Disprin Withdrawn?

danjo-xx

Here in Waterford for some weeks now Supervalue have replaced their Disprin range with mainly panadol products, Aldi have done the same.

Dunnes still have Disprin.

Is it just a pricing issue in that they can source Panadol cheaper than Disprin, or something else. They used to stock both.

L1011

Likely a store specific stocking decision and nothing else.

Da Regulator

Noone takes dispirin these days.

maki

I'd doubt it's a pricing issue since aspirin and paracetamol are two completely different drugs, and (should be) used to treat different types of pain.
Likely just a stocking decision based on sales.

snubbleste

Btw why can't Tesco et al sell cheaper ibuprofen/aspirin/paracetamol here?
http://www.tesco.com/groceries/product/details/?id=255488740

maki

snubbleste wrote: »

Btw why can't Tesco et al sell cheaper ibuprofen/aspirin/paracetamol here?
http://www.tesco.com/groceries/product/details/?id=255488740

All medicines need to be approved by the HPRA, and require a licence to do so. We're a relatively small market, so it's basically a case of it not being worth it overall.

snubbleste

maki wrote: »

All medicines need to be approved by the HPRA, and require a licence to do so. We're a relatively small market, so it's basically a case of it not being worth it overall.

Surely this is an area ripe for EU anti-competition regulatory investigation? Cost of licence = barrier to entry is too high.

ThisRegard

I've known the HPRA (I thought it might have been the Irish Medicines Board) go into stores and check pet products and have items removed due to them not on their approved list.

Thephantomsmask

Poundland et al in the UK sell generic paracetamol and ibuprofen at 3 for £1 (16 tab boxes). They are made by Galpharm in Tipperary yet we pay through the nose as the licensing laws are so strict here.

my3cents

Thephantomsmask wrote: »

Poundland et al in the UK sell generic paracetamol and ibuprofen at 3 for £1 (16 tab boxes). They are made by Galpharm in Tipperary yet we pay through the nose as the licensing laws are so strict here.

Not the cheapest by a long way, I pay 19 pence each for those 16 tablet Galpharm paracetamol tablets - 3 for 57 pence from another discount retailer in the UK.

gctest50

Thephantomsmask wrote: »

Poundland et al in the UK sell generic paracetamol and ibuprofen at 3 for £1 (16 tab boxes). They are made by Galpharm in Tipperary yet we pay through the nose as the licensing laws are so strict here.

It does a fair bit of damage overall, you wouldn't think it :

Paracetamol causes most liver failure in UK and US

Unintentional overdose with the painkiller paracetamol is the most common cause of acute liver failure in United Kingdom, a study has found .

Paracetamol's toxicity is also the single biggest cause of acute liver failure in the United States.

http://www.bmj.com/content/332/7542/628.2

Thephantomsmask

My3cents - Not the cheapest no, just an easy example for me to remember! I only buy when I visit the states now, 1200 tablets for sub $8.

http://m.samsclub.com/ip/member-s-mark-500-mg-extra-strength-acetaminophen-600-ct-2-pk-/prod17040148

gctest50 - you're spot on, the effects are nasty but I can't see that as a justification for restrictive pricing.

L1011

The HPRA are very, very expensive to deal with to get something licenced here which is why products are vastly dearer and there is minimal generic competition. There were suggestions for quite some time that we should accept UK approval but that won't be possible under the EMA if they do actually leave. The EMA themselves also have to leave as they're based in the UK!

We have a more restrictive general sales list than the UK - no ibuprofen for instance, and some UK GSL products are actually prescription here like hyoscine butylbromide; but the retailers that sell what is allowed GSL would jump at being able to undercut pharmacies if it was viable to get the licence.

former total

L1011 wrote: »

The HPRA are very, very expensive to deal with to get something licenced here which is why products are vastly dearer and there is minimal generic competition. There were suggestions for quite some time that we should accept UK approval but that won't be possible under the EMA if they do actually leave. The EMA themselves also have to leave as they're based in the UK!

We have a more restrictive general sales list than the UK - no ibuprofen for instance, and some UK GSL products are actually prescription here like hyoscine butylbromide; but the retailers that sell what is allowed GSL would jump at being able to undercut pharmacies if it was viable to get the licence.

It would cost €7,600 to get a licence for a generic paracetamol. Is that a lot of money if you're talking about getting approval for a product that can be sold in huge volume in every pharmacy, supermarket and petrol station in the country? I wouldn't have thought so.

Or there are currently a heap of brands that have been authorised for many years and have long recouped the costs of licensing - what is stopping one of them from dropping their prices? Even if you sold it at €1 per box, you'd be significantly undercutting the competition and still making a hefty margin.

It suits the manufacturers and retailers to keep costs high because the margins are astronomical at the moment.

rubadub

Thephantomsmask wrote: »

Poundland et al in the UK sell generic paracetamol and ibuprofen at 3 for £1 (16 tab boxes).

Dealz are owned by poundland, I have seen some tablets there recently but cannot recall what they were, I think they were brand named ones though.

Thephantomsmask

rubadub wrote: »

Dealz are owned by poundland, I have seen some tablets there recently but cannot recall what they were, I think they were brand named ones though.

Branded (at least the aspirin is iirc) and can't sell more than 1 box due to dispensing laws here so they are €1.50 a box.

thesandeman

Thephantomsmask wrote: »

Branded (at least the aspirin is iirc) and can't sell more than 1 box due to dispensing laws here so they are €1.50 a box.

Yep. They have Anadin and Anadin Max Strength as well. €1.50.