unlicenced specials and sfo enquiry

[anupsodha]

I fear as owners of retail pharmacy we have to admit that the loophole with no tariffs on unlicensed specials and the current ludicrous situation where we get paid for whatever we bill is going to be short lived. Clearly we have benefited but some points for people to think about.

1, if you have been getting discounts or rebates or whatever arrangements you have had with your wholesaler or supplier for financial incentives eg self billed professional services from XXXXXXXXXXX, please ensure that you are not endorsing DNG if you have received any
2, watch out for very high prices - pcts are actively showing doctors what they are getting charged from local pharmacy and this is not good PR.
3, if you do get asked about rebates some clean.
4, get a dialogue going with lpc and pct to see how you can can help reduce prices ( i know this goes against the grain, but this is very important PR)

anup

[bobbin]

I fear as owners of retail pharmacy we have to admit that the loophole with no tariffs on unlicensed specials and the current ludicrous situation where we get paid for whatever we bill is going to be short lived. Clearly we have benefited but some points for people to think about.

1, if you have been getting discounts or rebates or whatever arrangements you have had with your wholesaler or supplier for financial incentives eg self billed professional services from XXXXXXXXXXX, please ensure that you are not endorsing DNG if you have received any
2, watch out for very high prices - pcts are actively showing doctors what they are getting charged from local pharmacy and this is not good PR.
3, if you do get asked about rebates some clean.
4, get a dialogue going with lpc and pct to see how you can can help reduce prices ( i know this goes against the grain, but this is very important PR)

anup

You're certainly right that it's not good PR. The problem is, unlicensed specials are among the few items that pharmacies can get a good discount on.

Do you know whether short-line wholesalers such as Lexon and A1 pharma offer good discount on dressings?

[anupsodha]

Lexon are and A1 are as good as any shortlineners and independents. I am biased and I think people should support shortliners and independent wholesalers as I am not sure the monopolistic behaviour of full liners ( or one full line wholesaler left now) has helped us.

do you use either of them? any comments?

[Pharmanaut]

You're certainly right that it's not good PR. The problem is, unlicensed specials are among the few items that pharmacies can get a good discount on.

Discount on certain items such as dressings is often poor. Do you know whether short-line wholesalers such as Lexon and A1 pharma offer good discount on dressings?

It seems to me that as long as you don't endorse 'DNG' you are are 'working within the rules'.
The tariff discount scale then kicks in, and you get to keep the difference and things are as they always were.

As for 'working within the rules' - that's what our esteemed Members of Parliament do, so why should we be any different.

[bobbin]

Lexon are and A1 are as good as any shortlineners and independents. I am biased and I think people should support shortliners and independent wholesalers as I am not sure the monopolistic behaviour of full liners (or one full line wholesaler left now) has helped us.

Even Alliance/UniChem won't be 'full line' soon because Lilly have decided that from Summer this year they will only be distributing their products via AAH and Phoenix!

What sort of products can be obtained cheaper from short-liners than from Phoenix/AAH/UniChem? Are any products likely to be more expensive from short-liners? I'm wondering about minimum order charges and things like that.

Bobbin

[bobbin]

It seems to me that as long as you don't endorse 'DNG' you are are 'working within the rules'.
The tariff discount scale then kicks in, and you get to keep the difference and things are as they always were.

As for 'working within the rules' - that's what our esteemed Members of Parliament do, so why should we be any different.

I agree....... but what I meant was that it's not good PR to use a supplier which charges £200 for some GTN ointment (or whatever) when some other company might do it for £30.

[lamzee]

I agree....... but what I meant was that it's not good PR to use a supplier which charges £200 for some GTN ointment (or whatever) when some other company might do it for £30.

But you get a better kickback from 200 than 30... Sod the PR--phone up the GPs and ask if you can join in their fourball at golf instead...

[bobbin]

But you get a better kickback from 200 than 30... Sod the PR...

Oh I know. It does help to make up for the lost income due to category M, Discovery products, crappy discounts thanks to direct-to-pharmacy schemes etc etc...

[DavidS]

What sort of products can be obtained cheaper from short-liners than from Phoenix/AAH/UniChem? Are any products likely to be more expensive from short-liners? I'm wondering about minimum order charges and things like that.

Bobbin

Not usually any order charges, although some will refuse to deliver under a certain amount.

Parallel imports, generics, short-dated products, discontinued pack sizes e.g. tetrapaks of Ensure etc (although size difference) are the main ones.

Do be careful though, as some generics are now more expensive than the brand, e.g. Phyllocontin and Aminophylline SR, since the price reductions in Feb.

[bobbin]

Not usually any order charges, although some will refuse to deliver under a certain amount.

Parallel imports, generics, short-dated products, discontinued pack sizes e.g. tetrapaks of Ensure etc (although size difference) are the main ones.

Do be careful though, as some generics are now more expensive than the brand, e.g. Phyllocontin and Aminophylline SR, since the price reductions in Feb.

Thanks David,

I guess some companies have a minimum order value of say, £100 or so.

If you order over the phone, are the customer service staff normally able to tell you the expiry date of the stock? eg. for PIs.