How buying big name medicine could be up to SIXTEEN times more expensive than non-branded alternatives
The cheaper medicines have EXACTLY the same ingredients but the big names cost up to sixteen time more
SUFFERERS of the common cold and flu could be paying up to sixteen times more for popular brand name medicines that do exactly the same thing as cheaper pills, the Sun Online can reveal.
We compared the cost of some common over-the-counter drugs typically used by families to deal with common ailments such as aches and pains, colds, upset stomachs and hayfever.
It found Boots sells a 16-pack of Nurofen Express period pain tablets containing 200mg of ibuprofen for £3.59.
This works out to 22.4p a tablet while its own brand Value Health ibuprofen 200mg tablets cost just 35p for a packet of 16, that’s 2.2p per tablet.
Both pills contain the same amount of ibuprofen.
Shoppers in Asda can buy a 14-tablet packet of Panadol Actifast paracetamol for £2.70 – that’s 19.3p per tablet.
But if they scan the shelves they can find 16 ASDA paracetamol 500mg caplets for just 19p or 1.2p a tablet. Both products contain 500mg of paracetamol.
We collected the data by comparing the cost of branded medicines and non-branded alternatives at a range of supermarkets and pharmacies.
Doctify GP Dr Martin Saweirs says doctors have long known that there is no proven benefit to taking a branded painkiller over the generic equivalent.
“All medications sold in the UK are strictly tested and have to be proven to be the drug they claim to be. As such, the active ingredients in these products are near identical and have near identical practical effects,” he said.
“I have always advocated my patients buy the cheapest paracetamol and ibuprofen you can find in any supermarket, as these will work just as well as the branded equivalents, which often cost up to 10 times the price.”
It’s a similar story with drugs to treat hayfever. Superdrug sells a packet of seven Piritize allergy tablets containing cetirizine hydrochloride for £3.19.
Its non-branded allergy tablets with the same active ingredient cost just 99p for seven tablets, a third of the price.
While generic equivalents have the same active pharmaceutical ingredient as branded drugs, it's important to realise other ingredients can differ.
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Some brands offer capsule-shaped or film-coated tablets which are designed to be easier to swallow.
Pharmacist Paul Mayberry of the Mayberry Pharmacy Group says some drugs claim to be faster acting.
He said: “Panadol Advance costs £1.69 for 16 and claims to be absorbed faster than ordinary Paracetamol tablets, which have exactly the same amount of active ingredient but are 1/10th of the cost.”
“I would always suggest balancing theses additional features with the extra cost and consider whether it’s worth the extra money.”
How to save money on prescriptions and jabs
People deemed at high risk of complications from the flu – such as the over 65s, carers, expectant mothers and those with certain medical conditions – can get a free vaccine on the NHS from their GP.
If you need to pay to get a flu jab you can save cash by shopping around. Asda has slashed the price of the vaccine to just £5 this year – the lowest price ever. Boots charges £12.99 and Superdrug £9.99.
If you pay for prescriptions and require regular medication, a prescription prepayment certificate (PPC) could save you money.
A PPC covers all your prescriptions for a set time period, no matter how many you need.
A single prescription costs £8.40, whereas a three-month PPC costs £29.10 and a 12-month PPC £104.
So if you’re going to buy four or more prescriptions in three months, or a minimum of 13 prescriptions in 12 months, it will be cheaper to buy a PPC.
Some drugs are only available on private prescriptions not subsidised by the NHS.
This will be the case for certain travel vaccines such as Hepatitis B and rabies, as well as anti-malaria tablets such as Malarone.
If your doctor issues you with a private prescription, make sure you shop around as prices vary significantly.
For example, 12 Malarone tablets cost £31 at Superdrug but £65 at online pharmacy Treated.com.
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