Guess cost of wasted drugs and win prize
PEOPLE are being urged to guess the total cost of wasted medicines in Britain – and win a new bike if they are right.
The competition is part of a campaign to raise awareness of the £4.5 million cost of unused drugs thrown away in North Staffordshire every year.
The issue was the subject of events staged yesterday at Asda, Wolstanton, and on Thursday from 10am to 2pm at Tesco in Hanley.
The campaign is being run through GP surgeries and pharmacists, and organised by the North Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Clinical Commissioning Groups.
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The public will be asked to guess the true cost to the health service of prescription pills and potions.
Those taking part will be entered for a draw and could win a voucher for a new bike valued at £200 from the Cyclist Discount Centre in Longport.
Dr Manir Hussain, head of medicines management for the CCGs, said: "This is a fun way of getting people to think about whether they always need the medicines they get from their doctor.
"We want to get home to people that prescribing medicines that aren't really needed means that money can't be spent on another service or treatments.
"We have a universal prescription charge in the UK, but it is not uncommon for some prescriptions to be for drugs worth well over £100, while some types of asthma inhaler cost the NHS £35 each.
"So we urge people who no longer think they need a medicine, or are using less than they used to, to discuss it with their doctor."
Comments
by Snaggletoooth
Tuesday, October 23 2012, 6:31PM
“How can the "cost of wasted drugs" be estimated? Clearly only the end user can know whether the drugs were taken or discarded.
Maybe they're just softening us up for another hike in prescription fees?”