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Key takeaways
Common side effects include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and potential yeast infections. Due to possible interactions, patients should discuss all medications and conditions with their healthcare provider.
There is no generic version of Creon, but insurance plans, including Medicare and Medicaid, generally cover it or similar drugs.
Alternatives to Creon include other brand-name drugs, with some options being more affordable; SingleCare discount cards can reduce the cost significantly.
If you don’t have insurance, you can manage Creon’s high cost by using a SingleCare prescription discount card, comparing pharmacy prices, or enrolling in Medicaid or Medicare Low Income Subsidy (LIS).
Creon is a brand-name prescription drug that contains digestive enzymes to break down basic components of what people eat. Proteases are digestive enzymes used to break down proteins, amylases to break down starch, and lipases to break down fats. Healthcare providers prescribe Creon to people who don’t produce enough digestive enzymes because they have cystic fibrosis or a pancreas disease such as pancreatitis. Creon is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in nearly all people, from newborns to adults. Dosages vary depending on age and diet, but most people will swallow one or more delayed-release capsules while eating a meal or snack. Common side effects of Creon include dizziness, vomiting, and coughing. As a brand-name prescription drug, Creon is premium-priced. Creon alternatives are also premium-priced brand-name drugs.
What is the generic for Creon?
The active ingredient in Creon is pancrelipase, but several digestive enzymes exist in each capsule. For this reason, Creon is FDA-approved to treat exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI), a condition in which the pancreas does not produce enough digestive enzymes of all types. While there are other brand-name alternatives to Creon, there is no generic version.
Is Creon covered by insurance?
Creon or similar drugs are necessary for people with certain conditions. Most health insurance plans, Medicare drug plans, and Medicaid cover prescriptions for Creon or alternative brands. They usually don’t impose any restrictions. Regarding out-of-pocket costs, Creon is placed in the middle copay tiers. The out-of-pocket cost will be higher than it is for more common generics. Deductibles, coinsurance, and coverage gap costs will also factor into the final cost for a Creon prescription.
How much does Creon cost without insurance?
Without insurance, expect to pay about $435 for 90 capsules with 12,000 USP units of lipase, 38,000 USP units of protease, and 60,000 UPS units of amylase per capsule. Calculating how much that will cost each week or month is hard. Doses will vary depending on what people eat, their weight, and the amount of fat detected in stool tests. The starting dose is 500 UPS units of lipase per kilogram of body weight at each meal, so a 150-pound person must take three 12,000-38,000-60,000 capsules per meal. That’s generally the recommended dose for many people. Two capsules can be taken with a snack. At that rate, 90 capsules will last 10 days.
The cost of Creon can add up if insurance is lacking and there are no other ways to save money. Unfortunately, digestive enzymes are only available as brand-name drugs. Three brands are more expensive than Creon, but two are lower, including Viokace at $420 for 90 tablets at an equivalent dose and Pancreaze at $91 for 90 tablets at 1/6 the dose. If allergic reactions or drug interactions are a concern, ask a healthcare professional for medical advice before switching medications.
The cheapest alternative may be to use a SingleCare discount card when purchasing Creon or a lower-priced alternative. With a SingleCare discount, the lowest price for Creon is $334 for 90 capsules with 12,000 lipase units, and the lowest price for 90 Pancreaze capsules at an equivalent dosage is $260.
RELATED: Creon alternatives: What can I take instead of Creon?
Compare Creon prices to related drugs |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Drug name | Price without insurance of brand-name drug | SingleCare price | Savings options |
| Creon | $435 per 90, 12,000-38,000 unit capsules | $334 per 90, 12,000-38,000 unit capsules of brand-name Creon | See latest prices |
| Zenpep | $1730 per 90, 40,000-126,000 unit capsules | $1222 per 90, 40,000-126,000 unit capsules of brand-name Zenpep | See latest prices |
| Viokace
(pancrelipase) |
$141 per 30, 10,440-39,150 unit tablets | $111 per 30, 10,440-39,150 unit tablets of brand-name Viokace | See latest prices |
| Pancreaze | $92 per 90, 2,600-8,800 unit capsules | $66 per 90, 2,600-8,800 unit capsules of brand-name Pancreaze | See latest prices |
| Pertzye
(pancrelipase) |
$609 per 100, 16,000-57,500 unit capsules | $519 per 100, 16,000-57,500 unit capsules of brand-name Pertzye | See latest prices |
Prescription drug prices often change. These are the most accurate medication prices at the time of publishing. The listed price without insurance references the price of brand-name drugs (unless otherwise specified). The listed SingleCare price references the price of generic drugs if available. Click the link under “Savings options” to see the latest drug prices.
How to get Creon without insurance
Creon can be a serious challenge to purchase without insurance coverage in addition to other prescription medications and medical care. The manufacturer may offer a patient assistance program for Creon or other pancrelipase products. Not everyone will meet the strict eligibility requirements, so other options should be explored.
1. Start with a SingleCare prescription discount card
People with a SingleCare savings card can save as much as $100 off the average retail price of 90, 12,000-38,000 unit Creon capsules. SingleCare participating pharmacies offer different discounts. These discount prices can be found on SingleCare’s Creon coupons page. The FAQs section on this page has additional information about savings and the drug.
2. Find the lowest pharmacy price using SingleCare
Patients and caregivers can compare pharmacy prices on SingleCare’s . There, they’ll find that the lowest price for 90 Creon capsules is $90 less than the highest price.
3. Get health insurance
Cystic fibrosis, chronic pancreatitis, and life after pancreas removal (pancreatectomy) are costly and long-term medical conditions. All require life-saving medicines and treatment, so getting health insurance may be the best long-term solution. People with cystic fibrosis may have challenges finding comprehensive health insurance coverage, so talk to an agent about finding the most suitable policy.
4. Enroll in Medicaid or Medicare LIS
Medicaid and Medicare Low Income Subsidy are government-subsidized health insurance programs. Both cover the cost of pancreatic enzymes and prescription medications with extremely low or no out-of-pocket costs for the patient or their caregivers. Each state has a website that outlines eligibility requirements, enrollment instructions, and additional information.