Medicine patents are only 20 years. That is not very long to recoup the very high cost of bringing a drug to market. One of the reasons why development of some drugs is almost nonexistent is because the companies can never make a profit and their shareholders want a return on their investment.
.
Yes but this is what needs changing we have to find a way to fund medical research and cut them out of the loop. Its these corporations bottom line that is about to cause huge numbers of deaths because they arent developing any new antibiotics because they cant make enough money
I'm in the process of filling in an HC1 form. (for free prescriptions)
i was on 20mg of fluoxetine (an antidepressant) which cost me £8.05/month.
I got bumped up to 30mg last week. They don't make 30mg tablets, so I have to get 20's and 10's. This is 2 different items on my prescription so costs me £16.10 a month.
Check with your Doc or the pharmacy manager. I pay the one charge (£8.05) for a similar drug where i need 30mg a day but have to be given a box of 20mg and a box of 10mg
A thought just occurred to me about prescription charges. "They" say that in England 90% of prescriptions are in fact dispensed free. So what I was thinking was: what about charging everyone 10% of the current prescription rate? This would still bring in the same revenue but a sick person would only pay 80 pence per item.
So you think that it would be fairer that 90% of people (including children, the elderly, those on benefits and pregnant women) pay more just so that 10% can pay less?
If you are generally healthy then it doesn't seem too much to ask you to pay a few pounds for drugs that will make you better on the once in a blue moon occasions when you need them. Personally, I don't think I've had a prescription in the last 15 years.
Some drugs prescribed though cost much less, say under a pound, but the £8.05 single item charge is still made.
Some costs in the USA though are incredible. A Salbutamol inhaler can cost up to $100, whereas in the UK you can buy one without prescription for about £1.50.
I don't think so. Salbutamol is a Prescription Only Medicine.
Yes but this is what needs changing we have to find a way to fund medical research and cut them out of the loop. Its these corporations bottom line that is about to cause huge numbers of deaths because they arent developing any new antibiotics because they cant make enough money
You want to cut pharmaceutical companies "out of the loop" when it comes to funding medical research? How is that going to happen? Between them they spend tens of billions a year on R&D around the world.
Yes, it's true that they concentrate on drugs which are economically viable as that's how they make money and fund further research. You may have a point if these corporates were the only people doing drug development but there is also a lot being spent by government funded research councils (e.g. MRC in the UK, NIH in the US) as well as charities (Cancer Research UK, Wellcome Foundation) as well as Universities who have the freedom to do more theoretical research.
Pharmaceuticals and biotechnology is one area in which the UK is a world-leading player supporting many thousands of high skill jobs (including mine) and generating billions for the UK economy. You really want to shut all of that down?
Check with your Doc or the pharmacy manager. I pay the one charge (£8.05) for a similar drug where i need 30mg a day but have to be given a box of 20mg and a box of 10mg
Or maybe you could get the whole lot prescribed as 10mg and take three a day?
I don't think so. Salbutamol is a Prescription Only Medicine.
Yes I was misremembering the discussions in the past to make it OTC had happened but I think in the end it became available through some pharmacies only.
Prescriptions were free to all prior to June 1968 when a 2/- charge was added; they had cost 1/- between 1952 and 1965. This was the time when the list of medical exemptions were put together and nothing was added until cancer in 2009.
I just lie on mine and tick the 'In receipt of income support' box. Never been asked to prove it once.
Hopefully one day after falsing claiming you will get a civil penalty charge of five times what you should have paid up to £100 or even better they back check notice you have been doing it repeatedly and they prosecute and you get fined a couple of thousand pounds.
If diabetics get their drugs for free, then asthmatics should get theirs for free too. Both are life threatening, chronic conditions.
Speaking as an asthmatic I fully agree. Purely due to asthma and lifelong breathing problems, I now have 3 things on repeat prescription, so that's £24 a time.
Most years I usually end up having chest infections which require antibiotics to cure (I've had two courses of antibiotics already THIS YEAR)
And yet, because I work for a living, the only thing I get for free is a flu jab, because I'm high risk, due to of all of the above.
Two reasons spring to my mind as to why it is an exemption to all prescription charges.
One it makes it simple to administer, so possibly cheaper as far as admin cost.
Two the person's chronic medical condition could be indicative or causative of other medical conditions. For example I too have medical exemption due to one medical condition but that one medical condtion is related to other medical conditions I have that also require medication for life. If only the prescriptions for the condition granting me exemption was free I would only get one of my medications free and would have to pay for all the rest.
I agree with the point made by another poster about asthma not granting exemption, what chronic life-long medical conditions give exemption seems to be arbitrary. Maybe it is based on conditions which if untreated are degenerative resulting in more cost to the NHS long-term if untreated.
Fair points, and yeah, unfortunately for others, which chronic conditions get covered seems quite arbitrary.
Hopefully one day after falsing claiming you will get a civil penalty charge of five times what you should have paid up to £100 or even better they back check notice you have been doing it repeatedly and they prosecute and you get fined a couple of thousand pounds.
Speaking as an asthmatic I fully agree. Purely due to asthma and lifelong breathing problems, I now have 3 things on repeat prescription, so that's £24 a time.
Most years I usually end up having chest infections which require antibiotics to cure (I've had two courses of antibiotics already THIS YEAR)
And yet, because I work for a living, the only thing I get for free is a flu jab, because I'm high risk, due to of all of the above.
A GP can write a prescription to cover up to 3 months worth of medication on one prescription.
So 3 items for 3 months £24.15
A 3 month pre-payment certificate costs £29.10 which is more
For 12 months that would 4 prescriptions of 3 items so £96.60
A 12 month pre-payment cerfificate costs £104 which is more
A GP can write a prescription to cover up to 3 months worth of medication on one prescription.
So 3 items for 3 months £24.15
A 3 month pre-payment certificate costs £29.10 which is more
For 12 months that would 4 prescriptions of 3 items so £96.60
A 12 month pre-payment cerfificate costs £104 which is more
Up to 3 months. It depends on what they are prescribing. As an extreme and obvious example, you don't get 3 weeks worth of methadone, let alone 3 months. My wife is on some kick ass immunosuppressants, they won't give her 3 months worth either. So each person has do do that sum with their own data, it's not a universal.
As well as some patients committing fraud by claiming to be exempt when they know they are not. There is an issue with pharmacists committing prescription fraud. Pharmacists double claiming or claiming for ghost patient's prescriptions. So in addition to better checks on patient entitlement to exemption, maybe better checks on pharmacists are also needed.
I am exempt from charges due to a medical condition I've had since I was young and every time I go in the pharmacy to get my tablets I have to show my exemption card. Didn't realise other pharmacies don't even check!
I am exempt from charges due to a medical condition I've had since I was young and every time I go in the pharmacy to get my tablets I have to show my exemption card. Didn't realise other pharmacies don't even check!
I too have a medical exemption certificate, only ever had it checked twice. Once in a NHS hospital when collecting medication as an out patient, and once in Sainsburys pharmacy. Never in the likes of Boots or Loyds chemists.
I too have a medical exemption certificate, only ever had it checked twice. Once in a NHS hospital when collecting medication as an out patient, and once in Sainsburys pharmacy. Never in the likes of Boots or Loyds chemists.
I get my pills in the same pharmacy every time as my doctors surgery sends the form over to them direct to be dispensed a couple of days after I've dropped the repeat prescription request into the doctors surgery for authorisation.
I'm worried now that I must look dodgy and that's why I'm being checked
90% are dispensed free? That's pretty shocking. Suppose it means people who work for a living mustn't get ill much.
Who said anything about working? People who take thyroid medication get their prescriptions free, whether they work or not, epileptics, diabetics, many others, all free - whether the person works or not. It's nothing to do with their employment status.
Comments
I've never understood why asthmatics don't get free prescriptions
Yes but this is what needs changing we have to find a way to fund medical research and cut them out of the loop. Its these corporations bottom line that is about to cause huge numbers of deaths because they arent developing any new antibiotics because they cant make enough money
Check with your Doc or the pharmacy manager. I pay the one charge (£8.05) for a similar drug where i need 30mg a day but have to be given a box of 20mg and a box of 10mg
So you think that it would be fairer that 90% of people (including children, the elderly, those on benefits and pregnant women) pay more just so that 10% can pay less?
If you are generally healthy then it doesn't seem too much to ask you to pay a few pounds for drugs that will make you better on the once in a blue moon occasions when you need them. Personally, I don't think I've had a prescription in the last 15 years.
I don't think so. Salbutamol is a Prescription Only Medicine.
You want to cut pharmaceutical companies "out of the loop" when it comes to funding medical research? How is that going to happen? Between them they spend tens of billions a year on R&D around the world.
Yes, it's true that they concentrate on drugs which are economically viable as that's how they make money and fund further research. You may have a point if these corporates were the only people doing drug development but there is also a lot being spent by government funded research councils (e.g. MRC in the UK, NIH in the US) as well as charities (Cancer Research UK, Wellcome Foundation) as well as Universities who have the freedom to do more theoretical research.
Pharmaceuticals and biotechnology is one area in which the UK is a world-leading player supporting many thousands of high skill jobs (including mine) and generating billions for the UK economy. You really want to shut all of that down?
Or maybe you could get the whole lot prescribed as 10mg and take three a day?
Your days of being able to do this are numbered: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-30622544
Prescriptions were free to all prior to June 1968 when a 2/- charge was added; they had cost 1/- between 1952 and 1965. This was the time when the list of medical exemptions were put together and nothing was added until cancer in 2009.
Although I noticed a large sign in my dentist last week saying that no treatment will be provided unless evidence is shown first.
Whilst on the subject,when I was there I had to have a small filling.I was pretty shocked to be charged £50.50 for it!
Apparent NHS band 2 charge.It literally took 5 minutes.
Still I suppose its better than being in agony at a later date!
A massive government IT project. It'll fail and never come to fruition, like all government IT projects.
Speaking as an asthmatic I fully agree. Purely due to asthma and lifelong breathing problems, I now have 3 things on repeat prescription, so that's £24 a time.
Most years I usually end up having chest infections which require antibiotics to cure (I've had two courses of antibiotics already THIS YEAR)
And yet, because I work for a living, the only thing I get for free is a flu jab, because I'm high risk, due to of all of the above.
Fair points, and yeah, unfortunately for others, which chronic conditions get covered seems quite arbitrary.
Meh
:rolleyes:
So 3 items for 3 months £24.15
A 3 month pre-payment certificate costs £29.10 which is more
For 12 months that would 4 prescriptions of 3 items so £96.60
A 12 month pre-payment cerfificate costs £104 which is more
Up to 3 months. It depends on what they are prescribing. As an extreme and obvious example, you don't get 3 weeks worth of methadone, let alone 3 months. My wife is on some kick ass immunosuppressants, they won't give her 3 months worth either. So each person has do do that sum with their own data, it's not a universal.
I get my pills in the same pharmacy every time as my doctors surgery sends the form over to them direct to be dispensed a couple of days after I've dropped the repeat prescription request into the doctors surgery for authorisation.
I'm worried now that I must look dodgy and that's why I'm being checked