rochari
Well-Known Member
Well over 50 years ago, I was told to always check the colours of the box my insulin came in because it was an easy way when I leave the pharmacy to confirm I’d the right stuff.
The last but one time I picked up my supply the box was completely in the Greek language although some parts of it were over-labelled in English. The colouring and design of the box and the insulin name was spot on. It did bother me a wee bit though.
This morning I collected my next supply. This time the box was enormous, more than twice the size of the usual one, white with no colouring and only large black text with the name of my insulin, some batch numbers and words that said it had been ‘repackaged’. Not happy at all. The pharmacist confirmed it was my insulin though.
Called Lilly who checked the numbering and said it was a valid batch. They also said it looked like the supplier who provides my chemist had begun buying the insulin cheaper in another European country, importing it and then re-packing/labelling. She said it was legal and called parallel importing. Folks here might know about it but it's new to me!
I wish they wouldn’t change things like this because it, for me, is unsettling but maybe that’s just because of my age. It sounds daft but in some ways I now don’t trust the bl**dy insulin I got today even though the cartridges are the same. Next time I’ll ask the pharmacy if they can issue me with what they used to but maybe I just have to take what they give me. I'm finding now though that these days I'm not good with change.
Maybe it will stop when Brexit happens as those imports might cost a lot more.
Rant over!
Bill
The last but one time I picked up my supply the box was completely in the Greek language although some parts of it were over-labelled in English. The colouring and design of the box and the insulin name was spot on. It did bother me a wee bit though.
This morning I collected my next supply. This time the box was enormous, more than twice the size of the usual one, white with no colouring and only large black text with the name of my insulin, some batch numbers and words that said it had been ‘repackaged’. Not happy at all. The pharmacist confirmed it was my insulin though.
Called Lilly who checked the numbering and said it was a valid batch. They also said it looked like the supplier who provides my chemist had begun buying the insulin cheaper in another European country, importing it and then re-packing/labelling. She said it was legal and called parallel importing. Folks here might know about it but it's new to me!
I wish they wouldn’t change things like this because it, for me, is unsettling but maybe that’s just because of my age. It sounds daft but in some ways I now don’t trust the bl**dy insulin I got today even though the cartridges are the same. Next time I’ll ask the pharmacy if they can issue me with what they used to but maybe I just have to take what they give me. I'm finding now though that these days I'm not good with change.
Maybe it will stop when Brexit happens as those imports might cost a lot more.
Rant over!
Bill