# Prescription medicine price more than doubled



## Maretta (7 Nov 2019)

I have been paying around €20 for months supply 1 packet of 200 mg Trandate tabs. The chemist has difficulty getting them and this month they supplied them in the form of 4 packets of 100 mg (30 per packet as the 200 mg aren't available) That was fine with me. They charged me the sum of €52.20 for the month supply. I queried the price but got no satisfaction. Was told they rechecked and the price is correct. I didn't mind paying a little more but feel this is a ripoff.


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## Brendan Burgess (7 Nov 2019)

It's a bit odd that they did not offer you a week's supply of the more expensive ones.

Why not try a different chemist.

I looked on https://healthwave.ie/price-list/  but it did not recognise the name Trandate 

You could also ask your doctor if there is an alternative which is more readily available or a generic version.

Brendan


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## elcato (7 Nov 2019)

It sounds like they charge a certain price for the smaller dose pack and if they didn't have them in store they should have offered the alternative at the lesser price. I would go back and re-state my case. They might have them in stock and allow a return of whatever is left. But only deal directly with the pharmacist.


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## Coldwarrior (7 Nov 2019)

Email Healthwave and Pure pharmacies asking for a price, they are usually very responsive and have a delivery service if you're not based in Dublin.


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## elcato (8 Nov 2019)

Coldwarrior said:


> Email Healthwave and Pure pharmacies asking for a price, they are usually very responsive and have a delivery service if you're not based in Dublin.


Except they charge a 'membership' of €25 annually. So you either go all in or nothing with these.


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## odyssey06 (8 Nov 2019)

elcato said:


> Except they charge a 'membership' of €25 annually. So you either go all in or nothing with these.



Do you mean for delivery? For walk in prescriptions Pure Pharmacies don't charge a membership fee.

Also, general point, you can keep an eye on medicine shortages status on the HPRA website:




__





						Medicines Shortages
					

The objective of the Health Products Regulatory Authority is to ensure in so far as possible, consistent with current medical and scientific knowledge, the quality, safety and efficacy of medicines available in Ireland and to participate in systems designed to do that throughout the European Union.




					www.hpra.ie


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## Coldwarrior (8 Nov 2019)

elcato said:


> Except they charge a 'membership' of €25 annually. So you either go all in or nothing with these.


Pure don't, and Healthwave are usually substantially cheaper than normal local pharmacies, even when counting the membership fee (which covers the full family).


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## elcato (8 Nov 2019)

odyssey06 said:


> For walk in prescriptions Pure Pharmacies don't charge a membership fee.



I thought Pure had an annual service like Healthwave but clearly they don't. That said my experience (recent) of Pure I paid 9.99 for a drug I get for 5.99 in Healthwave. The same varied between 10 and 13 euro when I started first on them a few years ago so while Pure are a bit cheaper they lag behind the HW price.


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## odyssey06 (8 Nov 2019)

elcato said:


> I thought Pure had an annual service like Healthwave but clearly they don't. That said my experience (recent) of Pure I paid 9.99 for a drug I get for 5.99 in Healthwave. The same varied between 10 and 13 euro when I started first on them a few years ago so while Pure are a bit cheaper they lag behind the HW price.



No worries, that's good info on the price difference between the two.
I haven't used HW because of the membership fee plus locations don't suit.
For me, Pure have been €7 for a generic which I've been charged €12 and €20 for locally.


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## Sue Ellen (8 Nov 2019)

are also quite reasonable.  I usually use either Pure or Tesco depending on who is cheapest.

On generic cholesterol tablets you will find it hard to beat €4.00 per month with Pure.


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## elcato (8 Nov 2019)

[broken link removed]is a new one now with free registration rather than membership. Their price list while competitive is not as good as HW though.


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## Purple (15 Nov 2019)

Labetalol is generic name for Trandate.
Ask your doctor for a prescription for the generic version.
Then go to Spain or Portugal and fill it.


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## elcato (15 Nov 2019)

Purple said:


> Ask your doctor for a prescription for the generic version.


Can the original prescription not be used and just request the generic off the pharmacist on purchase ?


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## Purple (15 Nov 2019)

elcato said:


> Can the original prescription not be used and just request the generic off the pharmacist on purchase ?


I dunno but I thought the HSE required Pharmacists to offer the cheapest (generic) option to their customer.


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## Coldwarrior (15 Nov 2019)

elcato said:


> Can the original prescription not be used and just request the generic off the pharmacist on purchase ?



Correct


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## Maretta (4 Jan 2020)

Thanks for your comments and advice. Have had the generic occasionally previously and isn't much cheaper. Will shop around Pure, city and Tesco.


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## horusd (5 Jan 2020)

I've used HW for years now. They do charge a 'membership' fee and, more recently, they charge for delivery.  I live on Dublin's northside, they're on the southside.


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