  Rosiglitazone 8 mg Avandia One 8mg $264
  Repaglinide 0.5 mg Prandin Three 1.5mg $285
  Repaglinide 1 mg Prandin Three 3mg $282
  Repaglinide 2 mg Prandin Three 6mg $285
  Nateglinide 60 mg Generic Three 180mg $138
  Nateglinide 60 mg Starlix Three 180mg $211
  Nateglinide 120 mg Generic Three 360mg $140
  Nateglinide 120 mg Starlix Three 360mg $224
  Miglitol 25 mg Glyset Three 75mg $127
  Miglitol 50 mg Glyset Three 150mg $138
  Miglitol 100 mg Glyset Three 300mg $155
  Metformin+glipizide 250 mg/2.5 mg Generic One 250 mg/2.5 mg $24
  Metformin+glipizide 500 mg/2.5 mg Generic One 500 mg/2.5 mg $27
  Metformin+glipizide 500 mg/5 mg Generic One 500 mg/5 mg $27
  Metformin+glyburide 250 mg/1.25 mg Generic Two 500 mg/2.5 mg $38
  Metformin+glyburide 500 mg/2.5 mg Glucovance Two 1000 mg/5 mg $99
  Metformin+glyburide 500 mg/2.5 mg Generic Two 1000 mg/5 mg $43
  Metformin+glyburide 500 mg/5 mg Glucovance Two 1000 mg/10 mg $95
  Metformin+glyburide 500 mg/5 mg Generic Two 1000 mg/10 mg $39
  Pioglitazone+metformin 15 mg/850 mg Actoplus Met One 15 mg/850 mg $143
  Pioglitazone+metformin 15 mg/500 mg Actoplus Met One 15 mg/500 mg $154
  Pioglitazone+metformin sustained release 15 mg/1000 mg Actoplus Met XR One 15 mg/1000 mg $161
  Pioglitazone+metformin sustained release 30 mg/1000 mg Actoplus Met XR One 30 mg/1000mg $314
  Pioglitazone+glimepiride 30 mg/2 mg Duetact One 30 mg/2mg $306
  Pioglitazone+glimepiride 30 mg/4 mg Duetact One 30 mg/4mg $291
  Repaglinide+metformin 1 mg/500 mg Prandimet Three 3 mg/1500mg $248
  Repaglinide+metformin 2 mg/500 mg Prandimet Three 6 mg/1500mg $253
  Rosiglitazone+glimepiride 4 mg/1 mg Avandaryl One 4 mg/1 mg $168
  Rosiglitazone+glimepiride 4 mg/2 mg Avandaryl One 4 mg/2 mg $165
  Rosiglitazone+glimepiride 4 mg/4 mg Avandaryl One 4 mg/4 mg $165
  Rosiglitazone+glimepiride 8 mg/2 mg Avandaryl One 8 mg/2 mg $273
  Rosiglitazone+glimepiride 8 mg/4 mg Avandaryl One 8 mg/4 mg $267
  Rosiglitazone+metformin 1 mg/500 mg Avandamet Two 2 mg/1000 mg $103
  Rosiglitazone+metformin 2 mg/500 mg Avandamet Two 4 mg/1000 mg $175
  Rosiglitazone+metformin 2 mg/1000 mg Avandamet Two 4 mg/2000 mg $190
  Rosiglitazone+metformin 4 mg/500 mg Avandamet Two 8 mg/1000 mg $287
  Rosiglitazone+metformin 4 mg/1000 mg Avandamet Two 8 mg/2000 mg $278
  Saxagliptin+metformin 2.5 mg/1000 mg Kombiglyze XR One 2.5 mg/1000 mg $129
  Saxagliptin+metformin 5 mg/500 mg Kombiglyze XR One 5 mg/500 mg $258
  Saxagliptin+metformin 5 mg/1000 mg Kombiglyze XR One 5 mg/1000 mg $258
  Sitagliptin+metformin 50 mg/500 mg Janumet Two 100 mg/1000 mg $253
  Sitagliptin+metformin 50 mg/1000 mg Janumet Two 100 mg/2000 mg $251
* For space reasons, not all doses are listed.

1. As commonly or usually recommended.

2. Prices reflect nationwide retail average for April 2011, rounded to the nearest dollar. Information derived by Consumer Reports Health Best Buy Drugs from data provided by Wolters Kluwer Pharma Solutions, which is not involved in our analysis or recommendations.