NHS prescription charge

[MrTurtleLikesKisses]

I have had hyperthyroidism for 13 years. I picked up my prescription yesterday and paid the £8.60 prescription charge for my 30 tablets (annoyingly, if I had hypothyroidism, my medication would be free ).
Anyway, it suddenly struck me that £8.60 is a lot for a drug that I know has been around for a long time, so I looked online. Sure enough, it looks like it's available to buy, without a prescription, from abroad for a heck of a lot cheaper than £8.60 for 30.
So, have I been a mug all these years? Should I just buy it online? Or should I suck it up and pay the prescription charge like everyone else?

Can you be sure that the drug you buy online isn't counterfeit? Some criminal sites can look bloody legit. I, personally, wouldn't risk it.

Why don't you buy the pre-paid 12-month certificate for £104? That would save some money!

www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcosts/Pages/PPC.aspx

I wouldn't buy on-line

If you get anything else on prescription a prepay card is cheaper.

apps.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/ppcwebsales/patient.do

Oops too slow!

I haven't checked properly, it's something I've only just thought about really.

I only (luckily) need one prescription so a pre-payment isn't worth it for me.

I prescribe the same drugs to cats in veterinary practice 30 days worth at cost price is a whole lot more than £8.60. I would be deeply suspicious of the ones from abroad.
The vast majority of prescription drugs are a lot more expensive than people realise.

I remember getting some medicine at the dentist when I had some work done privately and got a months worth for about £5. I was left but then I guess it all balances out to a degree.

Sometimes you can ask about the availability of generic alternatives in UK pharmacies & buy the cheaper generic at a fraction of the prescription charge, but I'm not sure what restrictions there are - especially if the GP has named a specific branded drug rather than the generic name.

And, yes, counterfeiting drugs is rife. I wouldn't risk it when the safe equivalent is

illegitimate has the best idea on the generic alternatives. I wouldn't risk the online versions - god knows what you could end up with.

The other option is to ask your GP to write you a prescription for more tablets - won't cost you any more but you'll be paying less frequently. As a long term condition, they'd be silly to refuse.

Thanks @illegitimate, I'll ask about that next time.

I think I'll steer well clear of that "bargain" I found. I'm actually thankful you all think it's a bad idea - I was worried I'd been a mug all these years!

Pickle I'll ask next time I have a review, I was prescribed more than 30 each time at one surgery, but we didn't live in the area long and now I only get 30. I always assumed it was a mistake but perhaps not. Can't hurt to ask.

Generics are only available to buy for OTC or P lines.
If the medication is a POM (prescription only medicine) you cannot buy it.

I understand your frustration. I get migraines and there's only one drug that's ever helped me with them. It used to be available OTC for under £5. Now it's been made prescription only so I'm paying almost double or the same quantity. Very frustrating!

I suppose it's swings and roundabouts. Those of us on cheaper drugs are helping to subsidise more expensive drugs that other people need.

I was told by a pharmacist that they can legally supply identical generic alternatives to a commercial product named on a prescription, which I have for migraine. In contrast, she said that the prescription I bought from my vet for my cat's meds, has to be filled with the exact product named even if there are identical generic alternatives. It seems strange to me that the rules are more strict for animals than for people.

But no, I'd never buy online, the stories of meds being cut with mercury and lead compounds are horrific. You can never be sure.

The pre-paid is only worth having for 2+ prescriptions. Also I think gps can only prescribe a month's worth at a time. Certainly my own prescription is limited to a month's supply. Can't believe after 20 years on my medication I now get it free! The only plus to being 60 nowadays!

My doctor says she cant prescribe me more than a month of AD's at a time - lowest dose of Citalopram. Its so frustrating especially as I know they dont cost anything like £8.60 for a months supply!

I would ask for more than 30 tablets at a time - it's a longstanding condition and the medication is working, there isn't really any reason for them not to.

I have two daily medications and both are now prescribed for 8 weeks at a time - my GP actually confirmed I paid for my prescriptions before saying, "we'll double these then" and putting it to the 8 week quantity. It's worth an ask.

(I have a pre-payment card now, but at the time I didn't)

I thought pharmacists always dispensed cheaper generic versions.

Have just looked at the nhs cost thingy, apparently my prescription costs 4 pound odds for 28 days.

I get 3 months supply of my meds on my prescription, although it's for diabetic meds so I don't pay.

See if your gp will prescribe mor.

My cousin in India has hyperthyroidism. They pay £100-200/mth (roughly 10-20,000 rupees) for her medication and check ups. In India. We checked recently and yes her meds are available on the NHS.

We are fucking lucky to have the NHS and drug caps.

Bargain.

These are the current prices in the BNF: Carbimazole 5 mg, net price 100-tab pack = £100.90; 20 mg, 100-tab pack = £239.09.

So, have I been a mug all these years?
No.

The NHS prescription charge is a contribution to the NHS and bears no relation to the cost of the drug.

Some drugs cost less than the prescription charge and some cost more.

Either ask your GP for a three monthly supply or just be glad that £8.60 is all that you have to pay for your essential medicines.

Don't buy them online as you have no idea what you are actually buying.

Obviously nobody here has any idea of your finances but less than 30p a day does not sound like a huge outgoing, particularly not worth the risk of buying online which could see you get both fraudulent drugs and a possible criminal record. How much cheaper was the cheapest one you saw?

I know it is often said but NHS really is amazingly generous. I've lived in countries where it is €60 to see the GP, payable every visit, and another where my prescription for a single drug was costing over £40 per day. Your thirteen years of this drug coay you about the same as one month of mine.

But please please don't risk your health and well being for pennies.