Tazorac carries a retail price of roughly $841 for a 50-gram tube of brand-name tazarotene, placing it among the more expensive topical prescriptions on the market. The high cost comes down to a combination of brand-name pricing strategies, strict insurance requirements, and the broader economics of the U.S. prescription drug market.
The Brand-Name Premium
Tazorac (tazarotene) was first approved in 1997 and originally manufactured by Allergan. Its primary patent expired in 2009, with an extension pushing protection out to mid-2011. In theory, that should have opened the door to affordable generics years ago, and generic tazarotene does exist. A 30-gram tube of generic tazarotene 0.1% runs about $70 without insurance, compared to hundreds of dollars for the branded version.
Yet many prescriptions are still written or filled as brand-name Tazorac, and that’s where the sticker shock hits. Pharmaceutical companies price brand-name products based on what insurers and pharmacy benefit managers will negotiate, not what the drug costs to produce. Even after patent expiration, the brand commands a premium because of physician familiarity, patient loyalty, and the perception that brand-name formulations perform more consistently.
Insurance Coverage Is Limited
One of the biggest reasons Tazorac feels so expensive is that many insurance plans won’t cover it without jumping through hoops. Most major insurers, including Aetna, place Tazorac behind a prior authorization wall. That means your doctor has to submit extra paperwork proving you need this specific drug before your plan will help pay for it.
For psoriasis, the requirements are particularly strict. Insurers typically require that the psoriasis covers 20% or less of your body, and that you’ve already tried and failed at least one topical steroid before they’ll approve coverage. For acne, a diagnosis alone may be enough to meet the criteria, but prior authorization still applies. If your insurer denies coverage or your plan doesn’t include Tazorac on its formulary at all, you’re stuck paying full retail price out of pocket.
U.S. Prices vs. Other Countries
The price gap between the U.S. and other countries tells part of the story. In Canada, a month’s supply of Tazorac 0.05% runs between $75 and $110 depending on the pharmacy, with Costco pharmacies offering the lowest prices around $75 per month. In the U.S., that same supply can cost several times more at retail. The difference exists because Canada and most other developed countries regulate or negotiate drug prices at a national level, while the U.S. largely allows manufacturers to set their own prices.
Generic Tazarotene Costs Far Less
If your doctor has prescribed Tazorac and you’re facing a high price at the pharmacy, generic tazarotene is the most straightforward way to cut costs. The generic version contains the same active ingredient in the same concentration and runs around $70 for a 30-gram tube without insurance, roughly one-tenth the cost of brand-name pricing. Ask your pharmacist whether a generic substitution is available for your prescription, since many states allow pharmacists to swap in a generic automatically unless the prescriber specifically requests brand-only.
There are also newer branded formulations on the market. Arazlo, a 0.045% tazarotene lotion approved in 2019, costs about $565 for a 45-gram tube. It uses a lower concentration in a different vehicle designed to reduce irritation, but it has no generic equivalent yet, so it won’t save you money over brand-name Tazorac.
Ways to Reduce Your Cost
Several practical options can bring the price down significantly:
- Request generic tazarotene. This is the single biggest cost-saving move, potentially dropping your price from $800+ to under $100.
- Use a discount pricing tool. Services like GoodRx or RxSaver negotiate lower cash prices at participating pharmacies. Retail prices can vary widely by pharmacy and region.
- Ask about manufacturer savings programs. Some tazarotene products offer copay cards or patient assistance programs that reduce out-of-pocket costs, particularly for people without insurance.
- Work with your doctor on prior authorization. If your insurance does cover Tazorac but requires prior authorization, your dermatologist’s office can submit the necessary documentation. This process adds a few days but can dramatically lower your copay.
The short answer to why Tazorac costs so much is that it sits at the intersection of several forces: brand-name pricing in a market with limited price regulation, insurance policies that restrict access, and a healthcare system where the sticker price rarely reflects the actual cost of making the drug. The good news is that generic tazarotene works the same way and costs a fraction of the price.