Funding discounted testing strips, eBay

[Tinmis]

I read a lot about what the NHS should be funding, and realistically how cash strapped the system is. So I decided to fund my own accu check testing strips. Half the price problem is they are only sold at inflated retail prices.
I recently started purchasing via eBay and on average can get 50 strips for £12 as apposed to £20 plus. The disappoint part is you can see on some of the boxes were the seller has torn off the prescription label.

I.e. The NHS provided them, they haven't been used and sold via eBay. I bought 4 boxes, so a tidy profit for no outlay.

 

[bulkbiker]

I use the SD Codefree as do many here ... strips are £7.99 for 50 and you get discounts the more you buy. I get them from Home Health on eBay. Cheaper and no dodgy sellers. Also free delivery.

 

[Shar67]

This is a common question often asked.
When you have a prescription for needles, strips and lancets, the doctor doesn't just give you an indefinite number, they take into account how many times you inject and test.
If you change your meter (recently GPs have changed patients meters in several areas) then you may have obsolete strips and or lancets. If you take them back to the chemist, they are send to landfill (they cannot restock them).
Or if a person dies, what do you do with them
I myself put no longer needed strips on here, but if no one wanted them, surely it would be better to sell than throw away. Maybe if we look at the good in people we could believe they give some money to diabetes or pancreas charities.

Just as a footnote NHS doesn't pay retail price for items.

 

[TorqPenderloin]

Just be happy that £20 is what you consider "inflated retail prices." In the US, 100 accu-chek test strips costs $190.

 

[Bluetit1802]

Just be happy that £20 is what you consider "inflated retail prices." In the US, 100 accu-chek test strips costs $190.

Blimey, that is steep.

 

[Brunneria]

I buy my own direct from the manufacturer (Homehealth, SD Codefree) at £6.50 ish for 50 strips.

I decided never to buy off eBay.
- if they are sold by diabetics who are not using their strips, they are defrauding the NHS
- if they are knockoffs or sourced from China, they have travelled in uncontrolled heat which may affect performance
- they often have short dates

And, as an extra point, I pay for my own prescriptions (not being on D meds) but buying a 50 strip pot of SD Codefree strips works out at less than a prescription charge.
I consider that an all-round-win.

 

[Robbity]

There are genuine sellers on eBay and I'm usually able to use them to buy my strips. If you do a little checking it's possible to get a fair idea who's selling discounted commercial stock, and who's not.

But as already stated there are also genuine reasons why prescription packs may be sold. Another one is, apparently, left over packs from testing during gestational diabetes. Which I think was mentioned by another member here during a previous discussion on this topic.

Robbity

 

[Tinmis]

I buy my own direct from the manufacturer (Homehealth, SD Codefree) at £6.50 ish for 50 strips.

I decided never to buy off eBay.
- if they are sold by diabetics who are not using their strips, they are defrauding the NHS
- if they are knockoffs or sourced from China, they have travelled in uncontrolled heat which may affect performance
- they often have short dates

And, as an extra point, I pay for my own prescriptions (not being on D meds) but buying a 50 strip pot of SD Codefree strips works out at less than a prescription charge.
I consider that an all-round-win.

Thanks for tip