Buying prescription medication in Northern Ireland

felicity290

Hi,
my apologies if this is the wrong place to ask this question.

I was wondering if it is legal to purchase prescription medications in Northern Ireland if you are a ROI resident?
I recently saw a news article about the, sometimes quite substantial, difference in medication prices between EU countries. I take daily medication which I have a six month prescription for and was wondering if it would be cheaper to go to the North and (if possible) purchase the six month supply.

Thanks.

L1011

Yes, it is.

Phone pharmacies in areas you can easily get to and ask them to quote you for a six month supply. Its also worth doing this for local pharmacies too - you may be paying far more than the available lowest ROI price to begin with.

former legend

Yes. Under the EU cross-border health directive, you could, in theory, go into a pharmacy in Cyprus or Estonia with a prescription from Ireland and the pharmacist would dispense it for you.

somesoldiers

getting 6 month in one go, if you can, will save you some money. for example e5 dispensing fee per item based on 3 items. month by month 5*3*6 =e90. 6 month 5*3 = e15.

mel123

Yes, and its a fraction of the price. My father is on a lot of heart medication, so he gets it all in one go up there. Best bet if your getting anything out of the ordinary or a lot, is to ring and order in advance or check they have it. If your driving up specifically though, taking in fuel costs, its probably not worth it unless your on very expensive medication.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Can you claim tax relief on prescriptions filled out of the state?

Miaireland

If you want the genric version of the tablet you must get your GP to write the generic brand name on your prescription. Also I would suggest you ring the pharmacy you plan to buy from and tell them the day you plan to call and advise them that you will be seeking a six month supply. Depending on the size of the pharmacy and the type of medication they may not always have an enough in stock.

felicity290

Thanks so much for your replies, great to know!
I wasn't aware there's a dispensing charge every time you use your prescription.
The only stumbling block may be that they're anti-depressants, and my current pharmacist doesn't even like giving me two months at once. I'm going to be on them for the foreseeable future and It gets annoying having to make a trip to the chemist every month for a refill.

L1011

felicity290 wrote: »

Thanks so much for your replies, great to know!
I wasn't aware there's a dispensing charge every time you use your prescription.
The only stumbling block may be that they're anti-depressants, and my current pharmacist doesn't even like giving me two months at once. I'm going to be on them for the foreseeable future and It gets annoying having to make a trip to the chemist every month for a refill.

Anything with an abuse or theft potential usually won't be dispensed more than monthly; you're lucky to be getting two months. NI would almost certainly be only one as the UK dispensing rules are stricter than here.

Definitely phone around any pharmacy within driving distance to see what their prices are; if your GP/consultant states that they're willing to let you have more than one month at a time on the prescription that'd help.

Tesco and Lloyds are usually the cheapest but that isn't always the case everywhere.

felicity290

I only got a two months refill once because I was going away, but your information certainly explains why when I went in mid-month (of prescription fills) because it was pay day and I knew I might run out before I'd have a chance to get back I got a polite grilling as to why I was looking for them again so soon. I guess I shouldn't complain as they are only doing their job, and I suppose you can't be too careful with this type of medication.
However, this information is very handy to know should another less risky medication be required in the future.
Thanks again.

former legend

felicity290 wrote: »

The only stumbling block may be that they're anti-depressants, and my current pharmacist doesn't even like giving me two months at once. I'm going to be on them for the foreseeable future and It gets annoying having to make a trip to the chemist every month for a refill.

As a former pharmacist myself, he/she is entitled to do this and depending on how the prescription is written, may actually be obliged to do it.

My advice would be to give your doctor a call, ask if he/she is happy for you to get multiple months in one go and can the pharmacist ring to confirm. (Definitely do this before trekking up to Newry.)

The pharmacist is probably just covering his own ass in case you take too many and do yourself some harm. (Of course you wouldn't, but the pharmacist can't take the chance).

felicity290

There's nothing on my prescription advising them not to refill more than one at a time, but I do understand where they, and you, are coming from. It's easy for me to say there's nothing to worry about because I'm not feeling suicidal today. (Though thankfully in my case this has never been an issue, and the medication I'm taking is more for combatting my anxiety symptoms rather than depression.)
Thanks again for your reply.