Question for Canadian, British, Aussie, and other non-US posters about drug names

[txtiger]

I am going back and forth with my pharmacy insurance right now about them raising the price on the brand name of one of my E drugs, and it's gotten me wondering how things work outside the US. I often see you posting the names of your meds as the generic name. Are you taking the generic version, or is the drug commonly referred to by your doctor by its generic name? For example, I may see someone referring to their lamotrigine. Has your doctor prescribed you the generic, is the brand (Lamictal) called by its generic name in your pharmacy system, or something else altogether? I know the American healthcare system is extremely expensive, but I have absolutely no knowledge of how it works in other countries.

I'm curious, so please enlighten me!

 

[CQ:)]

Hi Txtiger

I'm Aussie, I'm on 3 epilepsy meds & a cholestoral med.
I'm on Zonegran (brand)
Tegretol (brand)
Levetiracetam (Generic name for Keppra).
Crosuva (which is the cholestoral med but I'm on the generic for that)


When I was originally prescribed Keppra it was brand name but one day the chemist gave me generic instead. I wouldnt take it until I checked with my epilepsy nurse because I'd never taken generic before. She checked with their pharmacy who confirmed it would be fine so I ended up switching to generic.

I've been lucky I've never had any issues with meds & the generic keppra works the same as the brand.

Our meds are probably a little bit cheaper over here as well, we get a little bit of help from the governments health system Medicare. Some meds (not all) are covered by something called PBS (Pharmacy Benefit Scheme) which means the government will cover the cost of some of the meds. All my epilepsy meds are covered. If they are generic then they are sometimes cheaper as well.

If you are on some sort of benefit eg pension, unemployment you get a healthcare card which helps you with some things medication being one. When I wasnt working & had a health care card my meds cost me aout $6.50 each time I got them.

Now my epilepsy meds are about $40 each and the cholestoral med about $17. I dont complain because I know it would be a lot more if I had to pay full price & I've read about how expensive your health system is.

 

[Freda]

We're in England and my daughters drugs are usually generic - levetiracetam and lamotrigine, although she has had Keppra and Lamictal from the hospital on occasion it's usually generic and always generic from an outside pharmacy. It's much the same with most drugs over here because it's cheaper for the NHS to buy generic brands.
You don't pay for prescriptions if you're epileptic here - the rest of us pay £8.80 per item.