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Medical Forum / Diseases and Disorders / Cancer / January 2009UK - Free cancer drugs scheme begins
UK - Free cancer drugs scheme begins http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7838234.stm Tuesday, 20 January 2009 Up to 150,000 cancer patients in England can now start applying for free prescriptions on the NHS. Gordon Brown announced in September he was abolishing charges for the treatment of cancer and its effects from 1 April. Patients can apply for five-year exemption certificates entitling them to all their NHS prescriptions free of charge, not just those for cancer. Application forms can be collected from GP surgeries and hospital clinics. Applications received by 24 March will be processed in time for the start of the scheme on 1 April. Patients who do not receive their certificate in time may have any prescription charges they have paid since 1 April refunded. It is estimated that patients who qualify will be able to save up to £100 a year in prescription charges. This was absolutely the right thing to do. Cancer not only threatens your life, but can also make you poor. Ciaran Devane, chief executive of Macmillan Cancer Support Campaigners have been calling for everyone with long-term conditions in England to be exempt from prescription charges, as they have already been scrapped in Wales and are being phased out in Scotland. Northern Ireland has already reduced charges and is planning to phase them out for all patients by 2010. The standard prescription charge is £7.10 per item. Public Health Minister Dawn Primarolo said: "This new scheme gives people living with cancer one less worry at such a difficult time. "I would urge patients to make an appointment with their GP from this week to talk about applying for their exemption certificate." Ciaran Devane, chief executive of Macmillan Cancer Support, said: "We are delighted the government has listened and abolished prescription charges for cancer patients. "This was absolutely the right thing to do. Cancer not only threatens your life, but can also make you poor. "Free prescriptions will transform the lives of thousands of people living with cancer who were struggling to pay for drugs." Michael Summers, vice-chairman of the Patients Association, said: "This is a welcome move, but we mustn't forget that not every cancer drug that patients want will be approved by NICE or that some primary care trusts will not allow them to be dispensed." The Department of Health says the scheme will be extended to include all patients with long-term conditions at a later date. This would make an estimated five million people exempt from charges. A review of how to bring this measure in is being led by Professor Ian Gilmore, president of the Royal College of Physicians. SEE ALSO Call for prescription charge end 04 Jul 08 | Health Prescription charges drop to £5 01 Apr 08 | Scotland Brown in free prescriptions vow 23 Sep 08 | Health Prescription charge review call 27 Feb 08 | Health * Sorry for the top-posting. But here's a civilized country's response to cancer treatment: earle * > UK - Free cancer drugs scheme begins > http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7838234.stm [quoted text clipped - 71 lines] > Prescription charge review call > 27 Feb 08 | Health > *But here's a civilized country's response to cancer treatment: > > > UK - Free cancer drugs scheme begins > > http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7838234.stm > > Tuesday, 20 January 2009 I think (all) our Province's (Canada) have similar coverages through one program or another. There may be exceptions (prescriptions not covered). I know for a fact that they sometimes go with the cheapest. Make excuses for not approving better products. J > > *But here's a civilized country's response to cancer treatment: > > [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > approving better products. > J * I live in California in the San Francisco Bay area. The commonly-used nasal spray "fluticasone propionate" is sold in the US under the trade name "Flonase". At my local pharmacy, a one-month supply is US$80. A couple of years ago I flew to eastern Europe and the security people at the San Francisco airport took my small bottle and made me discard it. When I arrived in Budapest, I found the local "Apoteka" and asked them whether they had Flonase, giving the generic name. I bought a one-month supply (the exact same medication, except the label was in Hungarian) for a mere 2,700 HUF, which is about US$13. Since then, I have purchase Flonase (under one of its several trade names) from a Canadian pharmacy. The price tends to run about US$50 for a three-month supply. Why should I buy *any* pharmaceuticals in the US? earle * > I live in California in the San Francisco Bay area. The commonly-used > nasal spray "fluticasone propionate" is sold in the US under the trade [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > Why should I buy *any* pharmaceuticals in the US? Hello Earle, Generics have been available in the US for many years. I've seen them listed at Medline. I think generics become available when the patient expires. (but read the links I provide and/or type generic drugs into Google, you'll get the FDA web page and some recent news items) and more. The doctor has to specify the generic name on the prescription. (Doctors often only remember the patented name and/or don't have the time to check large pharma book and/or their copy is not up to date). They know more about the name brand ones, as in strengths (dose). Our durgstores will usually tell us if there is a generic. Yours might not. Because if people find out, they may have to stock both versions and strengths. (cost more to keep inventory or special order). I've heard of pharmacies which charge the same for the generic as the name brand. People have to be persistent and inside that both the generic name and "sub generic description) are on the lable. And the latter (name) matches (I think) the name brand The ones I had in mind, are new parckaging -= rub on gels instead of tablets. So I doubt I'll find generics on those for a while. They discontinued (ordering) a certain brand of anti-inflammatory. After calling around, many said "we don't carry, an/or never heard of", so I called Walmart. They ordered it in for me. I think Fig (Socks wife) said they buy at Price Club and may have also mentioned Walgreen's (not sure). And not sure if they're generics or not. Research and Shop around http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginformation.html "Drug Information: Browse by first letter of generic or brand name drug" The random finds were when viewing lists of meds or finding one medicine, which referred to a "generic"page (for a specifc drug). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluticasone_propionate m fluticasone used to treat asthma and allergic rhinitis. GlaxoSmithKline currently markets fluticasone propionate as Flovent (US and Canada) and Flixotide (EU) for asthma, and as Flonase (US and Canada) Flixonase (EU) for allergic rhinitis, as well as a combination of fluticasone and salmeterol as Advair (US and Canada) or Seretide (EU). The rest is patent issues, ending with the following "The ruling meant that sales of generic versions of Flonase could proceed." http://www.fda.gov/cder/ogd/ (this _may_ be of help) * Welcome from Office of Generic Drugs' Director * What are Generic Drugs? o Generic Drugs: Questions and Answers * Is a Generic Product Available for a Brand Name Drug? * Question based Review (QbR) for Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls (CMC) evaluation of an Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) * News and Announcements updated (12/18/2008) o Recent Federal Register Notices * Generic Drug Approvals updated (12/15/2008) * List of Authorized Generic Drugs updated (12/22/2008) * Requesting an Electronic Common Technical Document (eCTD) Number updated (5/28/2008) * Therapeutic Equivalence of Generic Drugs * Dissolution Methods for Drug Products * Generic Drug Development, Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) Submissions and Review Information updated (8/20/2008) o Model Bioequivalence Data Summary Tables * Regulations for Abbreviated New Drug Application Submissions * Paragraph IV Drug Product Applications updated (1/23/2009) * Generic Drug Petition Tracking updated (8/18/2008) * Organization and Contact Information updated (12/17/2008) * Freedom of Information * How to Contact Us What are Generic Drugs? A generic drug is identical, or bioequivalent to a brand name drug in dosage form, safety, strength, route of administration, quality, performance characteristics and intended use. Although generic drugs are chemically identical to their branded counterparts, they are typically sold at substantial discounts from the branded price. According to the Congressional Budget Office, generic drugs save consumers an estimated $8 to $10 billion a year at retail pharmacies. Even more billions are saved when hospitals use generics.<end of quoted text> I gave up on searching the internet. Too much advertising. it's an "exercise in frustration", so I understand why you buy elsewhere. However, our government (apparently ) is being threatened to be cut off our bulk buying, by pharmactueicals unless we ( our government) stop the drug stores cross border shipping. I don't know if anything I've posted helps. Thanks for your reply. J > > I live in California in the San Francisco Bay area. The commonly-used > > nasal spray "fluticasone propionate" is sold in the US under the trade [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > Medline. > I think generics become available when the patient expires. *** J: Small Freudian slip! I hope you mean "when the patent expires" and not "when the patient expires"!! earle *** > (but read the > links I [quoted text clipped - 103 lines] > I don't know if anything I've posted helps. Thanks for your reply. > J * Thanks, J -- I know all about generics. Yes they are available from many sources here in the US, and I could spend more time investigating Walmart, Costco, etc. But, sitting on my bottom at my computer, I can find both generics and on-patent pharmaceuticals in dozens of places around the world. I take two prescription drugs for high blood pressure -- hydrochlorothiazide (a very common generic diuretic) and Lisinopril (a fairly common ACE inhibitor -- also now off-patent.) I have found a Canadian source that has both drugs in one pill -- 12.5 mg of HCTZ and 10 mg of Lisinopril -- for US$30 for 120 pills. That is cheaper than the co-pay that my insurance company has for these drugs. In my opinion, our health-care system is fractured, if not entirely broken. Especially in the costs of medications. I will continue to buy my own medications anywhere I can find them at the best price. After all, how many of these products are really manufactured in the US? My guess is damn few. I read recently that a very significant fraction of all medications are manufactured in Ireland -- of all places! I don't think our government will stop cross-border purchases. If it didn't happen under George Bush, it is not likely to happen under Obama. Thanks for your links -- I am already on the mailing list for FDA pharmaceutical info. Every time a US drug goes off-patent, I receive a notification. Thanks for your valuable contributions to this mailing list, earle * > In article, J <xewsnswex@nalid;"no> wrote: > > [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > earle > *** Brain to finger miscommunication and failure to review post before posting. Sorry, Earle. It's the Cdn government ( & Customs) was supposed to be trying to stop cross border shopping. I expect they have higher priorities now. But don't take my word for it. This dated 2007 has comparisons. It says our generics are more expensive http://www.fraserinstitute.org/commerce.web/product_files/costburden2.pdf I'm glad to hear you've solved your problem and (are) keeping informed from the FDA. J |
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