Pill prices

[Dorsetmike]

May have raised this before, memory deteriorates with age!

Walking round Tesco today I noticed among the medications Ibuprofen, Tesco "own brand" 16 pills for £0.23p on the next shelf Nurofen (which is just a branded Ibuprofen) £2.10p for 16 pills. Both were 200mg pills. Similar mark ups for similar products like paracetamol/Panadol and aspirin.

Are there that many stupid eejits that will pay nearly 10 times more just for a brand name? How can the maker justify such a mark up? I doubt advertising costs would make such a difference.

Is it just UK or do others see the same problem?

 

[wljmrbill]

Same things here in USA too. Many people here seem to think that generic medications( food etc ) are not as good as brand name even if the chemicals involved are the same structure. Personally I can not afford name brand anything on my limited funds from retirement pay ( Social security ). But I also use natural remedies for the most part. olive leaf extract capsules my main defense.

 

[Krummhorn]

Bill is right on the assessment in the US. This year I also became an official 'pensioner' (Social Security) but have had Medicare since age 65. Medicare Part D will only pay for the lesser costs of drugs, except when a generic isn't available. I have several medications for which there is no generic equivalent (insulin, and bydureon) so medicare sticks those on a higher tier which means a higher co-pay for the insured.

Since converting over to medicare my medical premiums have doubled in price as compared to the 'retiree' insurance I had from my employer. I pay more for medical insurance and get less coverage in return. I also had to get a supplemental insurance (medigap) to help defray the costs from doctor visits.

We have what is called a 'donut hole' in or prescription coverage of medicare. I got through that level in early July and now in the 'catastrophic' coverage level which pays all but 5% of my prescriptions ... my tertiary insurance (retiree medical from my former employer) picks up the rest. Of course all of that resets to zero in January of each year.

My wife's biological immune system cannot tolerate most 'generics' ... there IS a difference between brand name and generics ... so she has to pay more at times. She is going to have the same fun as I did when she applies for Medicare in 2018.

The part that still irks me as that those in Canada pay far less for prescription drugs that we do in the US ... and ... those medications are made by the same US based pharmaceutical companies. If they can market it less to another country, why are we, in the US, forced to pay a higher price. Seems like price gouging to me, but little I can do about it, hence insurance.

End of rant .. :lol:

Lars A.