I have heard that a new system is up and running in Spain whereby you will not have to go to the doctor for a repeat prescription as the pharmacy will have a database of all your regular medicines and be able to provide them over the counter!!!

I didn't know there was such a thing .... the farmacia gave me back the prescription when I went there, so presume I just go and show it again

They are doing this in GB soon - it is called Electronic prescribing service (EPS).

Hi all!
On the subject of repeat prescriptions, I am on permanent medication, am under retirement age, don't intend to work when we move to Spain. Can anyone tell me what the possition is regarding charges in such circumstances? I was reading a thread not so long ago, and was horrified at the VERY high prices for those particular prescriptions which I currently have an exemption from payment card.
Can any one advise from personal experience please?
Any advice would be very gratefully recieved! Many thanks

In general you have to pay for medications if you are under retirement age. I've been told in general that medicines are reasonable here, but my anti cholesterol tablets were 48 euros for a months tablets.
I'm not sure if you have a registered disability if you get free medicines.

I am not registered disabled, the prescriptions are for anti epileptic drugs. My condition, thank God, is completely controlled by the medication. ( I started having fits at the age of ten, right after having had my hooping cough injection!). The fits were controlled by the age of 15, until the birth of my second child in 1976. I was ok when my first child was born, because given my medication by hospital whilst in labour. With my second, my husband kept telling the nurses I needed my tablets. They kept saying "in a minute". It was a faily long delivery and I missed 3 lots of medication. Needless to say I had a fit, my husband went balistic at them, and I lost my driving licence for 3 years as a result!
But, thankfully nothing since. So you see my reluctance at coming off medication and as I take 2 tablets twice a day, that works out at approx 120 a month. That's what the rattling sound must be!!
I will watch for future rplies with interest

Simvastatin, an anti cholesterol drug which my wife takes, are €6.60 for 28 tablest, one a day for 4 weeks, and you can buy them for that price without prescription, with prescription we pay nothing as we are over retirement age.

wow ... thats useful ... did it work? i.e. has she had a blood test after taking them? I have high LDL Cholesterol .... actually, typing this reply had suddenly made me think, I've pm'd you.

Yes, worked very well, and I've replied to your pm, she started taking them in the UK due to a high Cholesterol, and has just carried on with them in Spain with the Drs approval. She takes Simvastatin.

I found this article about Statins
It makes interesting comparisons between them, also suggest saving money by buying the larger dose tablets and then splitting it in half.
I have read that doing that can alter the tablet so would want more advice on that before doing it.
There was a recent court case in spain that prevented a spanish pharmaceutical company from manufacturing a generic form of Lipitor. Pfizer is very powerful!!
Yvonne

Do you actually need a prescription. I am on Salbutamol Inhaler, a prescribed medicine in the U.K. I can buy it over the counter for just over 4 euros in Spain.

I agree, but as my prescriptions are FREE then I see no reason to going to buy them when I can get the Dr to prescribe them. I used to suffer from Hay Fever when in the UK, no sign of it here tho' and it did, in the past, develop into Asthma, so I always had a ventolin inhaler available, not needed it here, but when I go back to the UK sometime this summer will be getting something similar prescribed as I'm not too sure how I will react now.

My husband is a Class 2 diabetic. He takes Lipitor (astorvasatin) for cholestoral, are you saying it isn't available in Spain? Sorry nothing happened when I clicked on Statins for the article. He also takes Diovan (valsartan) for blood pressure, Metformin for diabetes and soluble aspirin. Can anyone give me an idea of how much these tablets will cost per month please.

Val

The link is to a PDF file and you will nead a PDF reader.
This is a free program HERE just click download, its in the whats new box, then you will be able to view the link.

Hi Mananaman
Do you take the preventer as well (Qvar or Becotide) ? Is this also available over the counter ?
Sue