Iodine withdrawn from UK pharmacies

someanonbloke

Just went along to my local pharmacy to purchase some iodine but was informed that it's no longer available in UK..:huh:

In my experience it's the most effective antiseptic. It's used in the operating theatre, and it's cheap at just over £1/bottle.

I can't for the life of me think why it'd be withdrawn?:cool:

Carrot007

someanonbloke wrote: »

I can't for the life of me think why it'd be withdrawn?:cool:

Can't you?

someanonbloke wrote: »

and it's cheap at just over £1/bottle.

Maybe it's just they want to sell you something with a better profit margin.

It's also hard to find menthol crystals as well and I think that is much the case there as well.

Save

DigForVictory

I buy my iodine over the internet from equine suppliers - this stuff is thoroughly effective & can be diluted down a bit.
If your Boots doesn't do it, ask your vet!

Menthol crystals I get from amazon - and use very sparingly! A poorly son misjudged their potency & was a very unhappy camper - it's now a "use with mum" medication!

Let's not touch on the cost of TCP? I can get a single malt for the same price per litre!

Mojisola

someanonbloke wrote: »

Just went along to my local pharmacy to purchase some iodine but was informed that it's no longer available in UK..:huh:

Have you tried an equine supplier?

someanonbloke

I'd always use the Care Iodine Tincture 25ml, which seemed to be fine - right potency and cheap!
https://www.weldricks.co.uk/products/care-iodine-tincture-25ml
Iodine BP 2.5% w/v
Potassium iodide BP 2.5% w/v
Ethanal BP 89% v/v
Purified water BP to 100%

Is it OK to apply equine Iodine in the same way as the Care iodine? It seems important that it has a similar composition.

Does the purified water mean the remaining 6% of the tincture is purified water?

The only other antiseptic I use is surgical spirit to keep my hands clean or to wash an infected area before applying iodine. Iodine seems to have extra healing properties in addition to sterilising.

I haven't heard about menthol crystals. Thanks for the tip, I'll check them out.

someanonbloke

Interesting, the Care brand also produce menthol crystals.

System

How do you use iodine? I thought it was something you got from leafy green vegetables and useful for thyroid function?:o

DigForVictory

Also known as "the water that burns", you wipe a graze with it, the victim yips like a good 'un but usually suffers no subsequent infection.
It's a very effective cleaning agent but it does not leave the patient calm & relaxed. (Although they do tend to relax when you promise you've stopped.)
Many a school nurse applied it liberally (on cotton wool) to abraded skin after slips & trips in the school playground & I use it on cuts and scrapes once I've got any gravel or other bits out.
My sons are remarkably unscarred thanks to my ruthless instruction - either they use soap & nailbrush to clean the area or I do, and then I apply the iodine & *finally* the hugs & sympathy.

Proxima_Centauri

I just use TCP..

theoretica

Iodine was banned from sale as a water purification agent - I wonder if pharmacies stopped stocking it because they couldn't enforce what their custormers would get up to with it. Thankfully my bottle still has some in, and I am not bothered by the expiry date.

sheramber

available here

https://www.viovet.co.uk/Gold_Label_Iodine_Spray/c12031/?quick_find=135548&gclid=CNK06PKa49ECFU6NGwodTKoBLA