Survey shows 'staggering' price difference between vets and online pharmacies

RE: Survey shows 'staggering' price difference between vets and online pharmacies

Christopher Probert — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 13:51:14 GMT

This is an issue that is going to plague us as vets until we draw up guideline pricing for professional fees. In South Africa, where i hail from in the now distant past, the SAVA (equiv of BVA) draws up an annual price guideline list, with minimum and maximum fees allowed for every procedure you can care to have listed on your practice system. This is not price fixing, since it has quite a broad range, which allows for variables including socio-economic & overheads. This means that vets can confidently charge within the framework - and if anyone complains - show them in black & white that we are not ripping them off. When will we as vets do this? We certainly cannot continue to rely on markup on drugs and diets and consumables that the public can source cheaper than we can from our wholesalers...

RE: Survey shows 'staggering' price difference between vets and online pharmacies

duncan macwhirter — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 11:46:42 GMT

One client of mine can get a bag of Royal Canin ,delivered, cheaper than my wholesale price without VAT !

maybe it's fallen off the back of a truck?

That's why, I think, we should not discount our intellectual property, by making consultation fees low.Rather lower your drug prices and charge more for your experience and study time.

Duncan

RE: Survey shows 'staggering' price difference between vets and online pharmacies

Hannah Wynne Richards — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 11:24:03 GMT

Harvey's comments are measured and statesmanlike, but as Bob says, that may not be enough to stop the press when they think they have a good story

I would have prefered a much more robust retort, along the lines of "How dare you ctiticise £1million + philanthropists "

The facts are indisputable We needed the same Uni entrance subjects, but higher grades than medical or dental students, so every one of us has turned down the chance to be a doctor or dentist. Comprare average earnings of the 3 professions, make allowances for tax and NI contributions, and assume a 40 year career, and the figures are there-we have given away more than £1,000,000 each in order to be veterinary surgeons

I just wish that FACT could be splashed across the front page of every newspaper

Wynne

RE: Survey shows 'staggering' price difference between vets and online pharmacies

bob butler — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 20:05:28 GMT

thanks,Harvey.maybe that will shut some of them up,but very often the press do not let the truth stand in the way of a good story!