Internet Pharmacies / veterinary drug retailers

Re: Internet Pharmacies / veterinary drug retailers

Bob Russell — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 11:46:22 GMT

[quote user="Martin Atkinson"]

[quote user="chris jones"]

just like supermarkets, make a loss on popular products to increase footfall then when you have killed off the competition start increasing prices.

[/quote]

Just to change track a bit - also sounds like some vets' policy on vaccination and neutering costs! Back on track, I had a client today who said she could get Canaural off the internet with no prescription. Despite being a chav she surprised me by saying she didn't want to because a) its illegal, b) it may be a fake and c) it may not be the correct medication this time, I couldn't have preached better myself. Mind you she can't pay her bill until payday next week, perhaps she's really smart and I'm a total sucker.

[/quote]

My line is if it is available without prescription it is definitely illegal and there is a very good chance it is fake. It seems people are not as daft as we think they are!

If these are genuine drugs then the manufacturers should, presumably be able to identify batch numbers and trace the origins and block supplies. If they are so unethical that they continue to allow this then they stand to face a serious backlash from the profession.

Re: Internet Pharmacies / veterinary drug retailers

Martin Atkinson — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 19:19:57 GMT

[quote user="chris jones"]

just like supermarkets, make a loss on popular products to increase footfall then when you have killed off the competition start increasing prices.

[/quote]

Re: Internet Pharmacies / veterinary drug retailers

Bob Russell — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 17:43:21 GMT

[quote user="Malcolm Ness"]

[quote user="Colin Cameron"]For example , a recent price comparison Ubro Red 120 tube bucket from Centaur £198 + VAT. Price on the net £208 inc P&P. Also Previcox 227mg £22.09 +VAT from Centaur for 30 tablets and £25.99 inc VAT , P&P on the net . [/quote]

Not a fan of, or an apologist for the internet pharmacies but if you are comparing prices fairly, you need to factor in your discounts - both the ones you get from the manufactures plus those from the wholesaler. This will reduce the cost of most drugs supplied by about 20% on list price.

[/quote]

We left NVS because they reduced our discount by nearly 2/3rds to bu**er all with almost no notice. Absolutely no chance of getting within a mile of the internet pharmacy. Told NVS to bu**er off and changed to Dunlops!

Re: Internet Pharmacies / veterinary drug retailers

Anonymous — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 10:06:26 GMT

just like supermarkets, make a loss on popular products to increase footfall then when you have killed off the competition start increasing prices.

Re: Internet Pharmacies / veterinary drug retailers

Colin Cameron — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 19:07:44 GMT

[quote user="Malcolm Ness"]you need to factor in your discounts - both the ones you get from the manufactures plus those from the wholesaler.[/quote]

I think the current deal would be that it would cost me £23.36 inc VAT to buy, thus making the enormous gross margin of £2.63 to sell a months supply (1 x box of 30 x 227 mg) of Previcox at the same price as Internet pharmacy. If you take off other associated costs it does not leave a huge amount. I appreciate that some drugs have higher discounts and the real differences in price are smaller but this depends to some extent on high volume sales not always achievable in medium sized practices.

Re: Internet Pharmacies / veterinary drug retailers

Malcolm Ness — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 14:40:33 GMT

Re: Internet Pharmacies / veterinary drug retailers

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 23:48:26 GMT

Way off the subject, but...........

[quote user="Colin Cameron"]Such comments as "It's only Previcox" Or " It's only an antibiotic" do get me angry......[/quote]

Me too.

I explain my plan to the client and administer an injection of Synulox to the patient.

Client: "Woss that, then, just antibiotics I suppose."

I (fixing them with a steely eye and introducing a dangerous tone into my voice): "There is no "just" about it, this is AN antibiotic drug chosen to be suitable for this condition................"

Re: Internet Pharmacies / veterinary drug retailers

Bob Russell — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 12:26:45 GMT

I have no problem with fair competition and they do have a lot of clout! They just want to keep every penny their vets generate rather than see it leak to on-line pharmacies. In view of their share value they need all the income they can get.

I still cannot see how so many on-line suppliers can make a viable economic model without massive economies of scale!

If many of them are run by vets as a side line I think it has done the profession no favours.

Re: Internet Pharmacies / veterinary drug retailers

Graham Bilbrough — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 11:54:09 GMT

It's interesting to see that CVS has an on-line pharmacy too:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/markets/questor/8074598/Questor-share-tip-A-touch-more-animal-magic-is-needed-at-vet-group-CVS.html

http://www.animeddirect.co.uk/Home/About-Us.html

Re: Internet Pharmacies / veterinary drug retailers

Bob Russell — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 11:44:32 GMT

If the on-line suppliers are getting the medicines directly from the manufacturer then this would explain the prices charged being similar to those from our wholesalers.

If our wholesalers are supplying them it has to be at a significantly lower price (ie higher discount). I cannot believe that any business can work on 10-15% margins (wholesaler discounts) unless the turnover is massive. Amazon took years to make a profit despite enormous turnover.

There seem to be almost as many on-line sellers as vets so how can they have these massive turnovers?

Something is just not right. Perhaps buying groups should look at direct purchases for some of the common products and by-pass the wholesalers!!

Re: Internet Pharmacies / veterinary drug retailers

Colin Cameron — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 19:42:53 GMT

For example , a recent price comparison Ubro Red 120 tube bucket from Centaur £198 + VAT. Price on the net £208 inc P&P. Also Previcox 227mg £22.09 +VAT from Centaur for 30 tablets and £25.99 inc VAT , P&P on the net . What I have also found is that the general public are losing respect for these prescription drugs because they are so cheap. Such comments as "It's only Previcox" Or " It's only an antibiotic" do get me angry.......these are actually very powerful, well researched and tested chemicals which deserve much more respect. I suppose however that this may just reflect the general lack of respect for anything anymore. Any comments?

Re: Internet Pharmacies / veterinary drug retailers

Mark Holmes — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 16:35:34 GMT

[quote user="Bob Russell"]

Without vets there would be no prescriptions and no business.

[/quote]

But unfortunately without prescriptions there would no business and no vets. We could boycot one manufacturer but the whole industry? They have us over a barrel.

We can complain as much as we like but the companies don't need to care.

What I cannot understand though is what benefit does selling the drug cheaper have. As their sales still rely on our scripts they will not sell more for the discount and the internet companies cannot avoid stocking the drug discount or not.

Re: Internet Pharmacies / veterinary drug retailers

Bob Russell — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 16:20:33 GMT

I would like to know how some of the prices offered are correct if the internet companies are indeed playing on a level playing field. We are members of a buying group and I agree even if all discounts are taken into account the price I pay is still often more excluding VAT than are being charged inclusive.

I understand my buying group has over 150 member practices many of them much larger than us. What volume are the internet suppliers buying at? I do not believe they are going to buy more than 150 veterinary practices.

Without vets there would be no prescriptions and no business.

I am really starting to suspect that some of the drugs companies must be offering different terms to on-line sellers.

Re: Internet Pharmacies / veterinary drug retailers

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 16:11:06 GMT

[quote user="Colin Cameron"] or is it that they coudn't care less[/quote]

Yes