Clindamycin 1%/Benzoyl Peroxide 5% alternative?
April 19, 2015 10:37 AM Subscribe
Generic Benzaclin for acne works but no longer covered by insurance. Antibiotic alone still covered. Might that work alone or with OTC B.Z.?
My 15-year old boy's primary care doctor prescribed Clindamycin 1%/Benzoyl Peroxide 5%, the generic for Benzaclin, and it worked great on his facial acne. It has to be mixed up by the pharmacy and has a short shelf-life once mixed.
My insurance has dropped it from their formulary / Prescription Drug List. It's $425.35 for 30 days without their help.
I'm going to ask the Dr. for an alternative, but I'm curious what experience others have.
There are non-combo preparations that are covered. Evoclin is "Tier 3" and $50 for 30 days. Clindacin-P PAD 1% is Tier 1 and $10 for 30 days. These seem to be for treating individual spots rather than a cream for spreading on the whole face. Can one combine them with over the counter B.Z.?
My 15-year old boy's primary care doctor prescribed Clindamycin 1%/Benzoyl Peroxide 5%, the generic for Benzaclin, and it worked great on his facial acne. It has to be mixed up by the pharmacy and has a short shelf-life once mixed.
My insurance has dropped it from their formulary / Prescription Drug List. It's $425.35 for 30 days without their help.
I'm going to ask the Dr. for an alternative, but I'm curious what experience others have.
There are non-combo preparations that are covered. Evoclin is "Tier 3" and $50 for 30 days. Clindacin-P PAD 1% is Tier 1 and $10 for 30 days. These seem to be for treating individual spots rather than a cream for spreading on the whole face. Can one combine them with over the counter B.Z.?
Best answer: If you can get the clindamycin covered, Acne.org sells a very high quality 2.5% benzoyl peroxide pretty economically, especially in the larger sizes. I've been very happy with their products for... over a decade, now. There's little difference between 2.5% and 5% (or even 10%).
Its unfortunate that clindamycin degrades so rapidly once its been compounded (shelf life of about a month?). For product that is obtained from less controlled channels, I'd be concerned as to whether its still good or not by the time you get it.
posted by porpoise at 1:20 PM on April 19, 2015 [3 favorites]
Its unfortunate that clindamycin degrades so rapidly once its been compounded (shelf life of about a month?). For product that is obtained from less controlled channels, I'd be concerned as to whether its still good or not by the time you get it.
posted by porpoise at 1:20 PM on April 19, 2015 [3 favorites]
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("Duac" is a very similar product and this monograph mentions "DUAC Gel has not been demonstrated to have any additional benefit when compared with benzoyl peroxide alone in the same vehicle when used for the
treatment of non-inflammatory acne." You might just try 5% BP and see if that doesn't get the same results.)
posted by kmennie at 11:17 AM on April 19, 2015 [1 favorite]