Paracetamol tablets - Boots UK/Ireland

TOMP

Bought some tablets recently in UK and compared to Ireland

Cheapest paracetamol in Boots UK - pack of 16 tablets for 16p !!! (Boots value range)

Cheapest paracetamol in Boots Ireland - pack of 12 tablets for €1.49

Complete rip off

maxer68

Jeez - this argument has been going on for years.

To comapre prices, you must compare like with like and comparing a generic product with a brand name product isn't doing that.

On the flip side, it is a pity generic paracetemol is not available here, (much of it is made here and exported) but its up to the manufacturers / distributors to apply for a licence for each product sold and its probably not worth their while.

If there was a single EU licensing system or if we joined with the UK and accepted a UK licence for sale in Ireland, it would change.

But there is nothing whatsoever a retailer can do about it.

You as a consumer can buy online from pharmacies and have them delivered to you once the product is not a prescribed product. - I've had 300tab tubs of tylenol for use in work delivered for about €15

keithclancy

TOMP wrote: »

Bought some tablets recently in UK and compared to Ireland

Cheapest paracetamol in Boots UK - pack of 16 tablets for 16p !!! (Boots value range)

Cheapest paracetamol in Boots Ireland - pack of 12 tablets for €1.49

Complete rip off

Blame the Irish Pharma system, nothing to do with the retailer.

Cabaal

TOMP wrote: »

Bought some tablets recently in UK and compared to Ireland

Cheapest paracetamol in Boots UK - pack of 16 tablets for 16p !!! (Boots value range)

Cheapest paracetamol in Boots Ireland - pack of 12 tablets for €1.49

Complete rip off

Random car in one country = 10k
Other random car (not the same car model/make) = 5k

what a rip off!
:rolleyes:

Seriously, compare like with like

kmepll

Had a cold sore last week and bought Zovirax in Dublin for E11.25,was up in Enniskillen on Saturday and Zovirax was £3.95 ,
Then bought some preperation H to ease the pain of been F***ed by the chemist the previous day:mad:

maxer68

kmepll wrote: »

Had a cold sore last week and bought Zovirax in Dublin for E11.25,was up in Enniskillen on Saturday and Zovirax was £3.95 ,
Then bought some preperation H to ease the pain of been F***ed by the chemist the previous day:mad:

how many times does it have to be said "THE CHEMIST DOES NOT CONTROL THE RETAIL PRICES OF PHARMACUETICAL PRICES IN IRELAND"

Prices are controlled by HSE / Dept Health & Manufacturers.

Nanazolie

maxer68 wrote: »

how many times does it have to be said "THE CHEMIST DOES NOT CONTROL THE RETAIL PRICES OF PHARMACUETICAL PRICES IN IRELAND"

Prices are controlled by HSE / Dept Health & Manufacturers.

How can we explain then the difference in OTC items? For instance, a box of glycerin suppositories for children is 2.45 at my local chemist, it's 3.82 in a pharmacy in town on Camden street. (same brand, same pack)

maxer68

Nanazolie wrote: »

How can we explain then the difference in OTC items? For instance, a box of glycerin suppositories for children is 2.45 at my local chemist, it's 3.82 in a pharmacy in town on Camden street. (same brand, same pack)

either of following.
1. - city centre pharmacy adding an extra margin due to far higher costs
or
2. - City centre pharmacy not at new pricing introduced over past 12 months (another raft of price reductions take effect today http://www.hse.ie/eng/about/Who/Corporate_Pharmaceutical_Unit.html )

price reductions have been introduced on a phased basis since last October (it was all over the news) - pricing is now based on average of 9 european markets and by early next year Irish all irish pharma products should be near enough at the average price across europe.

All details are in above link.

btw - for those who have to have expensive medicine, the Irish system of a maximum payable of €120 per month is one of the best in the world. No matter who you are or how ill you are or how expensive your medicine is, the maximum amount you pay is €120 per month - but then again, why mention to positives of our system?

Nanazolie

Maxer, I find the 120 euros limit very good, but I wouldn't go as far as "best in the world". I have to carry 2 anapens, which cost 75 euros each. I buy both for 120 euros with the maximum limit, and if I or my family have any other prescription that month I don't pay for them. However, 2 anapens in France would cost less than 80 euros and if you avail of the social cover there you only pay a fraction of that (I don't but I pay my taxes here, can't have the best of both worlds ).

I get prescriptions when I travel to France as my aunt is a GP there and medecines are much cheaper. Over the counter items are cheaper too. For instance, a large bottle of paracetamol for children (equivalent to Calpol) is 2.50. A large bottle of Calpol here, which is still smaller than the French one, is over 6 euros. A bottle of saline nose spray is 14 euros here, about 5 euros in France. Same manufacturer (Sterimar). I understand that some prices would be driven up by wages, taxes, imports, etc... I don't blame the pharmacies, but I can't afford to buy staples medecines at Irish prices. It's actually cheaper to buy abroad and pay delivery costs

Thanks for the link too

maxer68

But at least something is being done about prices here - I see nasofan is down in price today. (hayfever stuff) It was €14 odd last month (uk is £10.99) but looks like it will drop to about €9 - the same price I pay to have it sent from New Zealand!

It will be June next year before all prices will be near euro average, but they're getting there - and about time too. All we need now is to stop that ridiculous rule that you must beg for Nurofen Plus.

kmepll

maxer68 wrote: »

how many times does it have to be said "THE CHEMIST DOES NOT CONTROL THE RETAIL PRICES OF PHARMACUETICAL PRICES IN IRELAND"

Prices are controlled by HSE / Dept Health & Manufacturers.

Of course the innocent Chemists would give it away or free but cant,Cop on,the slightest change to their profit margin and they shut their doors and cry proverty

maxer68

kmepll wrote: »

Of course the innocent Chemists would give it away or free but cant,Cop on,the slightest change to their profit margin and they shut their doors and cry proverty

If don't want to believe a verifiable fact, that up to you.

I much prefer to have correct verifiable information than go with some made up gibberish.

kmepll

maxer68 wrote: »

If don't want to believe a verifiable fact, that up to you.

I much prefer to have correct verifiable information than go with some made up gibberish.

Sorry I thought I was posting a thread on RIP OFF IRELAND ,I am stating a verifiable fact that we are being ripped off wether it be chemist,supermarket,hse,manufacturer,Sorry i did not include the all in my first post but one is as guilty as the other and all blame each other to get away with it

maxer68

kmepll wrote: »

Sorry I thought I was posting a thread on RIP OFF IRELAND ,I am stating a verifiable fact that we are being ripped off wether it be chemist,supermarket,hse,manufacturer,Sorry i did not include the all in my first post but one is as guilty as the other and all blame each other to get away with it

You explically blamed the chemist for the excessive price, I showed (and verified) how it is NOT the chemist. Pharmacy prices are controlled and there is nothing whatsoever a retail pharmacy can do about it.

Express you frustration at the IMB or HSE or dept of health, but not the pharmacy.

But in fairness to the IMB, prices are being changed though it would be better if it was quicker and by early next year, these excessive prices won't be there anymore. (there are 15 pages of price changes from today!)

Mr Trade In

Lack of generic brands is the real rip off, Imodium is as much as €9.99 for 12 tablets in chemists in Dublin, Lopermid HCI 20 tablets is 1.75 Turkish Lira about .80 cent.

kmepll

maxer68 wrote: »

You explically blamed the chemist for the excessive price, I showed (and verified) how it is NOT the chemist. Pharmacy prices are controlled and there is nothing whatsoever a retail pharmacy can do about it.

Express you frustration at the IMB or HSE or dept of health, but not the pharmacy.

But in fairness to the IMB, prices are being changed though it would be better if it was quicker and by early next year, these excessive prices won't be there anymore. (there are 15 pages of price changes from today!)

I Blamed the person who sold me the product just as you would in any shop ,all prices are controlled somewhere down the line but all we see is the person on the front line

keithclancy

kmepll wrote: »

I Blamed the person who sold me the product just as you would in any shop ,all prices are controlled somewhere down the line but all we see is the person on the front line

I must remember to punch the shopkeeper in the face the next time I buy cigarettes.

kmepll

keithclancy wrote: »

I must remember to punch the shopkeeper in the face the next time I buy cigarettes.

No just punch yourself for starting to smoke in the first place:P

maxer68

kmepll wrote: »

I Blamed the person who sold me the product just as you would in any shop ,all prices are controlled somewhere down the line but all we see is the person on the front line

and you blame a shop assistant earning €10 an hour??????

enough said.

Noffles

Blame Ireland... RIP OFF IRELAND.

Nanazolie

maxer68 wrote: »

and you blame a shop assistant earning €10 an hour??????

enough said.

reminds me when I was working at the till of a well known supermarket. People gave out to me because of the prices, opening hours, the freshness of the vegs. I even had an old lady complaining that the milk carton's opening was too stiff for her.

borderlinemeath

kmepll wrote: »

I Blamed the person who sold me the product just as you would in any shop ,all prices are controlled somewhere down the line but all we see is the person on the front line

Wow, I'd say you're a joy to deal with.

Do you give out to the barman every time he pours you an overpriced pint? Or give out to the waitress who brings you overpriced food?

Complaining to the front line gets you nowhere. Just gives you a reputation as a crank.

kmepll

If you read all the posts instead of just one,I said I blamed the person on the front line which is the chemist (as in Shop),Sorry i did not spell properly, not the manufacturer or Hse although all are to blame,Complaining and blaming a shop assistant never came into it,and i am a barman and do get slack for the price of a pint but i know my employer has a lot to do with that.

laughter189

TOMP wrote: »

Bought some tablets recently in UK and compared to Ireland

Cheapest paracetamol in Boots UK - pack of 16 tablets for 16p !!! (Boots value range)

Cheapest paracetamol in Boots Ireland - pack of 12 tablets for €1.49

I buy paracetamol on prescription . - they come in a box of 100 = € 5.51

This works out at 5.5 cent each - I think that is good value .

wmpdd3

i order form a British Pharmacy online, I have saved a fortune:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=71770181&postcount=31

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=71770181

ballysheil

Poor old original poster put up a genuine example of rip off Ireland and has had a couple of mean comments.
A moderator even put up a bit of a snidey comment "compare like with like " etc.
(BTW Like with like means similar not exact matches so the mod is not even correct here.)

But the general point is still valid isnt it?
The general public are getting ripped off because they can be.
A cosy system has grown up which takes more money out of consumer pockets than is felt acceptable now.

TOMP

Original post was comparing paracetamol 500mg with paracetamol 500mg.... . . .ok packets were different . . . .cant think of any other notable difference. . .

corium.sam

I agree something the govt. should do to implement generic divisions of some essential drugs. The drugs which are to be continued for a long while completely tears the patient's pocket.

Skopzz

It is a well known concept that Irish Pharmacists are greedy p#gs. These help set the market price at an unusually high level. They need to be regulated more.

maxer68

Skopzz wrote: »

It is a well known concept that Irish Pharmacists are greedy p#gs. These help set the market price at an unusually high level. They need to be regulated more.

More rubbish from Skopzz - can you prove this in any way whatsoever? Nearly every topic I've seen you post on has no basis / fact attached whatsoever

Even a smidgen of proof will do me on this one- a tiny weeny bit of proof?

Irish pharmacists work on a 30% margin on non-medical card pharmacuetical products - this is fixed. It covers the cost of the retail outlet, staff, rates, rent, utilities etc etc. It is not excessive and is a similar rate to that of other european countries. That is published FACT.

All pharmacuetical product sold in Ireland must be approved for sale by the Irish medical board - the preference is that there should be a European medical board approving medicines for sale europe wide - that would see a lot more generic medicines available.

Skopzz

As usual, the greedy Pharmacists like to blame someone else with excuses (IMB or EMEA). These Pharmacists never sell generic brand names because they can make bigger profits by stocking big brands.

Remember the Community Drugs Scheme that Irish Pharmacists were forced to lower their predatory prices on?

Skopzz

TOMP wrote: »

Bought some tablets recently in UK and compared to Ireland

Cheapest paracetamol in Boots UK - pack of 16 tablets for 16p !!! (Boots value range)

Cheapest paracetamol in Boots Ireland - pack of 12 tablets for €1.49

Complete rip off

• ASDA Paracetamol capsules (16): GBP 0.36 (EUR 0.41).

Capsules are generally more effective than solid dosage forms because they help bypass gastric juices that otherwise hinder the painkilling effect.

The 12 tablets for EUR1.49 are solid dosage type, so you are not only getting less value for money but also you are getting a less reliable mode of dosage form to quench the pain.

Meteoric

Only medicines that are authorised by IMB or centrally or in a decentralised application (several european markets at the same time) can be sold in pharmacies here, we are a tiny market and the margin of profit on generics is small. Holding a license has an ongoing cost, so for a lot of generics manufacturers it is not worth their while offering their product in our market. All the government could do is offer financial incentives which kind of defeats the purpose of costing less money. The IMB do their bit in trying to make costs more affordable where they can and being willing to act as the main assessor (RMS) when an application is put into several European markets at the same time.
It's market forces, no-one can persuade a manufacturer to make a loss just so four and a half million people can get cheaper drugs.

Skopzz

Meteoric wrote: »

Only medicines that are authorised by IMB or centrally or in a decentralised application (several european markets at the same time) can be sold in pharmacies here, we are a tiny market and the margin of profit on generics is small. Holding a license has an ongoing cost, so for a lot of generics manufacturers it is not worth their while offering their product in our market. All the government could do is offer financial incentives which kind of defeats the purpose of costing less money. The IMB do their bit in trying to make costs more affordable where they can and being willing to act as the main assessor (RMS) when an application is put into several European markets at the same time.
It's market forces, no-one can persuade a manufacturer to make a loss just so four and a half million people can get cheaper drugs.

Stop making excuses. We are NOT a tiny market because other smaller countries than us can sell painkillers at cheaper prices. Pharmacists want bigger salaries so they decide to sell big brand drugs and then come along with lame excuses to detract from the fact they are simply greedy. I hope the Government increases tax on Pharmacists in the budget.

maxer68

Skopzz wrote: »

Stop making excuses. We are NOT a tiny market because other smaller countries than us can sell painkillers at cheaper prices. Pharmacists want bigger salaries so they decide to sell big brand drugs and then come along with lame excuses to detract from the fact they are simply greedy. I hope the Government increases tax on Pharmacists in the budget.

AGAIN - care to back your statements up with even a smidgen of evidence?

Just one tiny tiny bit of evidence please.

Yes, we are a small market, a tiny market and one that really should not have to have our own regulatory system when there's a perfectly good one in the UK which we could piggy back on.

maxer68

Skopzz wrote: »

As usual, the greedy Pharmacists like to blame someone else with excuses (IMB or EMEA). These Pharmacists never sell generic brand names because they can make bigger profits by stocking big brands.

Remember the Community Drugs Scheme that Irish Pharmacists were forced to lower their predatory prices on?

The pharmacists are NOT ALLOWED to sell any products that do not have a certificate from the IMB. - If they do, they can be charged with a criminal offence.

Again - more unsubstantiated BS from Skopzz (Fast food & currency expert and now pharmacy retail expert)

foggy_lad

wmpdd3 wrote: »

i order form a British Pharmacy online, I have saved a fortune:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=71770181&postcount=31

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=71770181

Afaik it is illegal to buy even paracetamol online and have it posted to your address.

vosterburg

foggy_lad wrote: »

Afaik it is illegal to buy even paracetamol online and have it posted to your address.

Foggy_lad - do you know what fines the IMB can impose? I know for a fact they are clamping medicines imported to Ire. Not worth it if you are caught.

Skopzz

foggy_lad wrote: »

Afaik it is illegal to buy even paracetamol online and have it posted to your address.

I did it recently. Customs obviously did not check it but I am not advocating for/against.

Skopzz

maxer68 wrote: »

AGAIN - care to back your statements up with even a smidgen of evidence?

Just one tiny tiny bit of evidence please.

Yes, we are a small market, a tiny market and one that really should not have to have our own regulatory system when there's a perfectly good one in the UK which we could piggy back on.

The EMEA can govern us. We do not want to become a colony of Britain again. Ireland is NOT a tiny market because other countries like Cyprus with 871,000 people pay less for Painkillers than we do in Ireland.

Skopzz

vosterburg wrote: »

Foggy_lad - do you know what fines the IMB can impose? I know for a fact they are clamping medicines imported to Ire. Not worth it if you are caught.

There are no criminal proceedings unless its a class A type drug (or elicit drugs). They only confiscate and destroy them if its a medicinal product. It's only if they intercept you smuggling or importing bulk quantities into this country; in which case they will prosecute you with fines and/or incarceration.

The reason some people buy medicinal products online is because they have to pay up to EUR70.00 just to get a piece of paper from a Doctor to present to their Pharmacist when they are buying a prescribed medicine in Ireland.

BTW, the IMB are known to be the most conservative regulatory agency in the EU. They have banned drugs here with no reasonable basis other than their personal opinions. The IMB are closely incompetent.

Furthermore, certain topical creams as well as anti depressants, etc can be openly purchased over in the counter in other EU countries like Spain.

If Irish Pharmacists get their way, we will soon need a prescription to buy painkillers.

Skopzz

maxer68 wrote: »

The pharmacists are NOT ALLOWED to sell any products that do not have a certificate from the IMB. - If they do, they can be charged with a criminal offence.

Again - more unsubstantiated BS from Skopzz (Fast food & currency expert and now pharmacy retail expert)

Don't expect it to feed to you automatically. That's why we all have the power of reason and knowledge - albeit how these are developed among people differs greatly. Any piece of information you receive from anywhere would be inherently biased anyway. If you're looking for a truly unbiased piece of work in print, you won't likely find it.

Irish Pharmacists said the same about the morning-after pill until Boots made it available without prescription to Irish patients in February. Looks like a closely guarded monopoly among Irish Pharmacists and the IMB.

These greedy pi#s are screwing the Irish consumer while the Government just stands on the sidelines.

davo10

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/weekend/2011/1001/1224305065821.html

Skopzz, you just can't help yourself as usual. Just read your sectarian post on another thread, how the moderators haven't banned you for this is beyond me, never mind the ill-informed trash you come out with on threads like this. Do your research before you post, you are just making yourself look silly.

username123

vosterburg wrote: »

Foggy_lad - do you know what fines the IMB can impose? I know for a fact they are clamping medicines imported to Ire. Not worth it if you are caught.

If customs catch you is they ask you to name the site you bought from and how you heard of it. Then they write to you telling you they are destroying the medication and if youve an issue with that to contact them.

Theyre far more interested in chasing the vendor, stopping the website shipping to ireland than prosecuting some granny who thought it best to buy her ponstan online because her pension didnt stretch to Irish prices.

Under the Irish Medicines Board Act 1995-2006 it is illegal to supply prescription medication through the internet. Those who buy it online are not breaking the law, but risk the items being seized by the board, which monitors the supply of such medicines.

Meteoric

I should not feed the troll but if you think the IMB are the most conservative regulatory agency in Europe you have clearly not had any dealings with any of them. They are far more reasonable than a lot of the others without putting people at risk (in my experience)
Yes ideally drugs should be regulated centrally for all of the EU but the EMEA through the volume of applications and existing licences prefers to deal with the New drugs not generics, they tend not to entertain an application for a drug that has been on the market for years, such applications have to go the national route (applying to each country separately) or a decentralised application to several European countries at the same time. The IMB do their bit in terms of dealing with such applications efficiently so the drug will also be marketed in Ireland as well as Britain, France and Germany (the big markets)
The less you pay for a drug the less the profit margin is but the manufacturer still has to maintain the highest standards and that costs money.
and if it comes to regulators banning drugs on opinion only consider that the MHRA (Britain) have banned Bonjela for children on the basis that the active ingredient is a bit like aspirin, the IMB looked at the evidence and saw there were no reported cases of Reyes and have it under consideration

Skopzz

The EMEA treats drugs that have a proven track record as safe because of extensively available scientific research on these drugs and weighs any reported adverse effects that may have occurred previous. In a decentralized procedure, the company assigns one EU Regulatory agency to assess the quality, safety and efficacy of the medication and if approved, the other member states (Ireland in this case) accepts their reasoned scientific basis for approving it. There is no preference and the EMEA are properly staffed to handle the volume of applicants.