Official Prescriptions article discussion

Former_MSE_Lawrence

This discussion relates to the

Cheap Prescriptions article

Please click reply to discuss

Read the old Prescriptions and Medications Discussion thread

Alison_L_J

I have just tried to get Malarone at Asda online, but they only sell it at £30 for 12 tablets not the £20 for 16. Has anyone been able to get it for £20?

joaniemerc

Here's the tail-end of the previous thread about this:

joaniemercQuote:
"Originally Posted by max2002ad
I work for Lloyds Pharmacy and just to clear up the picture the cost of private prescriptions are worked out by the computer.
The formula is the cost of the drug plus a mark up of 50% which is the fee for dispensing. "

"Max - just to clarify that I've got this correct pls, are you saying that, in addition to paying for the tablets (in my case £95), there is an additional charge of 50% for dispensing? Ie, another £47.50?"

Today 12:47 PMjoaniemerc

"Our prescriptions (x 2) are also £15 each. We need 38 malarone tablets between us. Rang an Asda Pharmacy and was quoted £95 - which works out at £2.50 per tablet. Like above poster says, nothing like the £20 for 16 tablets as stated in weekly email.

Perhaps a Mod could pick up on this and clarify please??"

Today 10:25 AMRohettMalarone Anti-Malarials
This morning I went to my GP who charged me £15 for a private prescription then I went to ASDA to collect my prescription as I had been told it was the cheapest place to get them and they charged me £35 for 14 Malarone pills. A big difference from the £20 for 16 pills stated on the table - what did I do wrong? Today 12:44 AMmax2002adI work for Lloyds Pharmacy and just to clear up the picture the cost of private prescriptions are worked out by the computer.
The formula is the cost of the drug plus a mark up of 50% which is the fee for dispensing.
Different pharmacies have different mark ups and some times drug companies offer special deals with pharmacies to reduce the cost of the drug.
In most cases supermarkets are the cheapest unless it's an independent pharmacy who has strong competition. The internet most often offers the best price as there is greater transparancy and it's easier to know what the competitors are offering.

nicolahk

Does anyone know how to get cheap but genuine and effective anti-snoring remedies such as nasal strips or nasal drops? The prices in the chemists are outragious and the cheaper versions don`t work so are a waste of money.

Philycheesesteak

:DNurafen is basically ibruprophen, anadin is basically aspirin and caffene.
Viagra is Mycoxaflopin. XD

atypical

joaniemerc wrote: »

"Max - just to clarify that I've got this correct pls, are you saying that, in addition to paying for the tablets (in my case £95), there is an additional charge of 50% for dispensing? Ie, another £47.50?"

Where have you got the £95 price from? If it's from a Lloyds Pharmacy that is the final cost. The amount Lloyds add on to the drug cost is tapered not fixed. VAT also has to be added to the cost price.

onesixfive

Minor Ailment Scheme allows patients to obtain medication for minor ailments directly from a pharmacy without the need for a consultation with a GP, or a prescription.

• Patients who are exempt from prescription charges (ie: Children / OAPs) receive the medication free,
• For patients that pay for their prescriptions they will have to pay no more than a prescription charge.

The scheme covers the following conditions:
Constipation, diarrhoea, dyspepsia, headache, earache/temperature, sore throat, chesty & dry coughs, nasal congestion, hay fever, oral & vaginal thrush, head lice, athletes foot, teething/mouth ulcers, bites & stings, threadworms, contact / seborrhoeic dermatitis.
Check your local NHS website (ie: Bury, PCT, Lancs) for a list of Participating Pharmacies & Participating GPs - Apparently, you just get a card from the participating GP & present it at the chemist instead of payment & providing there is no abuse of the scheme, it works OK.

pampam

Anyone know the cheapest place to buy the genuine "Regaine/Minoxidil?"

it is used to promote hair growth
Thanks

rick_x

As a doctor who has worked as a GP and given out private prescriptions it really pays for you to shop around and, when possible if you pay for your prescriptions, ask your doctor if it might work out better to get a private script instead of an NHS one.

There are a couple of points which I think it's important to make clear:
1) GP's should not charge you for a private prescription (it's against BMA guidance), the only exception to this rule is for medications related to overseas travel
2) The cost you pay for your prescription should be the cost price of the medication + a dispensing fee the pharmacist charges (these vary wildly from as little as 50p, or sometimes nothing, to several pounds). This is where a lot of the confusion arises as, whilst doctors cannot charge for a script, if they stock the medication and you get it from them then they can charge you a dispensing fee just like a pharmacist.

As I mentioned above dispensing fees vary wildly and, in my experience, ASDA and Tesco have been the cheapest with Boots by far the most expensive. If you go to any retail pharmacy ask what they will charge before you give your script in or you may get a nasty surprise when your £1.59 inhaler costs you £9 due to a massive dispensing fee. Be warned though as a lot (but not all - by a long way) of independent pharmacies charge big private dispensing fees as they make little on non-NHS prescriptions and try to disuade the use of private scripts.

Hope this helps anyone out there.

carolt

Can you get asthma inhalers cheaper?

Anyone?

rick_x

carolt wrote: »

Can you get asthma inhalers cheaper?

Anyone?

Depends on what you use, some are cheaper, some are dearer than an NHS script, my advice would be ask your GP - most practices have electronic prescribing and the cost will be easy to look up for you. If it's cheaper you can ask for a private script - don't forget to factor in the dispensing fee though.