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Why are antacid tablets so expensive in Ireland?

  • 16-01-2012 08:27PM
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 201 ✭✭


    Over here rennies, remegel, etc are around €4 for 48!

    Back in the US we can buy 150 for around $4 (roughly €3.15). They are good ones too like tums. The equivalent in Ireland would cost you around €12 !!!

    The main ingredient is not expensive either , it's mostly just calcium carbonate. And there's no cheaper alternative in Ireland. Is there some kinda tax on acid indigestion remedies I don't know about here?

    Mods I am new on here so please move to appropriate forum if this is incorrect.


«1

Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,303 ✭✭✭Temptamperu


    Welcome to Ireland, prepare to be f**ked.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,408 ✭✭✭Captain_Generic


    Because you touch yourself


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 201 ✭✭Halloran springs


    Someone could make serious money selling a low-cost budget version of these tablets here in Ireland, I mean everyone needs them at some point right?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,572 ✭✭✭✭brummytom


    They charged you American tax.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,933 ✭✭✭Logical Fallacy


    Over here rennies, remegel, etc are around €4 for 48!

    Back in the US we can buy 150 for around $4 (roughly €3.15). They are good ones too like tums. The equivalent in Ireland would cost you around €12 !!!

    The main ingredient is not expensive either , it's mostly just calcium carbonate. And there's no cheaper alternative in Ireland. Is there some kinda tax on acid indigestion remedies I don't know about here?

    Mods I am new on here so please move to appropriate forum if this is incorrect.

    Who the hell needs 150 of them??? That's a bit mad.

    But yeah, **** costs bank over here.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,447 ✭✭✭✭Geuze


    No special tax.

    Lack of competition, cartel-like behaviour.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 201 ✭✭Halloran springs


    Who the hell needs 150 of them??? That's a bit mad.

    But yeah, **** costs bank over here.

    I buy the 150, (or 300) boxes and they last me over a year. Some people I guess get heartburn, and acid indigestion more than others and would require them more often. I am just amazed at the prices over here, and London is no different.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8,492 ✭✭✭Sir Oxman


    Change to Apple Cider Vinegar.
    Instant relief from heartburn/acid.
    Between 5-7e in any health shop. will last ages.
    Tastes like what it is (vinegar) but believe me, it works very, very quickly and also has other healthy benefits (google it) and also some risks for diabetes sufferers.

    PS Diluted of course, don't take it neat!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,933 ✭✭✭Logical Fallacy


    I buy the 150, (or 300) boxes and they last me over a year. Some people I guess get heartburn, and acid indigestion more than others and would require them more often. I am just amazed at the prices over here, and London is no different.

    Perhaps the tablets companies in America are actually subsidiaries of the food companies.

    They sell you cheap solutions to ensure you stay eating?

    The above theory seems perfectly sound to me and in no way stereotypical or crazy.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 31,117 ✭✭✭✭snubbleste


    Nah it's just the way it is here, we Irish are willing to pay the higher prices..

    I mean you can buy multiple boxes of 500 ibuprofen/500 paracetamol for $8 or 500 aspirin for $4 off the shelf in the States, no questions asked.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,909 ✭✭✭✭iguana


    I buy the 150, (or 300) boxes and they last me over a year. Some people I guess get heartburn, and acid indigestion more than others and would require them more often. I am just amazed at the prices over here, and London is no different.

    London is very, very, very different actually. You need to look for the generic brands for the cheapest pills, but even Bisodol is currently STG£1.95 for 100 tablets in Tesco.

    In Ireland very few generic brands are available, which means the available brands have more or less a cartel grip on the market. It's seriously worth going to Newry for medications, though it takes quite a lot of planning to get the amount of painkillers you want with the 2 boxes per transaction/customer rule. That said I had major surgery last week here for the grand total of €0. How much would that have cost in the US.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 25,368 ✭✭✭✭My name is URL


    If you suffer bad from reflux the last thing you want to be taking is Rennie. They'll make things worse in the long run. They're probably the most abused easily available 'drug' in existence.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 442 ✭✭Arpa


    Because OTC drugs are marked up at 33%, 66% in some cases. Pharmacies in Ireland have taken us all to the cleaners for years. Want cheap medication? Buy from the North.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 442 ✭✭Arpa


    iguana wrote: »
    London is very, very, very different actually. You need to look for the generic brands for the cheapest pills, but even Bisodol is currently STG£1.95 for 100 tablets in Tesco.

    In Ireland very few generic brands are available, which means the available brands have more or less a cartel grip on the market. It's seriously worth going to Newry for medications, though it takes quite a lot of planning to get the amount of painkillers you want with the 2 boxes per transaction/customer rule. That said I had major surgery last week here for the grand total of €0. How much would that have cost in the US.

    Just on your point of generic brands. They are available to pharmacies and some places stock them. BUt most choose not to stock them because they don't make as much profit on non branded medication.

    A tip for you all. Get your hand on a MIMS, it's the book of drugs. Your doctor and pharmacist will have one. Ask to see it next time your in the pharmacy. No law against it. Look for the active ingredient in lets say,

    Solpadeine - Paracetamol, Codeine, Caffeine.

    Mims will give you a listing of the generic forms of this medication. For example Clonmel healthcare do effervescent tablets, same ingredients, same dosages as Solpadeine...they're called Maxilief. Much cheaper.

    Works across the board...Anadin Plain - Active ingredient - Aspirin
    Substitute it with - Nu seals 75mg.

    Nurofen - Ibuprofen, ask the pharmacist for the generic brufen.

    Pharmacies don't want you to know that whatever is Over The Counter is also behind the counter in drawers for much cheaper prices.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 13,029 ✭✭✭✭Chuck Stone


    I was in Birmingham a few weeks back and I could get 16 paracetamol for 15p!

    The cheapest paracetamol to be had in a Tesco in Ireland (Cork at least) is €1.50 for 12.

    That's 10 x the price and some.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 13,029 ✭✭✭✭Chuck Stone


    Arpa wrote: »
    Pharmacies don't want you to know that whatever is Over The Counter is also behind the counter in drawers for much cheaper prices.

    Will they have cheap paracetamol behind there too?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 22,559 ✭✭✭✭AnonoBoy


    We just love indigestion over here and the government tax the f*ck out of antacids to keep it on our shores.

    And I for one am glad.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 442 ✭✭Arpa


    Will they have cheap paracetamol behind there too?

    Yes sir they do. And you're buying Irish too. Think it's an Irish company that do them too...although it might be Glaxo Smith Kline...can't remember, anyway, they are called Paralief 500mg.

    Come in tubs of 100 or something like that. The only issue with that is that there's a restriction on the amount of Paracetamol sold without a Prescription.

    If you know your pharmacist it shouldn't be a problem.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,543 ✭✭✭recyclebin


    I think it makes sense not to have certain drugs too cheap. Too many people self medicate using the internet. Who really needs to buy tablets by the 100s? I'd go see a doctor or look at what i was eating if I were you


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,137 ✭✭✭44leto


    OP get yourself checked out for Helicobacter pylori its a stomach infection which is quite common, its symptoms are stomach acidity and heartburn it also has long term health effects.
    Its a simple test, you blow into a tube, then if positive the treatment is a month of antibiotics. I was treated for it and I have not needed an ant acid since.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 13,029 ✭✭✭✭Chuck Stone


    recyclebin wrote: »
    I think it makes sense not to have certain drugs too cheap. Too many people self medicate using the internet.

    I do not understand this ^^ mentality.

    People should be responsible for their own stupidity. Medicine should be as cheap as possible so that people who need it get a good price and those who are forced to pay for it i.e. the tax-payer should be given a good deal.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,671 ✭✭✭marcbrophy


    Arpa wrote: »
    Yes sir they do. And you're buying Irish too. Think it's an Irish company that do them too...although it might be Glaxo Smith Kline...can't remember, anyway, they are called Paralief 500mg.

    Come in tubs of 100 or something like that. The only issue with that is that there's a restriction on the amount of Paracetamol sold without a Prescription.

    If you know your pharmacist it shouldn't be a problem.

    I have 1 of those 100 tubs of Paralief in my press right now, they are made in Clonmel according to the packet!

    I think they were bought for 3.99 at the time, I didn't buy them myself, but they are nice and cheap :D


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 442 ✭✭Arpa


    I know this is swerving slightly from topic but...

    There used to be a book available called the OTC guide, available in pharmacies. Gave you images of nearly every OTC product, it's Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient and dosages etc. It was a UK book I think..so some products were not available in ROI. Anyway, if its still out there, worth buying it. Found an app too http://www.otcguide.net/otcguide-app

    Most OTC drugs are just variants on the main active ingredient...so for example Sudafed and Sinutab both contain pseudoephedrine (the thing that does the decongesting) but the sinutab has 500mg of paracetamol added. In the treatment of a blocked nose, this added paracetamol might not be necessary, but your friendly pharmacist will push the sinutab on you...why? One would guess that it's because he/she has your health interests in mind, but really it's because the sinutab are considerably more expensive. Now we're only talking a difference of tens of cents here, but it's substantial.

    I say it only to point out, that pharmacies are a business, even when it comes to the drugs you put in your body. Now pseudoephedrine, will more than likely not be kept in the dispensary at a high street pharmacy, however other drugs you buy are kept in generic form and are considerably cheaper. If it is legal to buy it OTC then there is no problem asking your pharmacist.

    Coming back to topic...acid/gastric reflux suppressants as in Rennie or Gaviscon.
    Rennie is pretty much your basic man and you probably wont find it in active ingredient form in the dispensary. Its use is so widespread now, that it is probably not even prescribed anymore. Gaviscon does have some higher dose cousins on prescription in the dispensary. However these type of things are a combination of a number of drugs, calcium carbonate and sodium bicorbonate etc. An apothecary of old would have prepared themselves but now don't need to. So basically you probably won't find a cheap generic for these type of things in the dispensary.

    It is worth knowing the ingredients in your OTC meds though so you can always ask if there's a cheaper generic alternative. But more importantly for when you go abroad and don't speak the lingo. My ex was in awful pain in Turkey from something she ate and I knew what she needed was Motilium, but in the pharmacy there they couldn't understand what we were trying to say and probably didn't recognise the brand name...so we just asked for the chemical name...domperidone...and voila, the guy walks in the back and comes out with the generic drug.


    Jesus I should get a job on that show Doctors :)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,390 ✭✭✭IM0


    scale. you are from a massive country which Ireland would fit into probably hundreds of times, the more stuff that is bought together the less you pay for it i(ts called buying in bulk), especially business'. so thats why everything is more expensive here and europe, well its not why, just part of the why.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,583 ✭✭✭cloneslad


    I don't think I've taken even 50 over the counter pain killers in my entire life, who the f**k needs 100?

    I know the OP was talkin about antacid, the only time I've ever bought them was when I went to India. Also bought some other tablets for dodgy stomachs too.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,390 ✭✭✭IM0


    cloneslad wrote: »
    I don't think I've taken even 50 over the counter pain killers in my entire life, who the f**k needs 100?

    I know the OP was talkin about antacid, the only time I've ever bought them was when I went to India. Also bought some other tablets for dodgy stomachs too.

    americans clearly.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 303 ✭✭misschoo


    Arpa wrote: »
    Yes sir they do. And you're buying Irish too. Think it's an Irish company that do them too...although it might be Glaxo Smith Kline...can't remember, anyway, they are called Paralief 500mg.

    Come in tubs of 100 or something like that. The only issue with that is that there's a restriction on the amount of Paracetamol sold without a Prescription.

    If you know your pharmacist it shouldn't be a problem.

    PLEASE inform yourselves as to WHY the sale of more than 24 Paracetamol at any one time is restricted!! This is for your own good & safety people!!!

    http://www.lenus.ie/hse/bitstream/10147/46666/1/2410.pdf

    I've been asked plenty of times for "24 Panadol" or "zovirax" and when offered the generic substitute have been told "no that one doesn't work" so you can't win lads - pharmacies may be a business but Pharmacists still have a duty of care and it's not all about profit.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 13,029 ✭✭✭✭Chuck Stone


    misschoo wrote: »
    I've been asked plenty of times for "24 Panadol" or "zovirax" and when offered the generic substitute have been told "no that one doesn't work" so you can't win lads - pharmacies may be a business but Pharmacists still have a duty of care and it's not all about profit.

    Why can I buy 16 paracetamol in the UK for 19p and yet here it's €2.65 for 24 generic here?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 303 ✭✭misschoo


    Ask the wholesalers not the pharmacies


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,551 ✭✭✭SeaFields


    I offer other brands of the OTC stuff all the time to customers and many will decline. It makes sense to do this in terms of building a solid customer base. Aiming to get an extra €2 or €3 euro on a product is short sighted and being honest with the customer as to whats available will pay dividends in the long term. That's how we look at it anyway.

    Generic is probably the wrong term to use for OTC stuff - the OTC products are just different brands of the same drug, made by different companies. It seems to imply inferiority to a lot of people. Its probably a term best use for prescription meds / POM's where generic active ingredients are manufactured once the original is out of patent. (Open to correction on this tho if Bleg or any other pharmacists read this).

    You would be surprised the amount of people that don't know that panadol is just paracetamol. Benylin Mucus Relief / Exputex / Viscolex are all the same. Or people who will insist on Zovirox when you can offer them the same thing by a different manufacturer for nearly half the price - Acic. Vitamins and supplements is another area where this is prevalent.

    Its a rarity but we sometimes get prescriptions where the drug has been prescribed but no brand specified. That gives the customer a choice. Others are knowledgeable to ask for a generic for their prescribed drug - don't be afraid to ask if you are prescribed something, if there is a generic available.

    Economies of scale as said above is why we don't see the prices comparable to what we see in the UK. We just don't have the competition. Although with Tesco coming in to compete with boots we could do in the future.


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