To wonder why calpol is so expensive?

[busyboysmum]

Triggered really by the debate on my Facebook about whether or not we should be getting calpol through the NHS or not. I got to wondering - if I can buy a packet of paracetamol in Aldi for 19p then why does Calpol which so far as I am aware is just watered down and sugared paracetamol (correct me if I'm wrong) cost £3 a small bottle?

I'm not sure that the figures stack up for me. Instead of us all criticising poor parents for getting a prescription for this shouldn't we be headlining a campaign to get the price of this stuff more in line with what it costs to produce.

£1 a bottle would be so much more fair so far as I can see. What does everyone else think? Why is it so much more expensive than paracetamol?

That Fb post is annoying me too. If you genuinely can't afford medicine for your children then fine, but I don't believe that it should be available to everyone.

People have forgotten that just because something is free to them it still needs to be paid for from somewhere.

Isn't it only the branded versions that have the handy little syringe?

Boots minor ailment scheme

Why is Calpol so expensive? Because too many people genuinely believe that it's somehow superior to the generic stuff that's half (or less) the price and are willing to pay the ridiculous price.

There was a time when my eldest children were very little that there was no choice, you had to buy Calpol, but now the generic version is widely available and there's no way I'd pay more than £1.50 for a bottle.

the minor ailments scheme is most pharmacies. Not just boots. I get most things for my sone through that, paracetamol, ibuprofen, anithistamine and now I am free prescritions due to pregnancy I get stuff for me too x

The branded original versions of drugs are more expensive because they need to be to pay for all the research and work that went into finding them and running clinical trials to prove that they were safe and efficacious.

Pharmaceutical companies can only get granted a patent on a new drug for a limited number of years. Once the patent is up, anyone can make it, and that's when you get the 20p supermarket versions. The pharmaceutical company still needs to recoup its costs so its branded version is more expensive. While it has the patent which means no one else can make it, they work really hard to establish a brand identity and loyalty so that people will continue to chose their version even when other companies start offering theirs.

Once the patent is up on one version of a drug, the pharmaceutical company will usually then bring out an 'improved' version which is under a new patent.

My local pharmacy has a sign up saying to ask them whether your medicine is included in the scheme, almost promoting it, so I have no qualms about taking infant paracetamol free or getting a generic thrush treatment for myself rather than pay Canesten prices.

Fwiw though, I bought a job lot of cheapo paracetamol tablets for adults from a wholesaler and they did fuck all. Now stuck with about 50 packs of useless drugs! All medicines are not created equal.

It is only in certain parts of england though.

Fwiw though, I bought a job lot of cheapo paracetamol tablets for adults from a wholesaler and they did fuck all. Now stuck with about 50 packs of useless drugs
Paracetamol is paracetamol unless its a fake product. Cheap is the same as the branded except sometimes they add some caffeine. We only buy the very cheap generic tablets and they always work.

I use disprol. Much better than calpol. Dd was allergic to calpol (caused screaming)
Most generic paracetamol suspensions still had all the e numbers in.
I think its a good idea for it to be free. Kids prescriptions are meant to be anyway.
I would rAther people treated for head lice than not. And its hardly your fault if your child keeps getting re infested
.

Calpol is yummy.
There's a swiss vodka that tastes just like it too

I only buy the branded Paracetomol/ibuprofen for the kids if I'm caught short and have to go to the local shop. Otherwise I get the supermarket/pharmacy own brand. Far cheaper and the pharmacist usually have bigger bottles too.

It's the same with the branded stuff for adults too. 16p ibuprofen is exactly the same as £3+ neurofen. You pay out the nose for a brand.