French prescription/British pharmacy

[PossumGirl]

I know the question of getting a UK prescription filled in France has come up several times, but has anyone had the situation in reverse? 

There's a prescription I was taking in the U.S. that, although approved for sale in France is not being commercialized here (pharmaceutical house feels drug prices are too low to bother with), but IS available in the UK, Germany and Scandinavia.  My local doc is happy to write me a script if I can get it filled.

I have friends who travel back and forth quite frequently and would be happy to pick up the medication for me, but I wonder if anyone knows if a British pharmacist would be willing to honor a prescription from France?

TIA

PG

[Sunday Driver]

Here is an extract from the British Pharmaceutical Society Guidelines regarding the supply of prescription only medicines to overseas patients.  I've highlighted in bold the parts which appear relevent to your situation: 

"Supplying medicines to patients overseas carries particular risk. There may be differences in a product’s licensed name, indications for use or the recommended dosage regimen. In addition, there may not be appropriate follow up care available to the patient. While there is provision within legislation to allow medicines to be exported, professional requirements must be followed to minimise risk.

Supply against a prescription:

Pharmacists must be satisfied of the following before supplying to an overseas patient:

...... that the prescription is legally valid - the prescriber must be registered and authorised to prescribe in the UK.

While a prescription issued, or countersigned, by a UK registered prescriber for an overseas patient may be legally valid, the General Medical Council advises that doctors only prescribe drugs or treatment (including repeat prescriptions) when they have adequate knowledge of a patient’s health and medical needs. Given this, pharmacists also need to be satisfied of the appropriateness of dispensing such a prescription and are advised to contact the prescriber to ascertain their reasons for prescribing for a patient abroad and satisfy themselves that there has been an appropriate clinical assessment of the patient. "

[PossumGirl]

Thanks, SD.  After talking about it with my doc this morning, I've decided to try a higher dosage of something that is similar and available here (the lower dosage didn't help when I tried it before).  Mostly because if there is no contract between the pharmaceutical company and SECU, it won't be reimbursed.  I know how much it cost in the States, and can't imagine it being that much less in the UK, so no way I could pay for it out of pocket on a regular basis.

In fact, my neurologist in L.A. was happy to keep prescribing it for me, even after I moved, but I just couldn't afford to keep buying it.

I do understand the Pharmacists and Medical Council being cautious, as they do need to protect themselves as well as the patients.

PG