Is this some sort of scam

aitch2oh

I only ever have one prescription and it is for Brycanyl Turbohaler. The most recent one had a use by date of only 2 months.
I checked with the manufacturers and it has a shelf life of 24 months.
I do not have to pay for my prescriptions as I am a pensioner but my query is this, if the chemist has to make up my prescription more frequently does s/he make extra money?


So is this some sort of scam?

[Deleted User]

It sounds like no sort of scam.

savingfortomorrow

if you want a longer date ask for it when putting in the prescription.

sheramber

It may have been 'on the shelf ' for 22 months before you got it, hence only 2 months left.

gardner1

Pharmacy makes about 75p profit after all costs and staff wages on most prescriptions

aitch2oh

Thank you for your responses.


However I think that the fact that people make a profit out of this is suspicious and I have just seen on the news that fraud costs the NHS millions or was it billions.


So I think I will photocopy the box and got an answer out of my MP.


I will ask for a longer shelf life next time I make a request as I have worked that one out.
Sheramber obviously thinks I am a moron. Ditto.
The pharmacy will make no more profit out of me. This is a very lucrative business and that is why there are so many pharmacies and online services. Even Boots do online now.

Robin9

So where are you going to get your prescription from ?

As you think 75p is a scam why are Lloyds closing so many branches ?

Ames

aitch2oh wrote: »

Thank you for your responses.


However I think that the fact that people make a profit out of this is suspicious and I have just seen on the news that fraud costs the NHS millions or was it billions.


So I think I will photocopy the box and got an answer out of my MP.


I will ask for a longer shelf life next time I make a request as I have worked that one out.
Sheramber obviously thinks I am a moron. Ditto.
The pharmacy will make no more profit out of me. This is a very lucrative business and that is why there are so many pharmacies and online services. Even Boots do online now.

The fraud they're talking about is people claiming free prescriptions to which they're not entitled.

How were the pharmacy to know that it'd be sitting on your shelf for two months before you needed to use it? What makes you think that an online pharmacy will have newer stock to send out?

It would cost the pharmacy more in staff time to 'fraudulently' give you a short shelf life product than they make in dispensing the product.

And it might not be the pharmacy's fault - how long was it sitting in the distributor's warehous before being passed to them?

Robin9

Ames wrote: »

The fraud they're talking about is people claiming free prescriptions to which they're not entitled.

I believe the only check that is done when you select - I am the patients representative, or I am over 60 - is an occasional audit - the pharmacy won't know.

It's a system left over from the ark and well due for modernisation.

teddysmum

Why is it a scam as the drug is till within its use by date, which will have a safety barrier so is probably usable beyond the stated date.


If a bacon manufacturer says their product is good for 3 months from production and on 3rd June,you bought a pack to be used by 3rd July, you wouldn't complain as it's still 'in date'.

Ames

Robin9 wrote: »

I believe the only check that is done when you select - I am the patients representative, or I am over 60 - is an occasional audit - the pharmacy won't know.

It's a system left over from the ark and well due for modernisation.

They do random checks, there are regularly questions on the benefit board by people who ticked the wrong box (usually because they thought they were exempt when they weren't) who got caught and fined.

I believe that there's a part on the prescription where the pharmacy has to mark either that they've seen proof of exemption, or that they haven't seen it.