Save up to 56% on your prescription medicine costs by shopping around locally

_Whimsical_

This is a "bargain alert" of sorts. Its been a popular topic here in the past so I posted it here.

The Irish Consumer Agency has released a report today that find that there is huge difference in prices of medications from one Irish pharmacy to another. That means you could make dramatic savings by just changing the chemist you go to.

The differences in prices of individual prescription medicines ranged from 37% to 199%. The average percentage difference across all products nationally was 56%. That means on average you could save 56% by changing your local pharmacy.


Key findings of the study :

Key findings of the survey were:

Nationally, the percentage differences in prices of individual prescription medicines ranged from 37% to 199%. The average percentage difference across all products nationally was 56%.

The largest percentage variation in price for an individual product within a local area was for “Losec Mups 20 Mg (28)”, commonly used to treat stomach ulcers. The difference in price in Waterford was found to be 122%, with prices ranging from €22.43 to €49.69.

The average price variation of the 39 prescription medicines included in the study was 30% and 27% for Galway and Waterford respectively. The corresponding figure for both Cork and Limerick is 29%.

http://www.nca.ie/index.jsp?p=100&n=101&a=992

A lot of ppl take losec so I highlighted that. The NCA are recommending people start ringing around pharmacies in their area to find the best price for their medication.



Here is a graphic from the report that gives prices of other popular meds such as asthma meds and pain meds.

paddy147

Shame that the didnt name and all the pharmacies......especially the ones that are ripping people off.

Soarer

What I notice is when I go over the €144 on the DPS (which is a fukking disgrace!), my chemist doesn't give a price for the individual items. Just the total of €144.

_Whimsical_

Soarer wrote: »

What I notice is when I go over the €144 on the DPS (which is a fukking disgrace!), my chemist doesn't give a price for the individual items. Just the total of €144.

I've noticed the same. I thought not giving an itemised receipt was illegal but I've never been to a chemist that has given one.

I really hope this gets the attention it deserves and people start voting with their feet. It's the only way we'll have or being fairly charged for what is a necessity for most of us.

Soarer

_Whimsical_ wrote: »

I've noticed the same. I thought not giving an itemised receipt was illegal but I've never been to a chemist that has given one.

I really hope this gets the attention it deserves and people start voting with their feet. It's the only way we'll have or being fairly charged for what is a necessity for most of us.

Thing is, the receipt is technically itemised. Just not itemised with prices.

crazygeryy

theres a lot to be saved online to for ordinary stuff to like paracetemol and pain killers cough medicine.
for eg paracetemol here is roughly 2.60 for 12 ,online from uk its on average under 50 pence for 24.
we are being screwed.

Amouar

Any idea why the price of prescription medicine is not regulated by the relevant ministry? For example, the prices of medicine in some countries are all the same regardless of which pharmacy you buy them from, as the price is already set by the ministry and printed on the medicine boxes. This way there will be no discrepancies in prices.

Amouar

crazygeryy wrote: »

theres a lot to be saved online to for ordinary stuff to like paracetemol and pain killers cough medicine.
for eg paracetemol here is roughly 2.60 for 12 ,online from uk its on average under 50 pence for 24.
we are being screwed.

Got a link for a chemist in which we can get that price for paracetamol?

thanks

Dozen Wicked Words

Amouar wrote: »

Got a link for a chemist in which we can get that price for paracetamol?

thanks

Not sure you can get that price here, unless you are in the 6 counties. A search of Boots online, and I am sure you will find other websites that are cheaper still, will show you how cheap people in the UK can get Paracetamol.


http://www.boots.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/EndecaSearchListerView?storeId=10052&langId=-1&catalogId=11051&stReq=1&searchTerm=paracetamol&newDepSearch=&x=-1069&y=-64#container

homer911

Buying prescription medicines from outside Ireland is gnerally prohibited - Will parcel motel be able to deliver these?

vicwatson

paddy147 wrote: »

Shame that the didnt name and all the pharmacies......especially the ones that are ripping people off.

I agree 100%

When the FSAI when a did "raids" on the chippers that were selling AN other as Cod, those chippers walked away scot free and the consumers can still be getting ripped off as no one which chippers are at it. If they were named and shamed then they'd have to sell Cod as Cod and no other cheaper fish disguised as Cod.

crazygeryy

Quote=Amouar;83825496]

Got a link for a chemist in which we can get that price for paracetamol?

thanks[/Quote]

dozen is right but I've used pharmacy first.but if u google pharmacy uk a load of them come up and i haven't used Parcel motel,they are reasonable without it.but its only for ordinary medicine not prescription.

fearcruach

_Whimsical_ wrote: »

I've noticed the same. I thought not giving an itemised receipt was illegal but I've never been to a chemist that has given one.

I really hope this gets the attention it deserves and people start voting with their feet. It's the only way we'll have or being fairly charged for what is a necessity for most of us.

The prices aren't printed on the receipts after the €144 limit has been reached because they drugs are being paid for the State at that stage. So the person paying the bill (the State) does get a receipt just not the patient receiving them. It's the same as why Medical Card patients don't get a printout of the price. They are not paying the full price of the drug.

Amouar wrote: »

Any idea why the price of prescription medicine is not regulated by the relevant ministry? For example, the prices of medicine in some countries are all the same regardless of which pharmacy you buy them from, as the price is already set by the ministry and printed on the medicine boxes. This way there will be no discrepancies in prices.

Pharmacies would have to become state run if prices were to be regulated as such. As long as they remain as private businesses with discretionary pricing such as mark up and dispensing fees then there will always be price differentials. Same as the difference in price of a packet of biscuits in your local corner shop and Tesco.

donnacha

Cheers for the heads up on these online pharmacists - no idea why I haven't looked into this before but with 3 kids in the house I could seriously save a fortune on the basic everyday medicines - its actually unbelievable some of the prices at that online chemist linked above: http://www.chemistdirect.co.uk/about_us.php

Gonna have to research this carefully but some of the basic kids over the counter medicines are approx 50% cheaper from an initial glance and if you spend £40stg its free delivery so would definitely use ParcelMotel.

gtg60

crazygeryy wrote: »

theres a lot to be saved online to for ordinary stuff to like paracetemol and pain killers cough medicine.
for eg paracetemol here is roughly 2.60 for 12 ,online from uk its on average under 50 pence for 24.
we are being screwed.

My local chemist here in Wicklow sells 24 Paracetamol for 99 cent so it pays to shop around but yes, generally, we are being ripped off.

MisseyB

Most DocMorris stores sell 12 paracetemol for 99cent.

galwayjohn89

Just came back from America, 80 painkillers for 88c. I stocked up on medicines there,

For prescriptions, I normally pay €20 for 2 weeks but had to go to another Chemist and it was €28. Huge Difference!

mcgovern

donnacha wrote: »

Cheers for the heads up on these online pharmacists - no idea why I haven't looked into this before but with 3 kids in the house I could seriously save a fortune on the basic everyday medicines - its actually unbelievable some of the prices at that online chemist linked above: http://www.chemistdirect.co.uk/about_us.php

Gonna have to research this carefully but some of the basic kids over the counter medicines are approx 50% cheaper from an initial glance and if you spend £40stg its free delivery so would definitely use ParcelMotel.

Just be careful what you order. I know people who had visits from Customs after ordering small amounts of prescription medicine. Nothing was done other than a reminder that you aren't allowed do it, and the medicine being confiscated.

bleg

Ha! Turns out the figures that the NCA collected were all wrong and were never double checked. Oh, and somehow the figures they collected and falsely published is the fault of the pharmacists. Here's to the great bureaucracy!!!

Clowns.

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/consumer-agency-pulls-drug-price-survey-over-errors-1.1343496

_Whimsical_

bleg wrote: »

Ha! Turns out the figures that the NCA collected were all wrong and were never double checked. Oh, and somehow the figures they collected and falsely published is the fault of the pharmacists. Here's to the great bureaucracy!!!

Clowns.

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/consumer-agency-pulls-drug-price-survey-over-errors-1.1343496

Wow!
That is exceptionally poor on behalf of the NCA.

Also unfortunate as from talking to people about this over the week I've found that for quite a few people the general findings of the report mirrored their own experience. Worst case seemed to be a person on a Nexium like drug (can't remember the name) was charged 49 euro in one shop and 90 for the same prescription in another.

marrm

My medicine used to cost me €144+ per month, I paid the €144. :eek:

Now I go to Newry and buy them for £85 (€100) per month. :cool:

Someone is ripping us off!

Nephinbeg

bleg wrote: »

Ha! Turns out the figures that the NCA collected were all wrong and were never double checked. Oh, and somehow the figures they collected and falsely published is the fault of the pharmacists. Here's to the great bureaucracy!!!

Clowns.

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/consumer-agency-pulls-drug-price-survey-over-errors-1.1343496

That is shocking stuff, reporting prices that would have been loss making. I wonder will they be on to talk to George Hook on Tuesday to hold their hands up and apologise?


Will they fcuk!!

crazygeryy

i paid 6.48 for a robitussin cough bottle today. ffs that's a complete rip off.id love to know what it is elsewhere.

shannon82

I pay €144 for 2 steroid inhalers,ventolin inhaler&nose spray.got a price (itemised)from the chemist in the Quays in newry and it was £85.

I'm heading to Lanzarote in May so will price it over there though I found before the inhalers were quite dear in Spain.

Ando's Saggy Bottom

I always stock up in the States. Got 365 anti histamine tablets for the same price as a box of seven here, in Boston in Feb!

Oracle

There was a huge thread on here last year about ChemistDirect and other UK online pharmacies. I think lots of people ordered from them, not sure how it works though.

wmpdd3

i order every 2 months or so, mostly geneic over the counter pain relief and anti histamin. i have never had any pack taken, but i only order none controlled drugs.

Gormal

crazygeryy wrote: »

i paid 6.48 for a robitussin cough bottle today. ffs that's a complete rip off.id love to know what it is elsewhere.

yup, that's what I paid for it too, it's a load of rubbish IMO. Probably the most expensive on the shelf.