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Meds cheaper with prescription - why so?

  • 24-12-2015 6:17pm
    #1
    gerdalt
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 219 ✭✭


    I went to Boots today to buy a cortisone cream.
    I had a prescription but saw that the cream was available off the shelf.
    Staff member tells me it is cheaper if I use the prescription.
    So I do.
    But why is that? Who is winning? losing?
    Ger


Comments

  • #2
    L1011
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 71,111 ✭✭✭✭L1011


    Most pharmacies sell prescription meds at the same price as they get paid back for DPS customers (not all).

    Retail margins will be higher.

    Other option is there is a cheaper generic that is not licenced for OTC sale - this happens with a number of drugs.


  • #3
    allthedoyles
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,893 ✭✭✭allthedoyles


    Don't know why , but my reflux tablets are 50% cheaper on prescription , and are sold over the counter in 14's , and in 28's on prescription


  • #4
    L1011
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 71,111 ✭✭✭✭L1011


    allthedoyles wrote: »
    Don't know why , but my reflux tablets are 50% cheaper on prescription , and are sold over the counter in 14's , and in 28's on prescription

    Licencing. The 28s probably won't pass OTC as you're not meant to take them long-term unsupervised


  • #5
    former total
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,536 ✭✭✭former total


    This was always the way with hydrocortisone 1% cream.

    The wholesale price that the pharmacy pays for the prescription version is much lower than the over the counter one. They are exactly the same product, just different packaging.

    Why the wholesale prices are so different is a commercial decision by the manufacturer. Fair play to Boots for giving you the cheaper option.


  • #6
    ejabrod
    Closed Accounts Posts: 483 ✭✭ejabrod


    allthedoyles wrote: »
    Don't know why , but my reflux tablets are 50% cheaper on prescription , and are sold over the counter in 14's , and in 28's on prescription


    Is that Pantup by any chance?


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  • #7
    allthedoyles
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,893 ✭✭✭allthedoyles


    ejabrod wrote: »
    Is that Pantup by any chance?

    Yea they actually called Pantoflux , which I think may be generic type , whereas the OTC ones are probably non-generic


  • #8
    ejabrod
    Closed Accounts Posts: 483 ✭✭ejabrod


    allthedoyles wrote: »
    Yea they actually called Pantoflux , which I think may be generic type , whereas the OTC ones are probably non-generic

    Yeah, I've been on this since Feb 2014. Pantup is the generic proton pump inhibitor Pantoprazole and was available on prescription only (afaik) until recently.

    Think I paid €17 for 3 months (84 tabs) supply in October.

    How much is the OTC and is it 40mg?


  • #9
    GerardKeating
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,804 ✭✭✭GerardKeating


    allthedoyles wrote: »
    Don't know why , but my reflux tablets are 50% cheaper on prescription , and are sold over the counter in 14's , and in 28's on prescription

    Have also seems items where the otc version is much cheaper that the prescription. Again the pharmacist highlighted this to me.


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