Nurofen in court in Australia

amsquared

Nurofen are in court in Australia regarding the packaging of their products implying they target specific types of pain - http://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/mar/05/accc-sues-reckitt-benckiser-over-false-claims-on-nurofen-packets In an Australian news article - http://www.ntnews.com.au/news/accc-seeing-red-reckitt-benckiser-taken-to-court-over-multicoloured-nurofen-packs/story-fnjbnts7-1227248891160 The case also infers that Nurofen are manipulating the price as well.

It looks as if we have the same situation in the UK with Nurofen products for Back pain, Migraine and Period pain all containing exactly the same active ingredient - ibuprofen lysine.

I can't find who the correct standards agency is for complaints in the UK ASA don't seem to cover packaging or medicines and refer you to the medical and healthcare products agency - but there doesn't appear to be a simple way of submitting a complaint to them. https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/medicines-and-healthcare-products-regulatory-agency

ellay864

There is a complaints procedure page:
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/medicines-and-healthcare-products-regulatory-agency/about/complaints-procedure
But the rules here may not be the same as in Australia as each agency will have its own rules about packaging. They may contain the same active ingredient but could possibly target with differences in the formulation, other ingredients, doses etc. I have no idea how different they are but it is a possibility. But the packaging is something that has to be approved by MHRA along with the drug itself so it's not as if the manaufacturers can just put packs out without them being reviewed first

dlusman

Guilty as charged

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-35090087

RichardD1970

I hardly ever buy branded drugs, the active ingredients in generic/own brands are usually exactly the same for a fraction of the cost.

dlusman

RichardD1970 wrote: »

I hardly ever buy branded drugs, the active ingredients in generic/own brands are usually exactly the same for a fraction of the cost.

Totally agree - but there are obviously enough people around who are taken in by fancy packaging/advertising

pmduk

I'd be interested to know why Which? feels this isn't a problem in the UK?

dlusman

pmduk wrote: »

I'd be interested to know why Which? feels this isn't a problem in the UK?

they didnot say it "isnt a problem in the UK" . They said is was "not an issue they where going to investigate" ( which could be for any number of different reasons ).

Kernow666

the majority of the supermarket own brand ones are made in the same factory

the likes of Nurofen & Anadin prey on the stupid with fancy packets and words like MAX STRENGTH , EXTRA & FAST ACTING

Gers

Have a look for the licence number - if it's the same number then the stuff is the same.

Packets of painkillers are each printed with a Product Licence Code, which identifies the ingredients and proves the medicine has been permitted for sale.

Boxes with the same Product Licence Codes contain identical ingredients

Nile

On a similar note, I've noticed that the active ingredient for Otrivine nasal spray is exactly the same for Otrivine Allergy Relief nasal spray.......yet the first is priced £2.65 and the second is £3.89 at Boots:


http://www.boots.com/en/Otrivine/All-Otrivine/

savingfortomorrow

I genuinely understand that the ingredient is the same. However, the formulation can differ between branded and generic drugs.
The level of increased effectiveness from branded drug was demonstrated by Reckitt Benckiser, nurofen's owners with the length of time a person left their hand in an iced bucket of water. So is it the shiny wrapper leading to a placebo effect? For some people the brand name is all important.

That being said some one who worked in a plant that made generics and branded drugs, always said when they were Ill to go for the branded when they were sick because they knew the differences in formulations.