• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Test strips on Ebay

  • Thread starter Thread starter bolders
  • Start Date Start Date
B

bolders

Guest
Is it morally acceptable to sell test strips that have been issued on prescription on Ebay?
While I am aware that for a lot of type 2 sufferers this is sometimes the only way to obtain them I was just interested in peoples attitudes to those that sell them.
 
No, I don't think it is right, as the NHS is struggling with funds as it is, and to make money from a free prescription issued in good faith by the doctor is morally wrong.
Many diabetics can't get a prescription for test strips at all, so why should some greedy person gain from using the NHS's money and our taxes?
As far as I'm concerned e-bay shouldn't be allowing this, although to be fair, it is almost impossible to police the sellers as some could be genuine in that for example, they have strips they bought for a glucose meter that they no longer use, and wish to sell them on.

It's all about your personal conscience I suppose, but many sellers don't sell the strips any cheaper than you can get them direst from Abbot for example. Buyer beware!
 
Having previously sold strips on ebay Im on the other side of the fence (I changed meter on advice from consultant) I would rather they be used than returned to pharmicy where they WILL be destroyed no questions!
 
Engineer, I think that's OK - you are only using up what was given to you before you changed your meter. :)

What for me is wrong are those who continue to keep getting prescriptions from their doctor, knowing full well that they have no intention of ever using them, and only want to make money from them. This is morally unacceptable in my opinion.
 
Luna21 said:
What for me is wrong are those who continue to keep getting prescriptions from their doctor, knowing full well that they have no intention of ever using them, and only want to make money from them. This is morally unacceptable in my opinion.
Click to expand...


Quite agree Luna, I've just got given a new meter to try but will use up my current strips for my USB before switching over, I'd sooner give them away to a fellow diabetic than sell them on at the expense of the NHS whilst lining my own pockets, if people were genuinely selling them on to donate the money to a diabetes charity then that would be fine IMHO, however proving that this is the case when buying from someone on the likes of ebay is difficult to verify.
 
Although morally wrong in many ways the loss to the NHS could be construed as nil. The eBay purchaser is paying for these out of his own pocket and is, presumably, a diabetic who needs them. The NHS paid for them in the first place but hasn't had to fund the ultimate diabetic user. That user may have been denied strips by his GP. I bought quite a few packs from eBay before I went onto insulin and now have them prescribed (I was a 'T2' on tablets). I'm still using them up and haven't had to use the prescription yet.
 
Back
Top