£7.65 now for a prescription?!

[Hugh]

Actually, drug patents only last 20 years from the patenting date (at the beginning of the development process), so the commercial life averages out at around 10 years, due to development, testing, and approval time taking between 8 to 12 years (for example, the side-effect that became Viagra was first noticed in 1991 came to market in 1998, but the drug it was based on had begun development in 1987).

Also, only about 1 in 20 developments actually get to market (my bro-in-law was a Research Director at Pfizer).

[Shaun]

The annoying thing is, if you look up most of the commonly prescribed drugs in the BNF the ones you're likely to get cost a couple of pounds at most - yet you still have to pay the full amount.

I'd be much happier if it was a cap of £7.65 rather than free prescriptions, that way when I need a POM that only costs £2.00 then that's all I have to pay.

[Russ]

The money they spend on drug testing is eye-watering too. I've been on 8 medical research courses over the years and on each session I've been paid anything from £400 to £3500. Bear in mind on each course there were 30-40 people taking part and were done in phases so the same thing (with different people) was done 7 or 8 times. So to pay all of use and still make a profit, the NHS would have been spending a lot.

[Fawkes]

Originally Posted by Shaun

The annoying thing is, if you look up most of the commonly prescribed drugs in the BNF the ones you're likely to get cost a couple of pounds at most - yet you still have to pay the full amount.

I'd be much happier if it was a cap of £7.65 rather than free prescriptions, that way when I need a POM that only costs £2.00 then that's all I have to pay.

The average cost of prescriptions is higher than the prescription charge so there is some subsidy from the health service. I know what you mean thought, I have found that occasionally I have been prescribed something and the pharmacist has informed they can dispense it over the counter at a lower cost. But one way or another, the drugs bill has to be paid, either in taxes or prescription charges.

[TheDaddy]

Originally Posted by budwieser

Nope. True mate.

A friend of mines mate took Ketamine on a night out and next morning he discovered he was missing a finger and had no idea of how! True again.

Same thing happened at a hostel I worked at, one of the residents came back minus a finger and no idea where he'd left it.

[RichardCoulter]

Originally Posted by Russ

The money they spend on drug testing is eye-watering too. I've been on 8 medical research courses over the years and on each session I've been paid anything from £400 to £3500. Bear in mind on each course there were 30-40 people taking part and were done in phases so the same thing (with different people) was done 7 or 8 times. So to pay all of use and still make a profit, the NHS would have been spending a lot.

That's something I wouldn't dare do, even if my health permitted it.* Remember those students who turned black a few years back? Didn't some die? It's a good job that people like yourself do so though, as someone has to test the new drugs to see if they are ok for human use.

Aren't people with various health conditions barred from doing this on safety grounds?

[jempalmer]

Notwithstanding the amount of investment, research, development, testing et al. The profits made by pharmaceutical companies are huge. Surely they could find it in their hearts to reduce their margins by a fraction to enable vital medication for the most vulnerable. Oh no, I woke up. Shame they won't.

[Russ]

Originally Posted by RichardCoulter

That's something I wouldn't dare do, even if my health permitted it.* Remember those students who turned black a few years back? Didn't some die? It's a good job that people like yourself do so though, as someone has to test the new drugs to see if they are ok for human use.

Aren't people with various health conditions barred from doing this on safety grounds?

All studies come with risks but the incident you're thinking of was a one-off. Nothing like that had happened for or after so it is very safe. I've certainly not had any side effects.

They usually only want healthy people but some ailments are permitted. But those without health issues will find themselves invited on to more studies.

[iFrankie]

I can't believe this!

So! the doctor is gradually taking me off my current tablets by reducing the milligrams in the medication, 1 week of 45MG 1 week is 30MG, 1 week of 15MG then the new ones in week 4!, £23 it is! luckily this is just for 1 month, i wouldn't mind but i already have a months supply of 45MG!.

[Angua]

Originally Posted by iFrankie

I can't believe this!

So! the doctor is gradually taking me off my current tablets by reducing the milligrams in the medication, 1 week of 45MG 1 week is 30MG, 1 week of 15MG then the new ones in week 4!, £23 it is! luckily this is just for 1 month, i wouldn't mind but i already have a months supply of 45MG!.

This is where the rip off for the consumer comes. Technically it is still part of the same treatment on a reducing dosage, yet each different dose costs the same. Why for example won't my doctor prescribe 3 months worth of my blood pressure medication at a time? The most I can get is 8 weeks.

They cannot claim the cost of a prescription being an issue when one injection treatment a colleague needs every 3 weeks costs £1,500 but she gets this for free. This is a new treatment needed by a tiny minority of people with extreme allergic sensitivity.