How to Help Your Patients Save Money on Soolantra: A Provider's Guide to Savings Programs

For clinicians who prescribe Soolantra (ivermectin 1% cream), cost-driven prescription abandonment is a persistent clinical challenge. With brand-name retail prices ranging from $378 to over $900 for a single 45-gram tube, and insurance coverage that frequently requires step therapy or prior authorization, a significant proportion of patients never fill the prescription or discontinue treatment prematurely.

This guide is designed to help prescribers proactively address cost barriers, improve medication adherence, and ensure patients get the rosacea treatment that's right for them.

The Cost Problem: What Patients Are Facing

Understanding the patient's financial reality is the first step. Here is the current Soolantra pricing landscape in 2026:

Brand Soolantra retail: $378–$974+ for 45g depending on pharmacy

Generic ivermectin 1% cream retail: Similar high retail, but significantly reduced with coupons

With GoodRx/SingleCare coupon (generic): ~$93–$101 for 45g tube (>75% off retail)

With insurance (when covered): Variable copay; often Tier 3 or requires PA/step therapy

Strategy 1: Prescribe Generic Ivermectin 1% Cream

The single most impactful step you can take to reduce patient cost is to prescribe generic ivermectin 1% cream instead of (or in addition to dispensing as substitutable for) brand-name Soolantra. Generic prescribing maximizes:

Coupon eligibility: GoodRx and SingleCare prices are lower for generic

Insurance substitution flexibility: Some plans may have different coverage tiers for generic vs. brand

Pharmacy availability: Generic may be stocked at more locations

Strategy 2: Proactively Discuss GoodRx and Coupon Programs

Most patients are unaware that prescription discount coupons exist until they're already at the pharmacy in sticker shock. A brief mention at the point of prescribing—"With a GoodRx coupon for generic ivermectin, you can get this for around $100 instead of hundreds of dollars"—can prevent abandonment.

Consider printing a GoodRx or SingleCare QR code or URL on your prescription handout material. Some practices integrate coupon information directly into the after-visit summary.

Strategy 3: Refer Patients to Galderma CAREConnect

Galderma's CAREConnect patient assistance program offers Soolantra at reduced or no cost to eligible uninsured and underinsured patients. Enrollment requires:

Patient and provider to complete the enrollment application

Documentation of the prescription and clinical need

Verification of income eligibility (program criteria may vary)

Contact: 855-280-0543. For patients who may qualify, bridging with samples while the application is processed is a best practice.

Strategy 4: Optimize Prior Authorization Submissions

When insurance coverage is the goal, a complete and well-documented PA submission significantly improves approval rates. Key documentation elements:

Diagnosis code (ICD-10 L71.x) with documented severity (IGA score)

Prior treatment history: dates, durations, and outcomes for metronidazole and/or azelaic acid trials

Clinical rationale for Soolantra: superior efficacy in Phase 3 RCTs versus metronidazole, antibiotic-free mechanism for long-term use, patient-specific factors

Supporting literature: cite Taieb et al. (Br J Dermatol, 2015) for superiority over metronidazole and Stein Gold et al. (J Drugs Dermatol, 2014) for Phase 3 pivotal trial data

Strategy 5: Use Samples to Bridge and Improve Adherence

Office samples serve two purposes: they bridge patients during PA processing or assistance program enrollment, and they increase treatment adherence by confirming efficacy before a patient commits to the cost of a full prescription. Request an adequate sample supply from your Galderma representative to have on hand for cost-challenged patients.

When to Recommend Affordable Alternatives

For patients for whom cost remains prohibitive even after exploring all savings options, effective alternatives exist. Generic topical metronidazole and azelaic acid are both FDA-approved for inflammatory rosacea, well-tolerated, and available for significantly less than Soolantra. For moderate-to-severe disease, low-dose oral doxycycline is another cost-effective systemic option.

To support your patients in finding Soolantra at a pharmacy near them, direct them to medfinder.com/providers. For alternative prescribing options, see: Alternatives to Soolantra.