Online clinics offer a great service, particularly for medicine not available on the NHS, but you do not necessarily get what you pay for. It is a case of, the shopper beware, and shop around for the best deals. You could save yourself a lot of money.
When the original patent (the exclusive right granted by governments to an inventor to manufacture and sell their invention) of a medicine runs out it becomes legal for ‘copies’ of the original active ingredient to be produced and marketed. These copies, which are medically identical to original medicines, are called generics or generic medicines. Generic medicines contain the same active ingredient and are medically identical to the original, but usually cost less. According to the BGMA generic medicine saves the NHS more than £10bn annually. Read in full
Have you ever wondered just how free healthcare got so expensive? Looking back at the end of a month or year, many people are shocked to find how health-related expenses have added up, despite the NHS. Never fear, here we’ll list some entitlements that you might pursue and other convenient secrets to keeping your health expenses low:
Use the NHS minor ailments service available from some pharmacies. In some parts of the country and all of N. Ireland and Scotland pharmacies can provide some treatments for minor ailments at the cost of an NHS prescription, or free if a person is eligible for free prescriptions. Depending on where you live pharmacies can treat:
skin conditions, such as mild acne and mild eczema
coughs and colds, including nasal congestion and sore throat
minor cuts and bruises
constipation and haemorrhoids (piles)
hay fever and allergies
aches and pains, such as headaches, earache and back pain
indigestion, diarrhoea and threadworms
period pain and thrush
warts and verrucas, mouth ulcers and cold sores
athlete’s foot
nappy rash and teething
Get a Season Ticket: If you’re prescribed more than a single medication per month (or 4 medicines in 3 months) in England, NHS prescription prepayment certificates or season tickets should prove worthwhile. Unlimited season tickets cover prescriptions for a 3-months period (for 30.25) or get 1-year certificates for £108.10 (February 2022). Call 0300 330 1341, or apply on the NHS Prescriptions website or request an application form at participant pharmacies. You can reclaim part of the cost of your season ticket if you become eligible for free prescriptions within the period. Read in full
TEVA launched their generic version of Viagra called TEVA sildenafil the day after the Viagra patent expired in several European countries (including the UK) on 22 June 2013.
The expiry of the Viagra patent on Friday 21 June 2013 in several European countries including the UK was a hugely anticipated event in the pharmaceutical calendar, with generic manufacturers now licenced to produce ‘generic Viagra’ called Sildenafil, the name deriving from the active chemical name of Viagra sildenafil citrate.
National news outlets covered the story with reports of tablets being available from as little as 60 pence each. Dr Fox started to receive numerous enquiries about sildenafil, it’s cost and availability.
We stood ready on Friday 21 June at the Dr Fox offices, poised to add details of the newly licenced versions at much lower prices to our range of treatments available for Erectile Dysfunction … but no information was forthcoming from the pharmacy wholesalers. Read in full
An April 2012 article in the GP magazine PulseAll smokers should be put on varenicline, says QIPP analysis highlights research commissioned by NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) which suggests varenicline taken for 12 weeks after smoking cessation reduces relapse rates more than alternative medicines.
A private prescription is like any other prescription for medication written by a doctor, except that private prescriptions are not funded by the NHS.
Private prescriptions are written by doctors in private practice, and by NHS doctors for medication which the NHS will not pay for.
The NHS does not fund travel medication, such as malaria tablets, and restricts quantities of some other medicines. The NHS will usually fund a supply of generic drugs only to treat male impotence. Read in full
Have you ever wondered just how free healthcare got so expensive? Looking back at the end of a month or year, many people are shocked to find how health-related expenses have added up, despite the NHS. Never fear, here we’ll list some entitlements that you might pursue and other convenient secrets to keeping your health expenses low:
The expiry of the Viagra patent on Friday 21 June 2013 in several European countries including the UK was a hugely anticipated event in the pharmaceutical calendar, with generic manufacturers now licenced to produce ‘generic Viagra’ called 
A private prescription is like any other prescription for medication written by a doctor, except that private prescriptions are not funded by the NHS.