woolybanana Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 If you go to your local pharmacy and ask for paracetamol, the chances are that you will be offered Doliprane or another, generic make. BUT, if your doctor prescribes paracetamol, it MUST BE Doliprane. No other is acceptable.Why the heck this should be, I do not understand, nor does Le Cour des Comptes which has just issued another damning condemnation of medical spending and the failure of the gorernment to bring it under control.In UK and Germany, 75% and 76% respectively of medicines are generic but in France it is only 24%Sometimes I really weep for this country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 Aren't you a bit mixed up there?If the Doctor prescribes paracetamol it can be the generic, and if the patient insistson a brand then the patient must pay the difference If the Doctor insists that it has to be the brand name then it has to be, but that is the only time that the patient can hope for full reimbursement.http://www.ameli.fr/assures/soins-et-remboursements/combien-serez-vous-rembourse/medicaments-et-vaccins/remboursement-des-medicaments-et-tiers-payant/medicaments-generiques-et-tiers-payant.php Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted September 17, 2014 Author Share Posted September 17, 2014 According to the report from le cour des comptes today ( article in Le Point), if it is paracetamol, the doctor has to prescribe Doliprane, he has no choice.Which is why my doctor tried to prescribe it for me for arthritis pain. Seemed a bit odd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 This suggests that the difference is that a for a générique you don't need to pay anything up frontGénériques sans avance de fraisLes génériques sont remboursés sur prescription comme tout médicament. Votre pharmacien vous propose de substituer un médicament de marque commerciale au profit de son équivalent générique quand il existe. À moins que votre médecin ne le contre-indique en inscrivant à la main sur son ordonnance, en face du médicament concerné, la mention "non substituable". À moins aussi qu'il ne s'agisse de certains médicaments comme les immunosuppresseurs (médicaments pour éviter les rejets de greffe).Si vous acceptez la substitution au profit du générique, vous bénéficiez de plein droit du tiers payant. Ce, partout en France. C'est-à -dire que vous ne payez pas la part du prix du médicament prise en charge par l'Assurance Maladie.Marques commerciales avec avance de frais Vous pouvez éventuellement refuser la substitution. Vous aurez alors à payer le médicament qui vous sera remboursé ultérieurement.Votre médecin traitant et votre pharmacien peuvent répondre à vos questions sur les génériques. Votre pharmacien porte, par exemple, une attention particulière au fait de vous délivrer le même générique pour les traitements au long cours.De même il vous prévient quand la forme ou l'aspect d'un médicament générique est modifié afin de vous aider à bien suivre votre traitement. Alors, n'hésitez surtout pas à leur demander leur avis. Pensez à discuter avec eux de l'intérêt des médicaments génériques pour votre traitement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YCCMB Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 Jeez...fancy anyone having to get a prescription for paracetamol, with all the overhead involved. At least most sensible GP's in the UK will just say "buy yourself some paracetamol"! And with Tesco etc., offering their own brand for around 55p for 16, that's understandable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted September 17, 2014 Author Share Posted September 17, 2014 I remember some elderly retired peasant neighbours of mine doing a war dance of anger and pain when told they would have to pay 1euro per medication prescribed. So, any suggestion that anyone should pay much at all is automatically rejected. That it might be unfair just gets an Ouf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 Similar situation with aspirin. The only kind you can get on prescription is Kardegic - together with superfluous packaging.Seems some pharmaceutical companies have a stranglehold, as have the pharmacies. Supermarkets etc can't sell over the counter meds, and there's no french equivalent to Boots, Superdrug, Lloyds etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 Still one can get Doliprane suppositories in France[:D], try asking for those in Boots! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suein56 Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 [quote user="woolybanana"] BUT, if your doctor prescribes paracetamol, it MUST BE Doliprane. No other is acceptable.Why the heck this should be, I do not understand ... [/quote]Me neither as my OH was prescribed paracetamol and it is definitely not Doliprane but Biogaran 1g :as here : http://www.vidal.fr/Medicament/paracetamol_biogaran-64680.htmWhen I have been prescribed paracetamol then it is Dafalgan though now the arthritis is worse I am on Dafalgan paracetamol codéine.OH and I have different Doctors at the same medical centre.Do you think this difference in prescribing might be a matter of geography, if not then what ?Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 1) I am certain that this is lazy (and inaccurate) reporting by Le Point who have a neocon liberal agenda.It is true however that France is behind in the take up of generic medecins2) Nobody needs a prescription for paracetamol in France. You can just buy it by name as the générique over the counterhttp://www.pharma-medicaments.com/media/3638163__043859700_1441_22042013.jpg3) If a Doctor does prescribe it the pharmacie is only obliged to give you a brand if the Doctor has marked the brand names as 'non subtitutable' on the precription in handwriting, or you insist on it.4) In the latter case there will be delays in being reimbursed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre ZFP Posted September 18, 2014 Share Posted September 18, 2014 [quote user="idun"]Still one can get Doliprane suppositories in France[:D], try asking for those in Boots![/quote]What has your footwear got to do with it ? [8-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted September 18, 2014 Share Posted September 18, 2014 I'll watch what I am saying................. try asking for those in a chemist shop!!!!!!!!! better?[Www]21p for 16 tablets in Asda today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basquesteve Posted September 18, 2014 Share Posted September 18, 2014 Still one can get Doliprane suppositories in France try asking for those in Boots! I tried these totally useless. For what they were worth may as well shoved them up my ############## Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sueyh Posted September 21, 2014 Share Posted September 21, 2014 I bet they did not taste too good either !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitway Posted October 4, 2014 Share Posted October 4, 2014 Mrs P is regularly prescribed paracetamol, it is not doliprane, but dafalgan, Think Betty said just go and buy it, in the UK yes, as you would have to pay the set fee for a prescription (no idea how much that is these days), but here the secu/mutual pay for it. I personally think paracetamol should be taken off the list and you should pay for it, it costs 1.90€. I have boxes of the bloomin things in the drawer I have to refuse them when I go to get Mrs P's important medicine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted October 4, 2014 Share Posted October 4, 2014 pitway, you don't have to pay the prescription set fee in the UK for paracetamol, they are over the counter drugs, just as they are in France and as I said are 21p for 16 in Asda, which would hardly break the bank.In fact when I lived in France, I would take paracetmol back to France and so that I would not need a prescription from my toubib, and I told him why I always had them at home and did not need a prescription. The secu had a big enough black hole years ago, never mind now.Also, over 60's get free prescriptions in the UK. And for those who need regular prescriptions of more than two things a month, then there is an annual fee for all prescriptions of just £102 and it is possible to pay this monthly. AND that is far cheaper than any mutalist I know of! Also for three months prescriptions it is £29.10. Even with dental costs, frankly the NHS, with it's odd charge, is a LOT cheaper than paying a mutualist, unless ofcourse IF one works for a big company who subsidises one's mutualist, but then you'll pay extra impots on your income. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitway Posted October 4, 2014 Share Posted October 4, 2014 Sorry didn't get my point over correctly, A doc prescribing parcetomol in the UK is a no go as they are just so cheap over the counter as you have said, so why pay the prescription rate. I think it should be same here, if you need paracetamol the doc should just tell you to go and buy it as I said it is only 1.90€, but for the moment and as long as the insurances are willing to pay up. Imagine how many packs of paracetamol are prescribed it must be enormous. At the end of the day we still are paying for them out of our social payments and top upsAs an aside, the big problem here in France is the insurance system, as long as they keep paying out nothing will change, look at glasses, I got 550 euros on my insurance , the girl in the shop said my insurance (obligatory through my employer) was very generous. as long as this type of system continues opticians have no reason to even try and be competitive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted October 4, 2014 Share Posted October 4, 2014 [:)] And that is why I mentioned that my french GP knew not to prescribe paracetamol for us, as I was always stocked up.Stores in the UK will only allow a couple of boxes of paracetamol at a time, I think that they really are allowed to issue more, but they don't. Nannying....... again! Still some things are not allowed to be sold over the counter in France, and that is as bad! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitway Posted October 4, 2014 Share Posted October 4, 2014 Not sure how much you follow news in France but the pharmacies went on strike earlier this week, because the like of lecerc want to be able to sell these common products, I think I heard on the radio lecerc have been campaigning for 15 years to be allowed to do this. Now all that says to me is the pharmacies are making bucks from this type of medicine!. I take a medicine everyday, from the pharmacy it is 756.57per month! When I go to the specialist at the hospital every 3 months I get my months supply from the hospital pharmacy 690.00€ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 Yes, I know about that. I watch french news most evenings. And I started a thread about this strike.Wow, that is a lot on medecines. I now take a few things each day and have asked my UK pharmacie how much these things cost, but they don't tell me. I would like to know and will ask next time I go. I like to know how much things cost. Still knowing how much things cost has never put one person I know in France off wanting their medecine, or tests, whatever they may desire to be done. These days I know that they have to wait to get appointments, but wait they do. I'm just nosey that is all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitway Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 [quote user="idun"]Wow, that is a lot on medecines. [/quote]not plural! 1 pill per day just 1 months supply shocking!! I've been on them for nearly 10 years, I will leave you to do the maths!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted October 5, 2014 Author Share Posted October 5, 2014 Surely they will let you have more than a month's supply at a time? I get three months at one go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 A quick poll, are there any others on this forum that are in good health and dont take any medicines or pills daily and who dont visit the médecin except for these obligatory medical certificates that clubs etc insist you have just to breath air?I ask because 5 years ago at a 50th birthday party someone asked the question of me "how many types of medication was I on per day?" and just could not believe that my answer was none, and had always been none, I in turn was totally shocked to hear from the rest of the group, all around 50 and my peers from my 20's all took a cocktail of médications, most were diabetic and all generally in very poor health compared to myself, yet these were all strong fit healthy and sporty guys in their 20's when I knew them, far more so than myself.What I hear constantly from the French, 99% of whom have only ever visited the UK once for less than a week was that you would die if you were ever ill in the UK, the health service is so bad, and they really believe it to be so. On closer examination they all found some reason to have to consult a doctor while there and were shocked and totally dissapointed to be told "its nothing serious, you will be fine in a few days" and to not be prescribed loads of different medicines. I cant get my head around that seemingly every one needed to see a doctor in less than one week, other than the medical certificates I see one perhaps once every 4 years on average. And its not just the UK either, when the French talk about their holidays it seems essential to describe how they fell ill and how they were treated compared to that in France, I get the impression that its an integral part of their expectations and they would feel hard done by if they didnt experience such an important (for them) part of a foreign culture.Whilst I am moaning about the constant need for medical certificates for the most banal things like ping pong or walking in a group, I have started running in compétitions, 5km, 10kms and half marathons, whilst I understand the need for a medical certificate as in our own marathon 2 years ago one Young guy dropped dead crossing the finishing line the clubs are now insisting that my certificate be less than 3 months old, now that is a bit too rich for me, to have to make 4 appointments a year and pay close to €100, they tell me that I should just ask the médecin to do one while I am there for something else, they cannot comprehend that I have no need to visit more than every few years, they all go at least 4 times a year. In any case I have been submitting a certificate 4 years old with my inscription for the races this year and no-one has ever picked up that it is out of date [:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonzjob Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 [quote user="basquesteve"]Still one can get Doliprane suppositories in France try asking for those in Boots! I tried these totally useless. For what they were worth may as well shoved them up my ##############[/quote]That's a dangerous thing to say Steve. I had to take one before a minor op about 20 or so years back and after 3-ish inquiries from the nurse about the reaction I said the same thing. She was totally shocked until I burst out laughing. She then thumped me [:-))]In a BUPA hospital too [:-))][:-))]This may be worth a read for osteoarthritis sufferers?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerdesal Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 'Surely they will let you have more than a month's supply at a time? I get three months at one go.'Mrs PD has to take medication daily, the Doc will give a prescription for 3 months but the Pharmacy will only issue one month at a time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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