Pharmacia

[Lyric]

Just looking for a steer for the right direction the situation is worthy of notice.

The Pharmacia behind the bus station in Torrox Costa will not now sell Generic product without prescription.
Ibuprofen 400g a typical OTC drug. Generic pack is 1€98 and brand is 5€+ they refuse to sell Generic without scrip.
My wife has just had the same with Omeprazol 20 a refusal to sell generic just the brand.
The brand is twice the price and 20 tablets rather than 28.
The staff have been instructed thus.

I wonder where a complaint should be directed or, assuming they have one, if an entry in the complaints book would be sufficient.

Wife won, refusing to leave and being irate.

In the meantime you are warned .... the other Pharmacia by the double Repsol gives you what you request.

[El Cid]

Simple - go to another pharmacist. They are free to sell what they like, you have no right to complain. It’s a bit like going into M&S as asking for a bottle of Lidl ketchup.

Sid

[Wicksey]

I think you should still have the choice to have the generic brand, Sid. It's not a trading name unique to a particular chain of stores. I don't think you should be forced to pay for a brand. If they were on the shelf like in the UK supermarkets you'd have that freedom of choice. I won't go in there if that is the case, or otherwise I'll do the same as Mrs L and walk out. There is sometimes a huge price difference between the two types. We usually take the old packet and ask for the same, so we'll see next time we need something

[El Cid]

Of course you would like to have the choice, but my point is that you cannot insist on it. It is an independent retailer, even though it is a pharmacy and they have the right to sell what they wish to.

Just vote with your feet.

On the subject of OTC Ibuprofen, it is a drug often overused and can have very serious consequences. Take it for too long and your kidneys will expire with serios problems!

Sid

[Cádiz]

I would suggest you get whatever you need on a piece of Doctors headed with no date.
I suggested this to a friend who is a walking chemist a few years ago.
He brings to pharmacy and asks for whatever.
They kept the original document and can print a new one with a date if requested for recent script.

[Wicksey]

Prescriptions are usually done electronically and only accessible by the farmacia via the health card. Occasionally the Dr does print out a copy of the prescription if there are special instructions, but if they are saying they want a prescription then I guess it will have to be on your card, or a private one from a private Dr.

[Lyric]

Cid has the answer for me, already implemented, go elsewhere plenty to go at.

[firsttango]

After 20 years still amazed by the low price of some of the OTC medicines in Spain......just got 2 Ventolin inhalers, 1 x Omeprazol, 1 x Sumial............total price €8.84