City Pharmacy Dame St. - Low Cost Med Scheme

WhyTheFace

Just walked by City Pharmacy on Dame St, Dublin 2.
Looks like they are launching a low cost drug scheme for generics to compete with Healthwave in Dundrum but without the subscription charge.
It's mentioned on their Facebook page too. Staff member said all details will be on their website from tomorrow.

vicwatson

Might charge for postage instead of a subscription fee though?

WhyTheFace

vicwatson wrote: »

Might charge for postage instead of a subscription fee though?

Info on their website now. They don't deliver medicines. So I guess they are just focusing on people who have access to Dublin City centre.

vicwatson

Info on their website now. They don't deliver medicines. So I guess they are just focusing on people who have access to Dublin City centre.

Aint competing with healthwave then.

bmm

No delivery !

odyssey06

Thanks for the tip. They have a generic med I take priced at €6 whereas once upon a startled time ago my local tried to charge me €30 for same!

pjproby

http://www.citypharmacy.ie/city_saver.html

their price list

vicwatson

Advice is to check Healthwave too as medicines seem to be at least a euro dearer and no delivery so worth comparing imo

former total

vicwatson wrote: »

Advice is to check Healthwave too as medicines seem to be at least a euro dearer and no delivery so worth comparing imo

Not really, many of the most common medicines are cheaper in this new place. Depends on your own prescription so as you say, worth comparing.

Delivery not available, but then there's no joining fee like there is in Healthwave.

WhyTheFace

Even if they are more slightly more expensive in some cases it will probably work out cheaper if you don't have to pay 25e per year fee.

Delivery not available but they are probably happy to focus on the 1.2 million people living in Dublin and not have to incur the nationwide delivery costs!

Alan McG

Was just in City Pharmacy and it certainly doesn't look like they offer the range of generic medicines at the prices they claim.

I was looking for cetirizine dihydrochloride and aspirin, which on their website was advertised as Zirtek (€3.95) and Nu-Seal (€5.95), both 28 pack. What they offered me was Cetrine (€9.98 for 30) and Disprin (€3.50 for 16)

So this works out as price per unit of:
Cetirizine dihydrochloride: 14.1c vs 33.3c
Aspirin:21.2c vs 21.9c

It's just disappointing that they don't stock any of the products they claim to on their website.

odyssey06

Alan McG wrote: »

Was just in City Pharmacy and it certainly doesn't look like they offer the range of generic medicines at the prices they claim.
I was looking for cetirizine dihydrochloride and aspirin, which on their website was advertised as Zirtek (€3.95) and Nu-Seal (€5.95), both 28 pack. What they offered me was Cetrine (€9.98 for 30) and Disprin (€3.50 for 16)

My experience of them with generic prescription meds has been good so far... so I'm wondering what the issue is.

I am guessing you did not have a prescription for Zirtek or low-dose aspirin?
I suspect that those are OTC meds that you purchased.
They should have explained that you in store if my theory is correct.

Previously, you could not get 75mg aspirin OTC in the Republic, which is what is listed on the website:
http://www.citypharmacy.ie/city_saver.html

Was the disprin for 75 mg or 300mg?

Alan McG

I didn't even look at the dosage, but it's actually 500mg Disprin!

Yeah, they were OTC meds. So am I to understand that the meds listed on their website are only available if you have a prescription!? Even for meds that require no prescription? Makes no sense to me.

angeldelight

Alan McG wrote: »

I didn't even look at the dosage, but it's actually 500mg Disprin!

Yeah, they were OTC meds. So am I to understand that the meds listed on their website are only available if you have a prescription!? Even for meds that require no prescription? Makes no sense to me.

Aspirin 75mg is only available in prescription in Ireland

The prescription pack of things like Zirtek/Cetrine cost less to the pharmacy than the OTC pack

WhyTheFace

Alan McG wrote: »

Was just in City Pharmacy and it certainly doesn't look like they offer the range of generic medicines at the prices they claim.

I was looking for cetirizine dihydrochloride and aspirin, which on their website was advertised as Zirtek (€3.95) and Nu-Seal (€5.95), both 28 pack. What they offered me was Cetrine (€9.98 for 30) and Disprin (€3.50 for 16)

So this works out as price per unit of:
Cetirizine dihydrochloride: 14.1c vs 33.3c
Aspirin:21.2c vs 21.9c

It's just disappointing that they don't stock any of the products they claim to on their website.

Hi, they certainly stock all the items they claim on their website. As per the leaflets they gave to me and on the website and the poster in the shop window all these items are for prescription medicines on foot of a valid prescription. I found it very clear what the scheme consists of once I bothered to read the info.

I checked the site and they didn't have the drug I was looking for listed (lercanidipine 20mg). They took my details and the pharmacist called me back a short time later with "the best price he could do". It was much cheaper than what I had been paying in my local Boots and comparative to Healthwave (without the need to pay 25e per year).

Arundel

Anyone know the cost of ELIQUIS (apixaban) an Anticoaqulant med which replaces Warfin. I would like to know if anyone has bought it in Spain and if it
cheaper there.

WhyTheFace

I got an e-mail from City Pharmacy today saying I get an extra 10% on everything in store for having signed up!

AndrewJRenko

angeldelight wrote: »

Aspirin 75mg is only available in prescription in Ireland

Any idea why this is only available with prescription?

It seems to be about a quarter of the price in the UK.

https://www.chemistdirect.co.uk/aspirin-enteric-coated-75mg-tablets-low-dose-aspirin/prd-hsk

I remember getting a large tub of them for a few dollars in the US some time back too.

Former Former

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

Any idea why this is only available with prescription?

Short answer: in Ireland, it's only licensed for use to prevent recurrence of a heart attack or stroke - which obviously should only be managed by a doctor - whereas in the UK it's licensed for prevention of heart disease, which is something you can decide yourself is a good idea.

Long answer... well I'd be speculating but I could come up with an idea or two.

AndrewJRenko

Former Former wrote: »

Short answer: in Ireland, it's only licensed for use to prevent recurrence of a heart attack or stroke - which obviously should only be managed by a doctor - whereas in the UK it's licensed for prevention of heart disease, which is something you can decide yourself is a good idea.

Long answer... well I'd be speculating but I could come up with an idea or two.

Thanks, that makes some sense.

digitaldr

Just noticed a new pharmacy today. Pure Pharmacy at Wexford St/Aungier St junction where O'Haras/Fannins used to be. Looks like they're in the cut price prescription medicine game too although no price-list on their website.