Medication Packaging

[boatbuilder]

I didn't know whether or not to post this in the 'Moan' topic but in the end decided to put it here in a new topic.

One of the things I find most annoying is the variations in how prescription tablets are packaged.

My wife is on quite a few different medications and I have just collected a repeat prescription for some of them. This example is not the only one where I find they are packaged differently but I am using it as the example for a reason which will become clear.

When she was first prescribed this specific tablet about two years ago it came in a SILVER blister pack of 28 tablets as shown in the picture below. Over the two years it might have been in different boxes because of the chemist using different manufacturers/suppliers but the packs inside were always similar. When I collected a repeat prescription two months ago I found that the pack had completely changed to a 7-tablet BROWN blister pack shown in the picture. Today when I collected the latest prescription they appeared to have gone back to the original blister packs. Well so I thought, until I opened one of the boxes and found it was a mixture of blister packs. Two of the three boxes each contained two 28 strips of the tablets in the original silver packs but the third box contained 26 tablets in 'off-cuts' of silver strips plus 28 tablets in a GREEN blister pack as shown in the picture and an 'off-cut' of just 2 tablets in a BROWN blister pack.

I think it is time different manufacturers of prescription medications were made to standardise the packs of their tablets for the same tablet. Surely there are people out there who must get confused when they receive packs that change from prescription to prescription, let alone different packs within the same box.

[frankiesays]

I have the same moan BB. Mine keep changing and on occasions I have sent in a repeat prescription only to find that I had plenty of the drug left but not only were the packs different but the capsules were a different colour too. Trouble is several manufacturers make the same drug but give it a different name and package it differently even though technically it is the same drug.

[Suffolkboy]

Monday this week I visited our local Vet to purchase some Front line pipettes which I administer to Abbey behind her head,this liquid kills the Ticks which are still around due to the warm weather.I ordered a pack of six as they did not have any in stock much to my surprise .Today I called into the Vet to collect the 6 pack and paid by credit card which came to more than £46,on picking up the pack I noticed it only contained 3 which I was quick to point out. The young lady checked her record on line and yes it said I ordered a pack of 6 and they assure me they will order the other 3 which hopefully will be in tomorrow.
This last year I have had other incidence of wrong change being placed in my hand by checkout staff who always state the correct change total when placing it in my hand,on checking before leaving the till I have found each time there has been a pound short. I have often wondered how many times they try this during the day,simple to remove the pound to balance the till,could be a nice little earner.

[boatbuilder]

SB, you might find them a lot cheaper through the Amazon website here, in future.

[Suffolkboy]

SB, you might find them a lot cheaper through the Amazon website here, in future.

I knew if I sent away they would be cheaper,however not as cheap as Amazon are selling them. That's what I get for being loyal to our local vet,I would add I had decided I was going to try the chemist next time,looks like it will be Amazon now.

[frankiesays]

How old is Abbey in doggie years SB? Does she qualify for free prescriptions when she reaches 60?

[Suffolkboy]

How old is Abbey in doggie years SB? Does she qualify for free prescriptions when she reaches 60?

Frankie, Abbey is now more than eight years old,sadly no free prescriptions. We have no Grand children just a Grand dog who has the most amazing intelligence,her scent ability never ceases to amaze us and her loyalty is second to none. Like us she is entering her Autumn years of her life and sleeps a lot these days although a walk in the woods will see her springing through the bracken suddenly stopping to allow me to watch the deer which I would have never seen if she hadn't stopped and alerted me to their presence,she is at an age when she no longer chases the deer but stops and looks at me as if to say,"What are these"
Having had Abbey for eight years I realize why the police use the Springer Spaniel breed as sniffer dogs - the breed simply has all the right attributes and we love her to bits.