Epi-pen purchase - cheapest provider?

[RandomMess]

New to this. So it seems you have to pay the full cost for these despite needing a prescription, is there any way cheaper than £100 for 2 pens?

Are you sure? DD has epipens on prescription and we've never paid. Where are you?

Huh? You don’t pay for epi pens in the UK. DD has had them since she was a year old and we’ve never paid.

Do you have a private prescription? Some meds can be cheaper this way rather than the standard nhs charge but doubt epipens would be

That's what I thought but DD is 19 now and it seems she needs to pay??

Surely she just has to pay a prescription charge? Is this from the GP?

@RandomMess

That's what I thought but DD is 19 now and it seems she needs to pay??

Are you in the UK? If so, then the absolute most she should be paying is the cost of a prescription

Her GP should be prescribing them, she absolutely should not need a private prescription for epipens.

I give up she's 19 about to go on holiday and as ever left it until the last minute. She doesn't even know if she's still under the consultant or been transferred to the GP 🤦🏼‍♀️

Never paid for them it’s free on the nhs

Have her existing epipens expired? They're thought to be fine for 6 months after expiry... so if she can't see a GP/ get a repeat prescription before her holiday she should be OK.

I’m an adult but get them on prescription for no extra charge.

I'm sure they have expired as we found her last prescription that she didn't use

They're are free or normal prescription charge with the NHS.

How old is the prescription? They're valid for 6 months so if within that she can take it to the pharmacy and pay £9.35 for it

Oh it's older than that, goodness knows how longer she hasn't been bothering having valid pens on her

If she takes the expired ones to the pharmacist they will issue her emergency ones (and possibly a bollocking about being disorganised!)

🤣

Will see how the phone calls tomorrow go!!

I have lectured in the past to think about her friends would feel if they had to see her go into anaphylaxis and not be able to do anything to help.

Mitter mutter mutter

Who told you it is £100???? If its dd I suspect you are being had.

I have epipens and mine are due to expire next month. I am on a prepayment cert and have never in my life paid more than the standard prescription charge. Amd in my 40's and had them since being a teen.

That's the on line price including private prescription it seems.

For 2 pens £85 upwards.

She really needs them for flying as they are not routinely carried in onboard medical kit now. Also liquid antihistamine syrup with prescription label so can carry on plane without contravening the liquids limit. As others say she needs an emergency prescription. If NHS gp too slow, could try a private telephone gp service for private prescription which I'd think would still be less than£100.

@EvelynBeatrice she needs them for everyday life let alone flying!!

I am so pissed at her but keeping a lid on it and trying to help rather than rant.

Teenagers 🤯

Thank goodness they improve a lot by their mid 20s

You have my sympathy. I have one too a bit younger and have expiry dates on my calendar so I can nag in time!! It's scary.

I hear you OP, ds is shockingly lax about carrying his.

His are just a prescription charge and he's 20.

They're about £40 each iirc, I googled privately too not so long ago.

Yeah it might cost that for a private prescription, but assuming she's registered with a GP, then surely she would just request a prescription on the NHS, which would be a standard prescription charge if you're in a part of the UK that has prescription charges.

When she gets her new ones she can register the serial numbers and her details on the epipen website and she'll get reminders when they're due to expire.

I still don't understand why you're looking at private prescription costs though, it is very unusual for a GP not to take on prescribing even if the immunologist/allergy allergy clinic is private.