Medicine in Spain

Lenny

unkel wrote: »

For all the people wondering what site I bought off: pharmacyfirst.co.uk

32 pack of Aspirin £0.28 incl. VAT

how much was delivery?

crazygeryy

MYOB wrote: »

Medicinal Products (Prescription and Control of Supply) Regulations, 1996

The online pharmacy doesn't care if they get their money, they're not in Ireland to be affected by it.

If the shipment is found by customs, it'll be destroyed and you'll get a nastygram from the IMB threatening prosecution. If its something actually interesting/abusable you most likely will be prosecuted.

hasnt happened yet.
then again ive never ordered prescription stuff just over the counter meds.

K.Flyer

keithclancy wrote: »

....Saying that the generic stuff here is way cheaper, you can get a 48 pack of paracetamol for 99 cents in Etos, bizarrely they are manufactured by Clonmel healthcare....

Funny you should say that, a few years ago we went into a pharmacy in Spain asking if they had a particular medication or something similar.
They had the exact same one, identical, made by Clonmel healthcare as well and it was just under half the price in Spain.

crazygeryy

K.Flyer wrote: »

Funny you should say that, a few years ago we went into a pharmacy in Spain asking if they had a particular medication or something similar.
They had the exact same one, identical, made by Clonmel healthcare as well and it was just under half the price in Spain.

this should be in the mind blowing facts thread!! ffs it's just wrong.

Karl Stein

MYOB wrote: »

If the shipment is found by customs, it'll be destroyed and you'll get a nastygram from the IMB threatening prosecution.

If 'Irish' medicines were close enough in price people wouldn't bother but because they're often a multiple then it makes it worth the risk.






.

L1011

crazygeryy wrote: »

hasnt happened yet.
then again ive never ordered prescription stuff just over the counter meds.

Clearly, if you've got it it hasn't been intercepted.

If it is intercepted, you aren't getting it - it'll be destroyed and you'll have no input in to the matter.

sandin

mbshrekito wrote: »

by zero %

In Spain Consumer pays 40% of price, Government pays 60% on all medicines.

In Ireland, those on medical card pay 1.50 no matter what the cost, gov pays balance.

Those without medical cards pay a MAXIMUM of €144 per month per family (children under 18 or under 23 if they are in college) and government pays the rest.

As I've said before - cheap medicines are cheaper for non medical card holders in spain, but expensive medicines are way cheaper here.

e.g. MS drug Tysabri - Annual cost = about €25,000.
In Spain you will pay €10,000 per year, in Ireland you will pay a maximum of €1,728 and every other medicine your family requires would cost zero.

So looking at the bigger picture, I'd rather pay a little more for aspirin and know that any major drug will not cost me more than €144 a month.

rovoagho

I've ordered St. John's Wort for my mammy and Dentinox for my babbies from UK pharmacies dozens of times, and received all but one package -- which could have been simply down to dodgy post. Both unavailable in Ireland, one made prescription a few years ago. No notices from customs, and certainly not from anyone else. So balls to that.

crazygeryy

MYOB wrote: »

Clearly, if you've got it it hasn't been intercepted.

If it is intercepted, you aren't getting it - it'll be destroyed and you'll have no input in to the matter.

your the one that said id get a nasty letter if it was intercepted?

surely they have to notify you if they are confiscating stuff that is belong to you be it legal or illegal?

are you sure you know what your talking about?

tk123

MYOB wrote: »

If it is intercepted, you aren't getting it - it'll be destroyed and you'll have no input in to the matter.

Actually they give you the option of having the whole shipment destroyed or returned to sender.

SteM

crazygeryy wrote: »

and for those of you interested.pharmacyfirst.co.uk accept irish prescriptions online.i rang them and asked.

Their website says

Under UK law we are only able to dispense prescriptions written by practitioners who are registered in the UK.

L1011

crazygeryy wrote: »

your the one that said id get a nasty letter if it was intercepted?

surely they have to notify you if they are confiscating stuff that is belong to you be it legal or illegal?

are you sure you know what your talking about?

You seem to have trouble following simple points.

You'll be contacted by the IMB, but the product will also be destroyed.

Tar.Aldarion

Miike wrote: »

I bought 500 ibuprofen for €6 online the other day. SHOCKING the price I'd pay in somewhere like boots. A family member of mine was recently in Canada and bought the exact same ibuprofen for $3,60. We got robbed in this country!

from where?

Tar.Aldarion

unkel wrote: »

Bought some generic stuff like aspirin, ibuprofen, etc. from a big UK web pharmacy in bulk. Cost €45. The same stuff from a boots shop here would have been about €500...

which ibuprofen did you get?

crazygeryy

SteM wrote: »

Their website says

Under UK law we are only able to dispense prescriptions written by practitioners who are registered in the UK.

i rang them and they said as long as it was a valid european prescription they would accept it.you fax it to them first they ok it and then you send them the real one.maybe the lady thought i lived in NI.?

crazygeryy

MYOB wrote: »

You'll be contacted by the IMB, but the product will also be destroyed.

that is not what you said to begin with.

If it is intercepted, you aren't getting it - it'll be destroyed and you'll have no input in to the matter.

again im saying im sure they have to notify you when they are destroying/confiscating stuff that you have purchased.

im sure you can follow that, you seem like an intelligent chap/chapette.

shrapnel222

Tar.Aldarion wrote: »

which ibuprofen did you get?

at a guess, i'd say these?

ibuprofen

L1011

crazygeryy wrote: »

that is not what you said to begin with.

Yes it is. Please actually read my posts.

crazygeryy wrote: »

again im saying im sure they have to notify you when they are destroying/confiscating stuff that you have purchased.

Customs are entitled to destroy without notification anything which is illegal to bring in to the country.

Take a look for the thread-a-week or more on here where people complain about being told their fake watches/sunglasses were destroyed.
Prior notification only applies to items where you can pay to have them imported or forfeit them; you have no other option in this case.

Technique

I believe that you can claim these against income tax as medical expenses if you keep your receipts as long as they're bought in anothee EU country.

daheff

R P McMurphy wrote: »

You can get generics in ireland but they cost multiples of what they do in other eu states

you are misunderstanding my point. I know people can buy generics in Ireland, but my understanding of the OP was that the OP does not purchase generics in Ireland, but yet will do so in Spain, so isnt really comparing like for like prices.


***I'm not disputing the fact that we pay way more for medicines here

former legend

fizzoo12 wrote: »

I was in Portugal in early June, I was enquired about Zoton antacid tabs, they didn't stock them but offered me an alternative generic one named Omeprezol Zentiva 20mg. I got 6 boxes of 56 capsules @E 3.90 a box, unbelievable price as my Zoton were 48 Euro for 28 here in Ireland. The only problem was that they didn't have fast relief tabs but still I am using these ever since and they work perfectly. I'll be doing more shopping later in the year .....

Leaving the prices aside, they're two different medicines!

Zoton = lansoprazole
Omeprezol Zentiva = omeprazole

The pharmacy is therefore either a) incompetent by giving you the wrong stuff or b) illegally giving you prescription-only meds without a prescription (and possibly both).

Great deal!

scudzilla

Went to the Doctors a few years back (50quid) as i needed some anti-biotics (Amoxycillin), i knew exactly what i wanted as had an ear infection and had the same years before in Wales, he prescribed them and i think it cost around 5euro for a 7 day course from the pharmacy.

Was in Greece a month later, popped into a pharmacy and bought 4 boxes at 4euro a box, no prescription needed and always handy to have in.

Always stock up now when over there

keithclancy

scudzilla wrote: »

Was in Greece a month later, popped into a pharmacy and bought 4 boxes at 4euro a box, no prescription needed and always handy to have in.

Always stock up now when over there

Taking antibiotics on a regular basis defeats the purpose of taking antibiotics in the first place.

L1011

former legend wrote: »

Leaving the prices aside, they're two different medicines!

Zoton = lansoprazole
Omeprezol Zentiva = omeprazole

The pharmacy is therefore either a) incompetent by giving you the wrong stuff or b) illegally giving you prescription-only meds without a prescription (and possibly both).

Great deal!

on b:, I'd hazard a guess they're both OTC in Portugal.

former legend

MYOB wrote: »

on b:, I'd hazard a guess they're both OTC in Portugal.

Nah, checked it out, they're both prescription-only.

L1011

former legend wrote: »

Nah, checked it out, they're both prescription-only.

Ah, we're not the only country with an incredibly tight lock on them then.

crazygeryy

crazygeryy wrote: »

are you sure about that?id like to know where you get your info from please?
i do it all the time.
and for those of you interested.pharmacyfirst.co.uk accept irish prescriptions online.i rang them and asked.

That's completely illegal. you should tell your local pharmacist. They will pass the information onto the GPhC.

shrapnel222

shrapnel222 wrote: »

at a guess, i'd say these?

ibuprofen

Speaking as a pharmacist. If somebody came into the pharmacy looking for 500 ibuprofen. I would not allow them to be dispensed as I would be concerned why they want 500 ibuprofen and also, the maximum amount of ibuprofen to be dispensed is 32.

Kurtosis

MYOB wrote: »

Ah, we're not the only country with an incredibly tight lock on them then.

Pantoprazole, another PPI, is available here OTC under the brand name Pantoloc Control among others (and across the EU I believe, it was licensed by the EMA).

MYOB

MYOB wrote: »

Ah, we're not the only country with an incredibly tight lock on them then.

Long term use of a proton pump inhibitor is to be avoided as it can lead to osteoporosis or can be masking the symptoms of gastric cancer/oesphagitis. If you find yourself using a polpi for more than a month Oct. You should contact your doctor, especially if you are over 40.

L1011

Deleted User wrote: »

Long term use of a proton pump inhibitor is to be avoided as it can lead to osteoporosis or can be masking the symptoms of gastric cancer/oesphagitis. If you find yourself using a polpi for more than a month Oct. You should contact your doctor, especially if you are over 40.

Huge amount of OTC meds are dangerous for long-term use, though.

Karl Stein

MYOB wrote: »

Huge amount of OTC meds are dangerous for long-term use, though.

It's a good thing we have you guys to protect us from ourselves. I guess we're just not as bright as the Spanish and Greeks when it comes to OTC medicines.

scudzilla

keithclancy wrote: »

Taking antibiotics on a regular basis defeats the purpose of taking antibiotics in the first place.

I never take them on a regular basis, just when i need them, maybe once or twice a year, if that. Just found it handy to have them in and at 3/4quid a packet

jive

So much ignorance in this thread and not even a bargain alert. Should have been locked 5 pages ago.

milltown

penguin88 wrote: »

Pantoprazole, another PPI, is available here OTC under the brand name Pantoloc Control among others (and across the EU I believe, it was licensed by the EMA).

On a similar note; while on holidays in Florida this year I was wandering through Walmart and something caught my eye on the end of one of the aisles. Hanging on the corner of a shelf, not even near the in-store pharmacy, was a display box with slow release 20mg Omeprazole tablets at $6 for 28. I get these, as Losecs, every month on prescription at a price of around €26.

L1011

Cathal Cloch wrote: »

It's a good thing we have you guys to protect us from ourselves. I guess we're just not as bright as the Spanish and Greeks when it comes to OTC medicines.

You appear to have wildly misinterpreted my post.

The_Conductor

SteM wrote: »

Their website says

Under UK law we are only able to dispense prescriptions written by practitioners who are registered in the UK.

Most Irish GPs are also UK registered (a lot of the refresher training is up North- and they need to be dual registered for this purpose alone). Some doctors practising here aren't- but I'm guessing they're in a minority.

The_Conductor

Deleted User wrote: »

Speaking as a pharmacist. If somebody came into the pharmacy looking for 500 ibuprofen. I would not allow them to be dispensed as I would be concerned why they want 500 ibuprofen and also, the maximum amount of ibuprofen to be dispensed is 32.

I'm on a prescription for 100 600Mg Brufen per month- I've never had any issue having them dispensed in an Irish pharmacy- occasionally they have to ordered in, as they're not a regular prescription. I used be given a plastic box with 100 in it- now its blister packs- I swear the packaging must cost a fortune.

I try to keep my expenditure to a minimum- I've two young children- I don't have money to spare, I don't have a medical card- and I certainly don't have 140 a month to spare for medication (often I do without- I simply can't afford it).

Cathal Cloch

Cathal Cloch wrote: »

It's a good thing we have you guys to protect us from ourselves. I guess we're just not as bright as the Spanish and Greeks when it comes to OTC medicines.

You'd be surprised. I had a person who came in who thought his girlfriend was cheating on him because she had thrush.

MYOB

MYOB wrote: »

Huge amount of OTC oilmeds are dangerous for long-term use, though.

You should not be otc medication long term. In that case, you are only treating the symptom, not the underlying condition.

L1011

Deleted User wrote: »

You should not be otc medication long term. In that case, you are only treating the symptom, not the underlying condition.

Of course, but my point is that the pharmacist should be trusted to make the decision on sale for more products than they currently are.

Seeing as we have highly addictive painkillers available OTC at the pharmacists discretion, I'm surprised that many other things which are either OTC or even general sales in other EU countries are still POM.

HurtLocker

unkel wrote: »

For all the people wondering what site I bought off: pharmacyfirst.co.uk

32 pack of Aspirin £0.28 incl. VAT

Did they arrive?

crazygeryy

[Deleted User] wrote: »

That's completely illegal. you should tell your local pharmacist. They will pass the information onto the GPhC.

yea hang on a minute and ill get my car keys ffs.
what pharmacys are doing to people in this country is illegal and immoral.
they are ripping people off left right and center.

crazygeryy

crazygeryy wrote: »

yea hang on a minute and ill get my car keys ffs.
what pharmacys are doing to people in this country is illegal and immoral.
they are ripping people off left right and center.

By making a living? Do you how many more hospital admissions and drug related deaths there would be every year if it were not for pharmacists. It is most definitely not illegal. The prices are set by wholesalers (mainly), not the pharmacies.
I don't see how pharmacies are immoral. You can get free clinical advice in pharmacies thereby saving you having to pay an unnecessary visit to the doctors.

Damien360

[Deleted User] wrote: »

By making a living? Do you how many more hospital admissions and drug related deaths there would be every year if it were not for pharmacists. It is most definitely not illegal. The prices are set by wholesalers (mainly), not the pharmacies.
I don't see how pharmacies are immoral. You can get free clinical advice in pharmacies thereby saving you having to pay an unnecessary visit to the doctors.

Not quite true on wholesaler setting price. I work for one such wholesaler and the drug price is set by the manufacturer. The wholesaler adds a small profit margin of around 10% up to a maximum agreed figure set by government which is around 13% from memory. After that the pharmacist adds a bit more and that gives you selling price.

The manufacturer controls the price. This was pointed out a few months ago during government and wholesale negotiations when questions were raised about price differences in various countries.

Ourselves and uk pay high prices because our health service pays for most of the drugs under medical card scheme. Spain pays for nothing and the drug will not sell unless appropriately priced for consumer.

Countries such as sweden pay a European average fit their drugs and this is why manufacturers want higher uk and Irish prices. If we drop price then the average drops and many other countries pay less. If you remember, the manufacturers threathened to leave ireland if we tried to collapse price of the medicines . This was pointed out by government.

crazygeryy

[Deleted User] wrote: »

By making a living? Do you how many more hospital admissions and drug related deaths there would be every year if it were not for pharmacists. It is most definitely not illegal. The prices are set by wholesalers (mainly), not the pharmacies.
I don't see how pharmacies are immoral. You can get free clinical advice in pharmacies thereby saving you having to pay an unnecessary visit to the doctors.

Im not saying the service they provide isn't good. it is.but the prices they charge are scandalous.and I'm sure most people would agree with me.
the pharmacy cartel that operates in this country are a powerful group. if they wanted to do something about prices I'm sure they could,no problem.

why should i pay 4 odd euro for 12 paracetemol when i can get them online for 65 pence.not a chance.

keithclancy

scudzilla wrote: »

I never take them on a regular basis, just when i need them, maybe once or twice a year, if that. Just found it handy to have them in and at 3/4quid a packet

That's regularly.

You should let your immune system fight it off rather than use antibiotics every time you have an infection.

If your taking antibiotics every year your basically making them useless for when you'll actually need them.

The last time I took antibiotics was around 10/11 years ago

former legend

The_Conductor wrote: »

There are proposals for an EU equivalent of the US FDA which could greatly simplify the process of approving medications EU wide. Its been rebutted several times- too many vested interests- but its still under negotiation.

Oh dear. This was actually established in 1995 and has been giving out EU-wide licences for many years.

The_Conductor wrote: »

The government here has been hauled up in the EU courts over the closed pharmaceutical market (the same as its been hauled up for VRT on cars etc). We're not unique in this regard (Denmark is cited in almost every case against Ireland- as a third party to any binding decisions- as their markets are even more restricted than ours).

Restricted how? We have the least regulated pharmacy sector in Europe and Ireland is subject to the same free-trade laws as the rest of Europe. Do you have facts on this or just a general chip on your shoulder?

whiteandlight

Random question here but what's to stop the HSE telling the companies to F off and buying in the drugs from other countries who have agreements with them? If they are provided at a lower price in other countries it might work our for the HSE

rovoagho

Someone earlier in the thread claimed that the pharmas threatened to pull out of the country if they did that. As if they weren't pulling out already, for years now.