That is one of the reasons. The centrally authorised route is only one way a medicines may be approved in the EU and is not the usual way for OTC medicines.I don’t think that’s the reason, EU pharmaceutical law applies to Northern Ireland since Brexit and prior to that applied to all Uk.
Interesting.
So why aren't the own-brand cheaper OTC medicines for sale in TESCO or Boots in NI, available down south?
You're literally comparing a chemist to a supermarket.We normally buy a 12 tab pack of Paracetamol included in our shop with Dunnes Stores. We pay between €1.80 and €2 per pack. I assume when we include our €5 off a €25 grocery spend we are getting a discount on the paracetamol also.
Just back from Spain yesterday. When there, we decided to buy a pack of Paracetamol because from memory we got these cheap in the past. The chemist wanted just over €4 for a 20 pack. So more expensive than Ireland.
If you check your receipt, you'll probably find that the paracetamol is excluded from any discounting scheme.We normally buy a 12 tab pack of Paracetamol included in our shop with Dunnes Stores. We pay between €1.80 and €2 per pack. I assume when we include our €5 off a €25 grocery spend we are getting a discount on the paracetamol also.
Just back from Spain yesterday. When there, we decided to buy a pack of Paracetamol because from memory we got these cheap in the past. The chemist wanted just over €4 for a 20 pack. So more expensive than Ireland.
I don't think they sell paracetamol in supermarkets in Spain. I was simply stating that paracetamol in Spain is not any cheaper than Ireland.You're literally comparing a chemist to a supermarket.
Is that correct?If you check your receipt, you'll probably find that the paracetamol is excluded from any discounting scheme.
In the T&Cs on the Dunnes vouchers it says medicines are excluded, but dunno how strictly \ automatically that is applied or does it rely on the cashier.Is that correct?
The question is why are there different restriction limits for the same medicine across Europe, and who benefits from this?I think a significant issue may be the difference in sales restrictions for paracetamol between countries. This is a long-standing public health policy to prevent harm from overdose. Across Europe pharmacies can sell anywhere from 8g to 30g without a prescription in one transaction while shops can sell 5g to 8g. Irish limits are 12g pharmacy, 6g shops, but UK is 16g pharmacy and 8g shops. This is why you see 12-packs in Ireland but 16-packs in UK, so Tesco can't just sell the UK ones here, they would have to produce specific packets for Ireland.
If sales are confined to chemists, that in itself is going to make it a lot, lot dearer.I don't think they sell paracetamol in supermarkets in Spain. I was simply stating that paracetamol in Spain is not any cheaper than Ireland.
The question is why are there different restriction limits for the same medicine across Europe, and who benefits from this?
If the HPRA would provide authorisation for 16 tablet packs in Ireland, presumably Boots / Tesco could sell their own-brand paracetamol here. There is no greater risk to patient safety with a 12 vs. 16 pack size (see here), so it would seem the practice of having different limits for the same medicine benefits all market participants, bar the consumer of course.
I wasn't suggesting any, I don't think the setup is by design to stymie competition, but at the same the status quo suits the market participants. There is no incentive for them to harmonise the limits, which would benefit consumers.I don't think there is any mystery, collusion, or conspiracy here. The difference between countries are based on (highly effective) public health policy. Pharmacies, shops, and manufacturers have all lost out as these measures restrict sales, so they would welcome loosening the rules.
The limits are not set in order to benefit consumers, it's not like VAT on books. They are there to reduce the risk of harm/death from suicide and reduce the need for liver transplants. In an ideal world there would be a unified approach that would be appropriate for all jurisdictions and populations but that is not always possible with health policy. Maybe at some stage there will be enough data to make an EU-wide decision.I wasn't suggesting any, I don't think the setup is by design to stymie competition, but at the same the status quo suits the market participants. There is no incentive for them to harmonise the limits, which would benefit consumers.
Yes it across the board - cold sore creams eg generic zovirax much cheaper in NI, branded nizoral shampoo can be bought in Sainsburys at a fraction of price of chemist here.Yes, other than OTC painkillers, is it not the case that most, if not all, OTC are more expensive in RoI than NI?
Or else generic OTC are not available.
One example: Lorat.
My wife recently needed a prescription filled. We called to 10 chemists in the Blackrock/Stillorgan area in the space of about 30 minutes. Only one of them had part of the prescription needed in stock, but the others didn't.
At the time I was thinking as I was driving around to each chemist....I could have picked up a box of paracetamol in each chemist. It sort of makes a joke of the limits.
Absolutely, and the UK's objective is exactly the same are Ireland's, to limit the risk of harm. Ireland's body just happened to decide the answer was 12 tablets, whereas the UK's decided it was 16.The limits are not set in order to benefit consumers, it's not like VAT on books. They are there to reduce the risk of harm/death from suicide and reduce the need for liver transplants...