TEST STRIPS

[catherinecherub]

The manufacturers of test strips must be seeing a slow decline in profits as more and more PCT's are reducing the monthly amount prescribed or, in some cases, refusing to prescribe them.

Does this mean that their price will fall allowing diabetics to purchase their own or are these companies able to absorb this loss?

All answers, cynical or otherwise gratefully accepted.

Regards, Catherine.

 

[gillyh]

Doubt they'll put the prices down. Especially when they make so much money out of them. They probably have the foresight to see that there are more diabetics being diagnosed every year so the profits will start to roll in in the future. Forward planning? :twisted:

 

[caitycakes1]

I don't think they are experiencing much of a decline at all. The burden of cost has just moved from NHS to the patient as I think many many more type 2's who can't get them on prescription are having to self fund. It's a total disgrace.

Caitycakes x

 

[Trinkwasser]

If demand falls they will put the price UP to maintain profits.

Look at the number of OTC meds which come in at just below the price of a prescription.

One wonders if the manufacturers have any leverage on prescribing policy, the NHS get a comparatively massive discount, OTC sales are at full price (well obviously the big pharmacy chains will get a discount but nothing like the NHS).

 

[jopar]

I can't see the maufacturers losing money because of PCT's cutting back of prescribing test strips to T2 diabetics, testing regimes have changed a lot, T1's are testin more than they ever did before, they have gone from testing 5 times a week to 5+ times a day! Then add those that are using insulin pumps ans test anywhere around the 10 times a day.

Comparing the OTC prices of some medication to the pescriptiion charges really can't be done, as it has always been the same that some medication will cost less than the charge made, but other medication will and does cost a lot more than the charge... But this was has always been the same, it is a method to spreed the overall cost of medication being prescribed with out hitting the patient individualy...

 

[witan]

The issue of the cost of test strips is actually simply one of marketing policy.

I am involved in marketing of other types of scientific instruments and can judge the likely cost of manufacture of test strips - probably fractions of one pence! Whereas the meters (even if manufactured in low-cost economies -China or India?) will cost tens of pounds each.

However these companies know they have a dependant and growing customer base that will always be doing more tests. So the meters can be virtually given away (as often they are) with the diabetic customer (or NHS) then locked into buying the test strips for the life of the meter. With all the company's profit being made from the test strips.

Hence the more meters an individual company can get into the market the more profit they will make from the test strips - just like ink jet printers and replacement cartridges, razors and replacement blades etc.

This is the complete opposite to what is good for the patient and possibly the NHS too.

To pay a proper economic price for the meter and get the test strips at a fraction of the price (how about £5 for 50?) would encourage more testing and better control - Oh but that might mean less drugs are sold and of course many of the meter/test strip suppliers are also drug companies.

Perhaps there is a good business opportunity for an honest independant manufacturere of meters and test strips to ensure real 'free market' conditioons can prevail...

 

[Jenny]

I have mentioned elsewhere - the Chemist mark-up on a box of strips is 175% above what the charge is to the NHS. Can anyone find out what price the strips are at the Chemist level? We might well find that the manufacturers are not the culprits.

 

[Trinkwasser]

Comparing the OTC prices of some medication to the pescriptiion charges really can't be done, as it has always been the same that some medication will cost less than the charge made, but other medication will and does cost a lot more than the charge... But this was has always been the same, it is a method to spreed the overall cost of medication being prescribed with out hitting the patient individualy...

No you're missing the point i was making. I know having had private prescriptions from a dentist that antibiotics actually cost pennies for example.

Look at it the other way round, a drug that costs pennies to make and is available on precription or OTC: they will set the OTC price slightly below the prescription price so it isn't really much cheaper for the patient, and much more profitable for the manufacturer. The NHS will pay a lot less, maybe a 50% discount, so this encourages doctors to tell the patients to buy OTC rather than have it prescribed to "save" money - and doubles the manufacturer's profit.

 

[broads]

All I can say is that I have bought a monitor without my nurse advising me to do so and have also paid for test strips. After spending hours, no days on this forum I thought it best to get one. I think the price of test strips absolutely rediculous. If we paid what they were worth many of us would buy our own and not bother with prescriptions. Sorry am a newby to this but am boiling with the cost.

 

[sugarless sue]

I wish someone would invent one with reusable strips.

 

[gillyh]

At the moment I have no trouble getting my test strips on prescription. Just renewed my prepaid prescription charge too. Costs a fortune but would be even more if paid for each prescription. i've started testing more often too due to having hypos and feeling 'out of sorts'.

 

[Jenny]

My understanding is that if you are diabetic prescriptions in the UK are free. I recall being told by the Nursing Sister that I would not need to for my scrips in future. She looked shocked when I said that mine were already free and she asked what else was wrong with me. I replied 'old age, I am over 60'.

 

[sugarless sue]

If you are a diabetic on diabetic medications then your 'scripts are free,however if you are diabetic on diet only then you have to pay for your test strips via prescription charges.

 

[Trinkwasser]

Perhaps there is a good business opportunity for an honest independant manufacturere of meters and test strips to ensure real 'free market' conditioons can prevail...

Nice idea - but I suspect the cost of actually developing and building one will be far outweighed by the cost of getting Approval in the countries you hope to market in. Free market is only free if you have enough money

 

[hanadr]

I feel a letter to the House of Lords coming on.
When I do it, I'll post a copy. I think I'll need to send by snail mail and copies to all the people involed in that debate. Hunting up the right emails may be difficult

 

[dad101255]

Hi, I was totally baboozled by all the fuss about test strips. I can really understand all you guys who pay being totally up in arms but I've only just become aware of the problem. I've been Diabetic for nearly forty years but have only just discovered the website. I have always had a NHS PRESCRIPTION CHARGE EXEMPTION card, under the heading 'Medical Exemption'. My GP prescribes my every need, I go to my local pharmacy who hand over my prescription totally free. I would ask your GP or local pharmacy about this, I think you could save yourself heaps. Best of luck with it.

 

[sugarless sue]

Yes but if you are type 2 on diet only you are not eligible for free prescriptions.

 

[Trinkwasser]

Postcode prescribing.

The other side of the county you can get test strips prescribed (but you don't get told what to do with the results), down the road you can get a maximum of 50/month by doing a LOT of screaming and keeping watch for when they are removed from your repeats and doing *more* screaming, here you can't get any at all.

It'd be really interesting to see regional variations in results, A1c, lipids, BP etc.

 

[hanadr]

The latest price I have for Freestyle test strips from Abbott Diabetes care is £14.60 including P&P.
Last time i enquired at a pharmacy, the same pack of 50 strips was£25. I bet Boots pay less than £14.60. I make that a differential of about 170%

 

[goji]

The latest price I have for Freestyle test strips from Abbott Diabetes care is £14.60 including P&P.
Last time i enquired at a pharmacy, the same pack of 50 strips was£25. I bet Boots pay less than £14.60. I make that a differential of about 170%

Couldn't we set up as a distributor ourselves, buy test strips at cost price and then pass the savings on to the consumer? We could be called the Diabetics Collective or some such name.