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seretide diskus 500 mg price?

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  • 10-04-2015 1:24pm
    #1
    MrSzyslak
    Registered Users Posts: 226 ✭✭


    Anyone have an approx figure of the price of the above.

    Rang the pharmacy they wouldn't give me a price, need it but dont think I can afford it for now ha.


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    #2
    byronbay2
    Registered Users Posts: 1,772 ✭✭✭byronbay2


    €2.50, if you have a medical card. Otherwise, something like €60, assuming you don't have to pay to get the prescription.


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    #3
    palmcut
    Registered Users Posts: 246 ✭✭palmcut


    A Seretide Diskus generic has just been launched. The generic is available as a 250 or 500.Both generics are about 15/20 euros better value than the original.The generics are from an Irish company called Rowex.


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    #4
    The_Conductor
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 32,279 Mod ✭✭✭✭The_Conductor


    €68.21 in my local pharmacy (no idea why the odd amount).
    It does count towards the 144 a month- though most months I try not to get it- as I don't have 68.21 to hand over- never mind 144........ The 144 threshold is far too high........


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    #5
    locum-motion
    Registered Users Posts: 5,143 ✭✭✭locum-motion


    The_Conductor wrote: »
    €68.21 in my local pharmacy (no idea why the odd amount)...

    Would you prefer if they rounded it up to €70?


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    #6
    The_Conductor
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 32,279 Mod ✭✭✭✭The_Conductor


    locum-motion wrote: »
    Would you prefer if they rounded it up to €70?

    No- I'd rather there was a generic available at a fraction of the cost.
    I'm sorry- 68-70 quid is extortionate for medication you need on an ongoing basis. As its a preventative- I'm guessing, many people, like me, make a judgement call- can we afford it this month- or not- and as often as not, can't get it.

    Every second or third month- we max out the 144- and even if it means an additional visit to the GP- try to get as many things that we're going to need immediately or imminently- in the calendar month.

    The individual costs of medications- and the 144 threshold- are set at artificially high levels- and are a significant factor in people not taking longterm medication (and I don't mean the LTI scheme) in a prescribed manner. I understand pharmacists have to make a living- and the government have agreements with the pharmaceutical companies on pricing- but this is hammering people on the street- esp. those who aren't entitled to subsidised medication- and whether or not to visit a GP for an antibiotic for a chest infection or give their child a small birthday party- it becomes an impossible situation.

    Aside from the absolute cost- for the single medication- the 144 threshold- is just too high for many people. It wasn't an issue before I had children- but now my finances really don't add up- and whether or not to get myself medication- is just another item on my budget list for the month- and its nowhere near the top of the list.


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    #7
    locum-motion
    Registered Users Posts: 5,143 ✭✭✭locum-motion


    The_Conductor wrote: »
    €68.21 in my local pharmacy (no idea why the odd amount)...
    locum-motion wrote: »
    Would you prefer if they rounded it up to €70?
    The_Conductor wrote: »
    No- I'd rather there was a generic available at a fraction of the cost...

    Fine, but you do understand that the availability or otherwise of a generic equivalent is completely outside the control of your local pharmacist, don't you?

    Similarly, they have no control over what the cost price of the medicine is; that is set by the manufacturer and the government.

    What the pharmacist has some small degree of control over is how much he charges when he sells it (As long as he's not selling to the government, cos they set that price too). He decides how much he needs to charge in order to pay his rent/mortgage for the shop, pay his staff, pay his electricity and a host of other bills, repay the loan he took out to buy the business in the first place, make good the loss he makes when he sells the same thing to the government, and finally pay himself a salary.

    With all of that in mind, he decides that he's going to put a mark-up of x% on the cost price and add a dispensing fee of €y.

    Then he will have a look at what his local competitors are charging, because if his little formula above comes out a lot higher than everyone else, then he's not going to sell any at all.

    All of that, is why the amount is an odd amount.


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    #8
    The_Conductor
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 32,279 Mod ✭✭✭✭The_Conductor


    Locum-motion- I understand what you are saying.
    The perspective from someone across the counter- is that many of us simply cannot afford the medication that we need- and that the 144 monthly DPS scheme- is set at far too high a level. That is the point I was making- nothing more, nothing less.

    I fully accept that pharmacists have to make a living too- however, it would be in both pharmacists and end-users interests- if the prices the government agree with the pharmaceutical companies were reduced to reasonable levels.

    I have followed this debate ad nauseum- as have you. The argument is that Ireland is included in a basket of high cost EU countries by the pharmaceutical industry- for the purposes of determining prices for prescription medications here. If they move beyond a certain percentage- Irish prices will be outside of bands of tolerance with the other countries. The obvious question one has to ask when given an explanation like this is- why are in a basket of high income countries? People's net take home in Ireland (including obviously pharmacists!) is below the EU average- because of the ridiculous tax take by the government.

    We are being punished all round- by the government- by pharmaceutical companies etc- for living in Ireland- quite unjustly.

    The other argument put forward- is employment in the pharmaceutical industry in Ireland will suffer if pharmaceutical companies aren't allowed use the Irish consumer as high cost guinea pigs for pricing medications. Well- if we're looking at this argument- then we should put a price tag on those jobs- and find a manner of subsidising those jobs in an appropriate manner. Expecting the consumer to pick up the tab- is irrational and unfair.

    Irish consumers- are reknowned for not complaining. We may mutter under our breaths and go out and bad mouth businesses- but we won't say anything to the person at the till or on the other side of the counter.

    Pharmacists have a rightful expectation to a living wage. As do consumers. If a pharmacist is employing a nurse and other staff- there should be a mechanism for paying their staff- be it as some sort of a first point of contact HSE payment for the staff- rather than lumping margins on products to hide the cost of these services. Or- alternatively- if it is not economic to provide additional services- then don't.

    No-one is served by the current system- least of all the consumer.


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    #9
    palmcut
    Registered Users Posts: 246 ✭✭palmcut


    Currently the generic for Seretide diskus 500 is around 15 euros better value than the original. The generic is presented here by an Irish company called Rowex.

    GSK are trying to get the generic removed from the Irish market because of a similarity in pack colours. (at least that is my understanding of the proposed court case). So there may be a supply issue in the near future.

    We have tried to switch patients to the generic over the past few days and have only been successful with two patients. The majority are refusing to switch.


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    #10
    locum-motion
    Registered Users Posts: 5,143 ✭✭✭locum-motion


    I dispensed the generic equivalent ("Airflusal Forspiro") for the first time today; it was a new prescription to the patient, so she was not switching.

    I was disappointed to note how different the actual delivery device is; GSK must still have a valid patent on the ''Diskus" device.

    Rowex's "Forspiro" device is much less easy to use.


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    #11
    The_Conductor
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 32,279 Mod ✭✭✭✭The_Conductor


    Thats unfortunate- if the applicator is so different, of course there is going to be reticence on the part of users to change........


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    #12
    Wise Old Elf
    Moderators Posts: 3,554 ✭✭✭Wise Old Elf


    I recently needed a prescription renewal, had been using Seretide 500 for a good few years with great results but like others, found it expensive, so asked my GP about alternatives.

    Was prescribed a generic "Duoresp Spiromax". It's not a discus like Seretide, is shaped like a " normal" inhaler but isn't an aerosol like ventolin. You use it very similar to the discus.

    It wasn't that much cheaper, couldn't say the exact price as I got it with other stuff. I believe there is another generic version of Seretide coming next year from a company based in Ireland, hopefully nice and cheap!

    Edit: I appear to be wrong! Duoresp is generic pulmicort, not Seretide.


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    #13
    OllieNorth
    Registered Users Posts: 102 ✭✭OllieNorth


    This may be of interest to those on seratide. I was prescribed seratide 250 for bronchitis. my pharmacist tells me if i want i can save money by taking a combination of ventolin and beclazone. its the same thing but has to be taken more frequently. As with all internet advice check with your health care professional first. Hope this helps somebody save some money.
    Ollie.


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    #14
    palmcut
    Registered Users Posts: 246 ✭✭palmcut


    Wise Old Elf wrote: »
    I recently needed a prescription renewal, had been using Seretide 500 for a good few years with great results but like others, found it expensive, so asked my GP about alternatives.

    Was prescribed a generic "Duoresp Spiromax". It's not a discus like Seretide, is shaped like a " normal" inhaler but isn't an aerosol like ventolin. You use it very similar to the discus.

    It wasn't that much cheaper, couldn't say the exact price as I got it with other stuff. I believe there is another generic version of Seretide coming next year from a company based in Ireland, hopefully nice and cheap!

    Duoresp is a generic version of Symbicort.


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    #15
    Wise Old Elf
    Moderators Posts: 3,554 ✭✭✭Wise Old Elf


    palmcut wrote: »
    Duoresp is a generic version of Symbicort.

    Oh, it was a long discussion with GP, sorry about that, other post edited to correct.
    I think it's Mylan who are working on the generic Seretide for next year.


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    #16
    locum-motion
    Registered Users Posts: 5,143 ✭✭✭locum-motion


    OllieNorth wrote: »
    This may be of interest to those on seratide. I was prescribed seratide 250 for bronchitis. my pharmacist tells me if i want i can save money by taking a combination of ventolin and beclazone. its the same thing but has to be taken more frequently. As with all internet advice check with your health care professional first. Hope this helps somebody save some money.
    Ollie.

    Yes, please DO check with your healthcare professional, because the above information is misleading.

    Seretide is NOT THE SAME as a combination of Ventolin (Salbutamol) & Becotide (Beclometasone).

    It is a combination of Serevent (Salmeterol) & Flixotide (Fluticasone).

    And while Salbutamol & Beclometasone may in fact work out cheaper than Salmeterol & Fluticasone, it will probably also not work as well.


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    #17
    locum-motion
    Registered Users Posts: 5,143 ✭✭✭locum-motion


    palmcut wrote: »
    Duoresp is a generic version of Symbicort.

    Not quite. Same ingredients, different proportions.


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    #18
    echo beach
    Registered Users Posts: 1,252 ✭✭✭echo beach


    locum-motion wrote: »
    And while Salbutamol & Beclometasone may in fact work out cheaper than Salmeterol & Fluticasone, it will probably also not work as well.

    That is true but the many people who cannot afford to take their Seretide regularly might well get better results from taking an adequate dose of Beclomethasone daily than from sporadic use of Seretide.
    There has to be an honest conversation with the prescribing doctor. Some people are ashamed to admit how cash strapped they are and some doctors have no idea how much more expensive certain options are.


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    #19
    The_Conductor
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 32,279 Mod ✭✭✭✭The_Conductor


    echo beach wrote: »
    Some people are ashamed to admit how cash strapped they are and some doctors have no idea how much more expensive certain options are.

    This simple and salient point really needs to be hammered home.
    Just because people don't have a medical card and/or other entitlements- does not mean they have large sums of disposable income to spend on medication- or indeed anything else. A lot of professionals have very little cognisance of just how bad times are for 'the little people'........


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    #20
    echo beach
    Registered Users Posts: 1,252 ✭✭✭echo beach


    The_Conductor wrote: »
    Just because people don't have a medical card and/or other entitlements- does not mean they have large sums of disposable income to spend on medication- or indeed anything else. A lot of professionals have very little cognisance of just how bad times are for 'the little people'........

    There are many people with 'good' jobs who are struggling to get by from week to week. If you earn enough to be over the medical card limit, which isn't hard, then you end up paying for everything. Not just doctor's visits and medication but things like school transport and state exam fees which are free to medical card holders.
    A poster made the point that the €144 a month co-payment on DPS is far too high and they are correct. People are given a Doctor Visit Medical Card if they are a little over the limit for a full one but still have to pay the full amount on DPS and it is unfair.


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    #21
    Pretzill
    Registered Users Posts: 4,683 ✭✭✭Pretzill


    locum-motion wrote: »
    Yes, please DO check with your healthcare professional, because the above information is misleading.

    Seretide is NOT THE SAME as a combination of Ventolin (Salbutamol) & Becotide (Beclometasone).

    It is a combination of Serevent (Salmeterol) & Flixotide (Fluticasone).

    And while Salbutamol & Beclometasone may in fact work out cheaper than Salmeterol & Fluticasone, it will probably also not work as well.

    I have been taking inhalers for far too many years! I used to take ventolin and becotide - but about 10 years ago I was prescribed Seretide and my symptoms are improved drastically to the point I rarely if ever need ventolin - in fact I haven't filled a prescription for ventolin in a year! Before I switched to Seretide I wouldn't leave the house without my reliever.

    So not medical advice just personal experience I wouldn't switch back but I do like a lot of us get a bit mean with my Seretide if the money is tight. Sometimes getting an extra week out of it. Though that's not advisable either.


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