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Prices and Practices Pharmaceutical Survey 2010

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CONSUMER COUNCIL OF FIJI

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About Consumer Council of Fiji (CCOF)Consumer Council of Fiji (CCOF) is a statutory organization dedicated to protect the rights and interests of consumers in Fiji and pro-mote consumers’ interests nationwide through education, research, campaign and lobbying. It was established in 1976 and currently has 3 offices in Fiji.

For more information, visit www.consumersfiji.org

Prices and Practices : Pharmaceutical Survey 2010

© 2010. This work is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission.

Layout and Concept : Consumer Council of Fiji.

Printed in Fiji.

USP Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

Prices and practices : pharmaceutical survey 2010 / [Consumer Council of Fiji]. – Suva, Fiji : Consumer Council, 2011.

44 p. :col. ill. ; 28 cm.

ISBN: 978-982-98044-2-6

Drugs - Prices - Fiji 2.Prescription pricing - Fiji I. Consumer Council of Fiji.

HD9674.F5P74 2011

338.436151

Published by Consumer Council of Fiji (CCOF)

Suva Office (HQ) Ming Building, 4 Carnavon StreetP Private Mail BagT (679) 330 0792 | (679) 331 0183 | (679) 330 5864F (679) 330 0115E [email protected]

Lautoka Office Suite 4, Popular Building, Vidilo StreetP P.O.Box 5396, LautokaT (679) 666 4987F (679) 665 2846M (679) 926 2807E [email protected]

Labasa Office Level 1, Lot 41 Raza Properties Limited, Nasekula RoadP P.O.Box 64, LautokaT (679) 881 2559F (679) 881 2559E [email protected]

CORRIGENDUM At the time medicines were purchased, Midway Pharmacy Ba did not provide a receipt with itemized prices nor were the prices stated on the individual medicine pack. The Council sought the prices of individual medicines over the phone from Midway. This is why the individual medicine prices for Midway on row number 35 in the appended table (Individual Medicine Prices & Comments) on page 35 do not tally with the total price paid for the medicines purchased which is $18. 00. Now that Midway has provided evidence, the Council is satisfied that the pharmacy is not overcharging. Hence the claims of Midway overcharging made on pages 6, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19 and 20 of this report should be disregarded.

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A Consumer Council of Fiji Report


2

The Consumer Council of Fiji is greatly appreciative of the proactive assistance and support

of the Ministry of Health, in particular the Honourable Minister Dr Neil Sharma. The survey

would have been difficult had it not been for the support and advice of the Minister. We also

would like to thank the Fiji Commerce Commission and the Pharmacy & Poisons Board for the

valuable comments and advice provided towards strengthening the final report. These three

agencies have also taken the necessary first steps towards taking necessary action on some of

the recommendations included in this report. Last, but not least, the Council wishes to express

its gratitude to those consumers who have assisted this endeavour by way of complaints and

contributing their voice to the public debate over medicine prices in the country. Needless

to say the responsibility for errors, omissions and content of the report lies entirely with the

Consumer Council of Fiji.

3

Glossary And Acronyms 4

List of Tables 4

Executive Summary 5-7

Introduction 8

Objectives of the study 9

Survey Methodology 10

Key Findings 11 - 20

Pharmacy Trade Practices 21 - 24

Pharmacy Ownership 25

Conclusion and Recommendations 26 - 27

References 28

Appendix:

Response from Pharmacy and Poisons Board 29

Response from Fiji Pharmaceutical Society 30 - 31

Individual Medicine Prices & Comments 32 - 42

Price Comparisons - 43 - 47

Same medicine, batch number,

manufacturer/source country

Contents

4

Branded medicines - Branded medicines are those medicines that are protected by patents. A medicine brand name is often the trade or “brand” name the manufacturer gives to the medicine. Another term used is “originator brand” and the patent gives the manufacturer the exclusive right to market the medicine under its brand name for a defined period, often many years depending on the patent conditions. Other companies can have the right to manufacture and market the medicine under a different name or under its generic name once the patent expires. Branded medicines are often more expensive because the manufacturer has spent considerable money and other resources in research and clinical trials, and also packaging and marketing the medicines.

Commerce Commission - The competition and commerce regulator in Fiji responsible for administering and enforc-ing the Commerce Commission Decree which contains laws and regulations pertaining to fair trade, consumer pro-tection and competition. The Commission is also the price regulator responsible for issuing price control orders and enforcing such orders.

DHA - Drug Houses of Australia

Drug – In the pharmaceutical industry a drug is a chemical substance used in the treatment, cure, prevention, or diag-nosis of disease or used to otherwise enhance physical or mental well-being. The term “drug” is often used interchange-ably with the term “medicine”. Both mean the same thing in the pharmaceutical industry or in pharmacology.

Generic medicines (or generics) - Medicines produced and marketed under their chemical or “generic” name, e.g. paracetamol as opposed to Panadol, a brand or trade name of a paracetamol produced, patented and marketed by pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline. Generics are normally no longer protected by patents. A generic drug can only be sold after the patent runs out. While generic drugs are cheaper for consumers, they still must meet the required standards set by regulatory authorities. For example, the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) requires that generics must contain the active ingredients as the original formulation. Generics should have the same route of administration, safety, efficacy and intended use as branded medicines.

GOF - Government of Fiji

GSK - Glaxo Smith Kline

FIRCA - Fiji Islands Revenue and Customs Authority

FPS - Fiji Pharmaceutical Society

NCDs - Non Communicable Diseases

NGOs -Non Government Organizations

Patent - A patent normally is an exclusive right granted by a government or regulatory agency to an individual inventor or business to manufacture, market and sell a product or invention for a certain number of years.

Price Control Order – A regulation or legal decision to control or prescribe the allowable maximum price of a product.

PIB- Prices and Incomes Board (now merged with Fiji Commerce Commission)

TIN- Tax Identification Number

VAT- Value Added Tax

Glossary and Acronyms

Glossary and Acronyms

Table 1 No: of Pharmacies Surveyed in each Division

Table 2 Prices for Prescription Pack

Table 3 Highest and Lowest Prices (Full Pack)

Table 4 National Analysis-Pharmacies with 6 Generics and One Originator Brand (Glipizide-Minidiab)

Table 5 Divisional Analysis- Pharmacies with 6 Generics and One Originator Brand (Glipizide-Minidiab)

Table 6 Price Analysis-Frusemide Same Dosage/ Quantity

Table 7 Aspirin

Table 8 Metformin

Table 9 Simvastatin

Table 10 Enalapril

Table 11 Amoxicillin

Table 12 Glipizide

Table 13 Comparison of Same Drug and Quantity

Table 14 Non Disclosure of Individual Medicine Prices

Table 15 Queries on Prescription

Table 16 Pharmacy Ownership

List of tables

5

Introduction The pharmaceutical sector plays an important role in providing safe and af-fordable medicines to the people of any country. Fiji is no exception. Medicine prices are controlled through the Prices and Incomes Board (PIB (now merged with Commerce Commission) which sets percentage mark-ups at whole-sale and retail level. The Government of Fiji (GOF) has provided incentives through duty exemptions and consumer protection through percentage price control. Despite all these measures, consumers are still complaining of high health costs. This is a direct result of anomalies in the pricing of medi-cations in pharmacies.

While not codified, the general practice amongst pharmacies is to sup-ply generic medication, as opposed to originator brands for prescriptions from a public hospital or a health centre unless requested by patients to do otherwise.

The Consumer Council of Fiji conducted surveys in to ascertain prices of commonly prescribed drugs for diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and other non communicable diseases. The Fiji Pharmaceutical Soci-ety (FPS) rejected the findings of these surveys claiming that they were technically flawed. The Council’s drawback then was the lack of technical advice and co-operation from the pharmaceutical sector.

Hence, the Council decided to carry out a comprehensive survey with the assistance of the Ministry of Health and a techni-cal expert to investigate prices of prescribed medicines, pharmacy practices and anti-competitive conduct (if any) in this very important sector.

In finalising the survey report the Council presented the draft and initial findings to the FPS for its comments. This endeavour was necessary to get the feedback from FPS and its members on the findings. The FPS had re-sponded via the Minister of Health and a copy of their comments has been included in this published report. (refer to Appendix)

Survey MethodologyA patient’s prescription from a registered medical doctor at a public hospital was presented to 47 out of 55 pharmacies for dis-pensing. These were purchased by the Council and documents pertaining to this transaction are retained as evidence and for verification. This study looked at the following aspects:

• Prices of medications of the same brand, quantity, batch number and country of origin from different pharmacies;

• The kind of brands that were dispensed (generics or originator);

• Whether the consumer was informed of the availability of this choice to buy generic or originator brands;

• Pharmacists’ conduct in dispensing medicines;

• Whether prices were fully disclosed to the consumer;

• Labelling requirements set by the Ministry of Health which requires the quantity of medication dispensed, directions for use, brand if possible and prices to be displayed on the 1labels ;

• Whether issuing of receipts complied with the Commerce Commission requirements;

• Whether registered pharmacists were in attendance during the dispensing of medicines; and

• To understand market practices in terms of competition, fair play and corporate social responsibility.

Executive Summary

1 Ministry of Health (30 Oct 2009) Press Release on Monitoring of Pharmaceutical Prices in Private Sector

Executive Summary

6

1. Thirty (30) or 57% of the pharmacies surveyed charged higher prices for the same brand and quantity of medication. In some cases overcharging is by 460% despite placing medicines under price control. Thirty (30) tablets of Microlab were sold by Nadi Chemist for $0.83 where as Midway Pharmacy- Ba & Chovhan Pharmacy Ltd-Lautoka sold the same tablet and the same quantity for $4.65.

2. Forty three (43) pharmacies chose to dispense origi-nator brands for one or more items even though ge-nerics are widely available. Thus, a $15.00 prescription would now cost a consumer up to $44.00, which is three times more or worth a three months supply of medicines. Twelve pharmacies charged more than $30.00 while Hyperchem Pharmacy, Lautoka; Thakor-lal’s Pharmacy, Nadi and Western Medicare Pharmacy, Ba charged more than $40.00 for the same prescribed medicine. These are unreasonable profits being made at the expense of patients. While not breaching any law, these pharmacies have shown gross negligence and a complete breach of trust placed on them by ordinary consumers by dispensing originator brands without first consulting them. The unsuspecting pub-lic, especially the poor, thus need to readjust their entire months budget which can potentially result in children missing school,compromise in living stand-ards or simply aggravating further their poverty sta-tus. [opinion which would need substantiating]

3. A comparison made for those pharmacies sell-ing 6 generics and 1 originator brand Minidiab (glipizide) revealed that the highest price for all 7 medicines was charged by Chovhan Pharmacy Lautoka at $31.00, while Guardian Angel Phar-macy, Laucala Beach offered the lowest price of $15.35. The percentage price difference between the lowest and highest for this group was 102%. This would mean double the price for the same set of medicine for a consumer in Lautoka than in Suva. Is this 102% price difference justfied?

4. Only three (3) pharmacies dispensed all 7 generic medicines as prescribed. Amongst the ‘All Generics’ Group, Health Care Chemist in Tavua charged a higher price of $30.70 while Nadi Chemist charged $13.45 for all 7 generic medication. A consumer in Tavua would pay $17.25 more for the same medicine. This is a clas-sic case of generic medication being sold at a price of the originator brand drugs to unsuspecting consum-ers. Interestingly, 36 pharmacies who sold either one or more originator medicine had a lower total pack price than Health Care Chemist in Tavua.

5. Thakorlal’s Pharmacy in Lautoka dispensed the in-correct dosage of enalapril. Instead of 10mg (as per prescription), the pharmacist dispensed 5mg without informing the buyer. Similarly, Sugar City Pharmacy, Lautoka issued 15 capsules of amoxillin instead of 9 or 10 for eight hourly courses.

6. Three pharmacies sold generic medication labelled as originator brand and charged the originator brand price. Thakorlal Pharmacy in Nadi, Wyse Pharmacy in Nakasi and Northern Drug Store in Labasa dispensed generic Apro frusemide but labelled it as Lasix which is an originator brand tablet and also charged the price of Laxis ($4.65) which is much more expensive than generic Apo ($1.35).

7. Some pharmacies sold the same medicine (brand, dosage & batch number) at different prices. For ex-ample, two pharmacies in Ba – Hyperchem and Mid-way had a 189% price difference for the same medi-cine Flaminopril enalapril (Flamingo Pharmaceuticals batch #106). Similarly, Arrow (batch# SAWH0019) was sold by Budget Pharmacy in Nadi for $2.95 while My Chemist, Nasea Chemist and Northern Drug Store in Labasa dispensed the same medicine for $9.45. These three pharmacies overcharged consumers by 220%.

8. Nineteen (19) pharmacies violated labelling require-ments in one way or another.

9. None of the 47 pharmacies provided individual medi-cine names on the receipts. However, 32 pharmacies included the price on the labels. Nineteen (19) phar-macies provided both itemised receipts using codes and prices on their labels. Out of the 32 pharmacies that included prices on the labels, 15 did not provide itemised receipts.

10. Three pharmacies (Sugar City Pharmacy, Lautoka; Chovhan Pharmacy, Lautoka and Patel Pharmacy, Si-gatoka issued a receipt without the company name, TIN number or company address. Madison Pharmacy, Suva gave a “chit” with company name and total price when a receipt was requested. In the Northern Divi-sion, Northern Drug Store, Labasa issued a receipt from “My Chemist” instead of a receipt specifically for Northern Drug Store. Ownership is the same for My Chemist and Northern Drug Store.

Main Findings

Executive Summary

711. 51% of total pharmacies under survey made inquiries

on the prescription and the patient, while 49% of the pharmaciess dispensed the drugs without any further clarification on the prescription.

12. During the survey, none of the pharmacies asked whether the patient wanted generics or originator brand medications. The general rule amongst phar-macists is to dispense generic drugs when presented with a public hospital prescription.

13. Pharmacy Plus of Suva and Life Pharmacy Nadi had the incorrect patient’s name typed on the medicine pack.

14. Generally, the prices of medicine in the Western Divi-sion are higher than in Central and Northern Divisions. In the Central division, Superdrug Pharmacy, Suva and Central Pharmacy, Suva sold the 7 medicines under survey for $38.80 and $38.50 respectively.

RecommendationThese findings call for the implementation of some nec-essary actions that would address current problems and also benefit the consumers and the pharmaceutical sector. The following are recommended:

1. To acknowledge that there have been breaches and unfair trade practices by the pharmaceu-tical sector and that the enforcement agencies have not been vigilant;

2. Pharmacy and Poisons Board together with PIB (Commerce Commission) to prosecute pharma-cies if breaches have occurred.

3. The Price Control Order (PCO) is now some 18 years out of date thus urgently needs to be re-viewed and amended to address Fiji’s increasing cost of health care.

4. Pharmacy and Poisons Board needs to take a more proactive role in regulating the industry and its practices.

5. The law also establishes the Fiji Pharmaceutical Society (Section 32B). They need to strengthen their code of ethics and monitor market practic-es. FPS to ensure its members wear professional attire (e.g. white coat) so that the public can dif-ferentiate a pharmacist from other pharmacy staff. FSP should also require that pharmacies display the pharmacist’s name that is on duty at one particular period of time;

6. FPS, the Ministry of Health and the Consumer Council of Fiji should educate consumers on the different categories of medicines – generics, branded generics and originator brands, includ-ing labelling information;

7. A price list of common drugs consumed for common illnesses should be prominently dis-played at pharmacies. PIB/Commerce Commis-sion to list these in a revised price order;

8. The Ministry of Health to impose a strict “Code of Conduct” that must be practiced by all phar-macies. The Code of Conduct has to be a bind-ing document and any breaches to it should lead to fines or cancellation of licenses. FPS and the Ministry of Health should set up guidelines for dispensing of drugs.

9. Fiji Islands Revenue and Customs Authority (FIRCA) can investigate whether companies and their shareholders are accurately and truthfully declaring their income for tax purposes. There are violations, for example, non–pharmacists are shareholders in some cases and in a few cases the same shareholder(s) own multiple pharma-cies according to the Registrar of Companies’ records;

10. The Ministry of Health and Commerce Com-mission should also look at the importers and distributors of pharmaceuticals in Fiji to ensure competition.

11. The Government to implement the recommen-dations of this study so that Fiji’s citizens are not easily manipulated and their health interests are protected at all times.

Executive Summary

8

The pharmaceutical sector plays an important role in providing safe and af-

fordable medications to the citizens of any country. Fiji is no exception. For this, a strong regulatory mechanism is re-

quired to monitor prices and availability of essential medicines to ensure that 34% in

urban areas and 43% of people in rural areas living below the poverty line have access to

affordable medications 2.

A consumer depends solely on the doctors and the pharmacists to be treated fairly while pre-scribing and dispensing medicines. Medications

are perhaps the only product where consumers cannot exercise their preference and therefore

trust that professional guidance is provided by the pharmacist in good faith. Therefore, professional and ethical conduct of pharma-cist is paramount in ensuring that consum-

ers are treated fairly.

Prescribing in the public sector is pri-marily by generic name, however in the

private sector both brand and generic names are in use based on each individual pharmacists preferences. The existing legis-

lation requires that in the private sector, the pharmacist must supply the brand prescribed by the doc-tor, however in practice, the pharmacist may discuss alter-native generic products and prices with the patient who then makes the selection 3.

Medicine prices is an important item on the Ministry of Health’s agenda 4. In October 2009, the Ministry intro-duced a monitoring system of Pharmaceutical Prices in the Private Sector by encouraging the public to report any price-related issues. In November 2009, the Minister of Health, Dr Neil Sharma had raised “issues of overcharging” under the heading of “professionalism and ethics” in a writ-ten speech delivered to members of the Fiji Pharmaceuti-cal Society 5. The Ministry of Health in July 2010 convened

a Working Committee on medicine prices comprising health officials and representatives from the Consumer Council, Commerce Commission/Prices & Incomes Board (PIB) and the Ministry of Finance.

Price ControlAll medicines in both public and private sectors in Fiji are imported. Medicines are on percentage price control as stipulated in the Price Control Order No.5, 1992 Ethical Medicine. Under the formula outlined in this Order, the wholesale profit margins for medicines are set at: “Total into-store cost for pricing plus 20%”, while the retail phar-macies are allowed a maximum mark-up of 30% for over the counter drugs and 35% for prescription drugs plus 45c for dispensing doctors’ prescriptions” 6. The PIB (now merged with the Commerce Commission) is the agency that is charged with monitoring medicine prices and en-suring compliance by wholesalers and retailers of phar-maceutical products. There is no value-added tax (VAT) on dispensed medicines but this tax is payable on medicines purchased over the counter without prescription 7.

However, since 1992, the PIB has not done any review of the PCO on medicines nor has it produced any formal monitoring report to gauge compliance. The Price Control Order is now some 18 years out of date and urgently needs a review and amendment to address Fiji’s increasing cost of health care. The fact that there is a trend towards private health care and a user-pay system to relieve pressure on state-funded services and facilities, price control is a way to mitigate any negative impacts on poor and low-income consumers.

Previous Surveys Conducted in 2007 and 2009This investigation is a continuation of the Council’s moni-toring of retail prices of medicines in the local pharmaceu-tical market. Surveys were conducted in 2007 and 2009 to ascertain prices of essential prescription drugs for most

IntroductionMedications are perhaps the only product where consumers cannot exercise their preference and

therefore trust that professional guidance is provided by the pharmacist in good faith. Therefore, professional

and ethical conduct of pharmacist is paramount in ensuring that consumers are treated fairly.

“

”

Introduction

2 Preliminary Report on Poverty and Household Incomes in Fiji in 2008-09, Bureau of Statistics. 2010

3 http://www.haiweb.org/medicineprices/surveys/200409FJ/survey_report.pdf 4 Ministry of Health (30 October, 2009) Naturopathic Medicine – Retailing in Fiji5 Speech of the Ministry for Health, Dr Neil Sharma delivered to members of

the Fiji Pharmaceutical Society, Natadola, Nadi, 29th Nov 2009. www. www.

health.gov.fj/speeches/29/11/2009--Fiji-pharmaceutical-society natadola. html (Accessed 15 June 2010)

6 Fiji Republic Gazette Supplement, No.26, Friday 5th June, 1992; Legal Notice No.69, Counter-Inflation Act (Chapter 73), Counter-Inflation (Price Control), Ethical Medicine, No.5, Order, 1992.

7 http://www.haiweb.org/medicineprices/surveys/200409FJ/survey_report.pdf

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The government has played its part by making prescribed medicines both duty and VAT exempt as well as placing these under price control. Despite all these measures, consumers are still complaining of high price variance between pharmacies and continued rising prices of phar-maceutical products. To this end, the Council carried out surveys in 2007 and 2009 to ascertain prices of commonly used prescription drugs which included medications used for diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and other non communicable diseases. The findings of these surveys were rejected by the Fiji Pharmaceutical Society (FPS) on the basis that they were technically flawed. The Council’s drawback while conducting the survey then was lack of

It should be noted that while the objective of the survey was to investigate prices of prescription medicines, scru-tinise pharmacy practices and ascertain anti-competitive behaviour (if any), the ultimate goals have been to correct the anomalies in the pharmaceutical sector and provid-ing relief to consumers. The first steps towards these goals have been taken as the Council has received very positive responses from the principal enforcement agency namely the Pharmacy & Poisons Board of the Ministry of Health. The Board was prompted to investigate the issues raised in the draft report and this had commenced in late 2010.

During the final stages of the publishing of this report, the Board informed the Council that a general warning letter had been issued to all retail pharmacies and specific cases are being addressed through its disciplinary procedures. Further, the Council’s recommendation to make public the action taken against specific pharmacies would be dis-cussed at its first meeting of 2011. It can be asserted here that the ultimate goals of the report are being gradually achieved and the Council is very optimistic that the full impact will soon be realised.

professional advice and non cooperation by the retail sec-tor.

The Council thus decided to carry out a comprehensive survey with the help and approval of the Ministry of Health and a technical expert.

The objective of the survey was to to investigate prices of prescription medicines, pharmacy practices in dispens-ing drugs and anti-competitive behaviour (if any) in the pharmaceutical sector. However, it was equally important for the Council to establish whether the current Price Con-trol on medicines under the Commerce Commission is actually benefiting the consumers. More specifically, the Council investigated the following aspects:

Aspects Research questions

1. Price of Medicine a) Comparison of prices of prescription medicines of the same brand, same batch number, same country of origin and same quantity in different pharmacies around Fiji;

b) Whether generics or originator brands were dispensed;c) Did the pharmacist offer choice between originator and generic medicines?e) Whether generic medicines were sold at an originator price; and f ) Comparison of prices of medication in those pharmacies with the same owner(s)

2. Pharmacy Trade Practices a) Were pharmacists present at the outlets during dispensing of medications? b) Was there any interaction between the pharmacist and the consumer? c) Was the labelling of medications correct and whether directions on the labels were

clearly written?d) Did the pharmacist disclose the prices of medications before dispensing the

medicines? ande) Did the consumer receive an itemised receipt and whether price information on

each medicine was clearly stated?

3. Pharmacy Ownership a) Who are the owners of these pharmacies? Is there multiple ownerships? b) Is there price fixing if pharmacies are owned by the same person(s) or cartel like

operation if ownership is different?

Objectives of The Study

common ailments and diseases suffered by a growing number of people in Fiji such as diabetes, hypertension, heart diseases and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs). According to the Ministry of Health, NCDs are the leading causes of deaths in Fiji and hypertension preva-lence is 19.1% 8. In the 2009 price survey the Council ana-lysed the prices of essential drugs voluntarily provided by selected pharmacies. These prices were then compared with a similar survey held in 2007 to determine the extent

of price increases. There were limitations to this method. The pharmacies would have rightly assumed that a price survey was underway and thus would have supplied pric-es that did not reflect what was actually charged to con-sumers. Also, out of 20 leading pharmacies approached in 2009, only 14 provided their prices. It was necessary then to acquire realistic prices by actually purchasing a number of prescribed medicines.

Objectives of The Study

8 Panapasa G., 2010, ‘Symposium on NCDs’, Fiji Times, 6 July.

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Pharmacy Trade Practices- ObservationThe Council also prepared a checklist for observations re-garding pharmacy practices while dispensing medicines. Some of these were:

• Presence of pharmacists on the premises and during dispensing;

• Labelling requirements as set by the Ministry of Health which require that the quantity of medication dis-pensed, directions for use, brand (if possible) and prices to be displayed on the labels;

• Was the patient given a choice to purchase a generic or an originator brand?;

• If information such as phone contact, age, etc of the patient was sought by the pharmacy;

• Was itemised receipt given with price information on each medicine and whether these were clearly stated?

• Pharmacist interaction with the patient;

• Disclosure of prices; and

• Issuance of receipts.

Pharmacy OwnershipThis was done by retrieving pharmacy ownership docu-ments from the Registrar of Companies. The idea is to ascertain ownership and investigate possibility of price fixing if more than one pharmacy is owned by the same person(s) or cartel like operation if ownership is differ-ent. The intention was to understand market practices in terms of competition, fair play and corporate social responsibility.

In order to understand the problems pertaining to price variations, pharmacy practices and pharmacy ownership, three separate investigations/observations were conduct-ed as outlined below:

PrescriptionTo obtain the actual prices of medications that patients pay for required the Coun-cil to acquire a prescription from a medical doctor to purchase medicines from phar-macies around Fiji. The Council with the assistance of the Ministry of Health was able to obtain a prescription from a doctor at a public Hospital. (See Appendix 1 for a copy of the prescription). The prescription was prepared for an elderly male patient suffering from diabetes, cardiovascu-lar ailments, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. It must be noted that the age of the patient is not stated on the prescription; instead “Adult/m” is used.

Multiple copies of the same prescription were taken to pharmacies around Fiji. The staff posed as a relative, an employee, a neighbour or a friend of the patient when presenting the prescription for dispensing. The Council bought the medicines under the patient’s name. The sur-vey was held from 26th April to 12th May 2010, covering

Nausori, Suva-Nasinu, Sigatoka, Nadi, Lautoka, Ba, Rakiraki, Tavua and Labasa.

A total of 47 pharmacies were surveyed around Fiji. The total cost of the medicines from the 47 pharmacies was $1169.63. A total of 23 pharmacies were surveyed in the Central/Eastern Division – along the Suva-Nausori corri-dor, while 21 were surveyed in the Western Division from Sigatoka to Rakiraki and 3 in the Northern Division (Labasa has only 3 pharmacies).

MedicinesA total of seven (7) medicines (amoxicillin, enalapril, sim-vastatin, metformin, frusemide, glipizide and aspirin) were prescribed with a maximum of 2 repeats for all except for amoxicillin which the prescription did not allow for a re-peat (see Appendix 1 for details). Since the ailments ad-dressed in the prescription are common in Fiji, it is expect-ed that these medicines are readily available in around the country pharmacies.

Table 1: No. of Pharmacies Surveyed in each Division

DIVISIONS No. of Pharmacies

Central/Eastern 23

Western 21

Northern 3

TOTAL 47

Survey Methodology

Survey Methodology

11

PRICE ANALYSISOut of the 47 pharmacies, 7 did not offer the full pack of medicines as pre-scribed. Six pharmacies did not dispense amoxi-

cillin since the prescr iption

was written a while a g o , w h i l e

one did not have glipiz-

ide. Most pharmacies dis-pensed Minidiab brand of glipizide

as generics are not readily available and with little price difference. However there

is no excuse for dispensing Lasix instead of frusemide as this is readily available.

In the analysis (see Appendix 2), all 47 pharmacies were considered depending on the type of information that was sought. For example, all 47 pharmacies were consid-ered while investigating pharmacy practices and the cost of individual medicine while 40 pharmacies were consid-ered for determining the cost of all 7 medicines.

Prescription Pack: Price Differences, Lowest and HighestThe comparison is made for all (7) prescribed medicines purchased by the Council staff irrespective of generics and originator brand as choice was not offered by any of the pharmacy. Table 2 below provides what a consumer is most likely to pay for the 7 medicines from 47 pharmacies.

Key Findings

No Pharmacy Location Total Price

CENTRAL/EASTERN DIVISION

1 A.J. Swann Co Ltd, Suva 21 Thomson St, Suva $19.40

2 Amy Street Pharmacy, Toorak 120 Amy St, Toorak $18.85

3 Central Pharmacy, Suva Lot 1, Cumming St, Mid city, Suva $38.50

4 City Centre Pharmacy, Suva MHCC, Suva $28.26

5 Flagstaff Pharmacy, Suva 7 Rewa St, Flagstaff $28.75

6 Good Health Care Pharmacy, Suva Nasese Medical Centre,62 Ratu Sukuna Rd $18.35

7 Guardian Angel Pharmacy, L/Beach Vivras Plaza, Laucala Bch $15.35

8 Holistic Pharmacy, Suva 1 Nina Street, Suva $15.15*

9 Laucala Bay Pharmacy, Suva Sport City,1 Grantham Rd, Laucala Bay $18.60

10 Life Pharmacy, Nausori Lot 1, NG Patel Rd, Nausori $14.50*

11 Madison Pharmacy, Suva 83 Cumming St,Suva $19.90

12 Mega Care Pharmacy, Makoi, Nasinu Matanikorovatu Road, Makoi $23.25*

13 Metro Pharmacy, Suva Renwick Road, Suva $25.20*

14 Nasese Pharmacy , Suva 36 Ratu Sukuna Rd, Nasese,Suva $29.85

15 Nausori Pharmacy Ltd, Nausori Kings Rd, Nausori $25.26

16 Pharmacy Plus, Suva 190 Renwick Rd, Suva $20.30

17 Rewa Pharmacy, Nausori Wing Zoing Wah Bldg, Main Street, Nausori $13.60*

18 Samabula Drug Store,Samabula 77 Ratu Mara Rd, Samabula $15.90

19 Superdrug Pharmacy, Nabua 550 Rt Mara Rd, Nabua $23.30*

20 Superdrug Pharmacy, Suva Suva Central Bldg, Suva $38.80

21 Suva City Pharmacy, Suva 10 Thomson St, Suva $21.40*

22 Wyse Pharmacy, Nakasi Tebara Shopping Mall, Nakasi $29.65

23 Wyse Pharmacy, Valelevu Shop 4,Daniva Rd, Valelevu $24.50

Key Findings

12

Pharmacies in the Western Division had both the most expensive and lowest priced pack. The most expensive pack was $44.25 purchased at Hyperchem Pharmacy in Lautoka, while the lowest priced pack was $13.45 at Nadi Chemist. The highest price in the Central/Eastern area was $38.80 recorded at Superdrug Pharmacy (Suva Central Bldg), while the lowest priced pack was sold by Guardian Angel Pharmacy (Vivraz Plaza, Laucala Beach) for $15.35. There were not much price differences between the three pharmacies in the Northern Division. The Northern Drug Store had the highest price of $25.50, while Nasea Chemist had the lowest at $21.80.

Table 3 below shows percentage difference in each divi-sion and at the national level.

WESTERN DIVISION

24 Budget Pharmacy, Nadi Shop 3, Namaka Lane, Nadi $18.00

25 Care Chemist, Sigatoka Suewing Bldg,Sigatoka $20.31

26 Chandulal’s Pharmacy, Lautoka 23 Yasawa St, Lautoka $19.80

27 Chovhan Pharmacy Ltd, Lautoka 5 Yasawa St, Lautoka $31.00

28 Health Care Chemist, Tavua Market St, Tavua $30.70

29 Health First Pharmacy, Nadi 40 Lodia St, Nadi Town $32.08

30 Hyperchem Pharmacy, Ba Main St, Ba $21.55

31 Hyperchem Pharmacy, Lautoka 101 Vitogo Parade, Lautoka $44.25

32 Island Pharmacy Complex, Nadi Main St, Nadi $24.55

33 Island Pharmacy, Ba 62 Bank St, Ba $28.50

34 Life Pharmacy Ltd, Nadi 41 Lodhia St, Nadi $22.00

35 Midway Pharmacy, Ba Kings Rd, Ba $18.00

36 MS Pharmacy, Nadi 9 Caly St, Nadi Town $25.35

37 Nadi Chemist, Nadi Clay St, Nadi Town $13.45

38 Naidu’s Medical Centre Vaileka Street, Rakiraki $30.50

39 Namaka Medisure Pharmacy, Nadi Namaka Lane, Nadi $31.00

40 Patel Pharmacy Ltd, Sigatoka Box 12,Sigatoka $30.50

41 Sugar City Pharmacy Ltd, Lautoka 23 Naviti St, Lautoka $21.55

42 Thakorlal’s Pharmacy, Lautoka 1003 Vitogo Parade, Lautoka $30.17

43 Thakorlal’s Pharmacy, Nadi 347 Main St, Nadi $40.10

44 Western Medicare Pharmacy, Ba Main Street, Ba $40.50

NORTHERN DIVISION

45 My Chemist, Labasa Shop 5 Nasekula Rd, Labasa $23.40

46 Nasea Chemist, Labasa Shop1,168 Nasekula Rd,Labasa $21.80

47 Northern Drug Store, Labasa R.B.Patel Building, Labasa $25.50*pharmacies that did not dispense all 7 medicine

Table 3: Highest & Lowest Prices (Full Pack)

DIVISION LOWEST PRICE HIGHEST PRICE % Difference

All/National $13.45 $44.25 229%

Central/Eastern $15.35 $38.80 153%

Western $13.45 $44.25 229%

Northern $21.80 $25.50 17%

The percentage difference between the highest and low-est prices for the full complement of prescribed medi-cines was 229%. This means that a consumer who pays the highest price of $44.25 for the prescribed medicine pack was paying 229% more or three times more than the one who pays the lowest price of $13.45. The Northern Di-vision had the lowest price difference which reflects the limited choice consumers have in this division. In essence we can deduce that huge price gaps exists between the pharmacies (irrespective of originator brand or generics) and many consumers may be unaware of this and are buy-ing medicines at exorbitant prices.

Key Findings

13

CENTRAL/EASTERN WESTERN NORTHERN

Lowest price $15.35 $20.80 $21.80

Highest price $29.85 $31.00 $25.50

Price difference between lowest and highest price $14.50 $10.20 $3.70

Percentage price difference between lowest and highest price 94% 49% 17%

Table 5: Divisional Analysis- Pharmacies with 6 generics and one originator brand (Glipizide – Minidiab)

Number of pharmacies compared 16

Highest Price (Chovhan Pharmacy Lautoka) $31.00

Lowest Price (Guardian Angel Pharmacy, Laucala Beach, Nasinu)

$15.35

Price difference between lowest and highest price

$15.65

Percentage price difference between lowest and highest price

102%

Table 4: National Analysis – Pharmacies with 6 generics and one originator brand (Glipizide – Minidiab)

Pharmacies that sold 6 generics and one originator medicineA comparison was also made for 16 pharmacies that sold 6 generics and 1 originator brand from the prescribed 7 medi-cines. From these 16 pharmacies, nine (9) are in the Central/Eastern, 4 in the Western and 3 in the Northern division.

The highest price was charged by Chovhan Pharmacy Lautoka at $31.00, while Guardian Angel Pharmacy, Laucala Beach Nasinu had the lowest price of $15.35. The percentage price difference between the lowest and highest priced pharmacy in this group was 102%. Below are the price differences per division.

The price difference for the same packs (6 generics and 1 originator brand) in 3 division show the same medicines are sold at a higher price in the Western and Northern divisions compared to the Central division. Consumers have limited choice in costs in the Western and Northern divisions. The percentage differences between the lowest and highest prices were: Central/Eastern – 94%; Western – 49%; and Northern – 17%. In Labasa, consumer choice is restricted because there are only three pharmacies where two have common ownership.

All GenericsOnly three (3) pharmacies dispensed all 7 generic medicines listed as per prescription. These were Midway Pharmacy, Ba; Health Care Chemist, Tavua and Nadi Chemist.

Amongst the ‘All Generics’ Group’, the Health Care Chemist in Tavua charged a higher price of $30.70 while Nadi Chemist charged $13.45 for all 7 generic medication. A consumer in Tavua paid $17.25 more for the same medicine. This is a case of generics being sold at a price of originator drugs to unsuspecting consumers. Interestingly, 36 pharmacies who sold either one or more originator medicine had a lower total pack price than Health Care Chemist in Tavua.

Comparison of Prices per MedicineFor price comparison of individual medicines sold in all 47 pharmacies see Appendix 2. However, listed below are examples of medicines on which price comparisons were made for the same brand with identical quantity and the same manufacturer offered by the pharmacies (see Appendix 3).

Key Findings

14

Table 7: Aspirin

Medicine Name

No of pharmacy

Quantity Lowest Price Highest Price % price Difference

Aspirin – India

26 15/300mg $0.60Mega Care Pharmacy, Holistic Pharmacy, Rewa Pharmacy, Wyse Pharmacy – Valelevu

$2.70Midway Pharmacy, Ba

350%

Aspirin - India

15 30/300mg $0.73Health First Pharmacy, Life Pharmacy Ltd -Nadi, Nadi Chemist

$2.00Western Medicare Pharmacy, Lautoka

174%

Aspirin - India

2 20/300mg $2.25Wyse Pharmacy, Nakasi

$2.70Chovhan Pharmacy Ltd

20%

AspirinAspirin is a common drug available in Fiji. The Care Chemist in Sigatoka sold Cardiprin–an originator brand for $4.61 instead of generic aspirin which is sold for $0.60. A consumer could have saved $4.01 if the pharmacist had given the consumer the option to choose.

From the above table it can be deduced that it was cheaper to obtain 30 tablets at $0.73 or 2 months supply than to get 15 tablets for $0.60 which was enough for a month. Midway Pharmacy, Ba sold 15 tablets at $2.70, i.e. 350% more for the same quantity and same brand of medicine available at Mega Care Pharmacy, Holistic Pharmacy, Rewa Pharmacy, and Wyse Pharmacy – Valelevu that sold aspirin for $0.60. Health First Pharmacy- Nadi, Life Pharmacy Ltd -Nadi, Nadi Chemist sold 30 tablets at $0.73 compared to Western Medicare Pharmacy, Lautoka which sold the same tablets in the same quantity at $2.00, which is a price difference of 174%. These are examples of unfair trade practices. The pharmacies have engaged in profiteering thus defeating the whole purpose of placing medicines under Price Control.

Manufactures Name

Medicine Name

No. of pharmacies


Not stated Frusemide-Microlab

20 30/40mg $0.83Nadi Chemist

$4.65Midway Pharmacy- Ba & Chovhan Pharmacy Ltd-Lautoka charged originator brand price for generic medicine.

460%

Not stated Frusemide- Apo

6 30/40mg $1.35Nasea Chemist,Labasa

$4.65Northern Drug Store, Wyse Pharmacy, Nakasi & Thakorlal Pharmacy-Nadi charged originator brand price for generic medicine.

244%

Table 6: Price Analysis – Frusemide Same Dosage/Quantity

FrusemideTwenty (20) pharmacies dispensed Microlab frusemide, 19 sold Lasix, while 6 dispensed Apo. One pharmacy dis-pensed Durin, while another gave Flamingo frusemide.

Midway Pharmacy- Ba and Chovhan pharmacy- Lautoka dispensed the same drug as Nadi Chemist (Microlab) but charged 460% more i.e. $4.65 compared to Nadi Chemist which sold the same drug for 0.83cents. This is a case of unethical practice where consumers were duped into buying generic medicine but at an originator drug price. A similar case is with Apo where Nasea Chemist in Labasa sold Apo for $1.35 while Northern Drug Store, Thakorlal Pharmacy, Nadi and Wyse Pharmacy, Nakasi charged $4.65 for the same drug, a price difference of 244%!

Key Findings

15

MetforminThere are pharmacies that sell originator drugs rather than generic drugs for maximum profits. For example Life Pharmacy Ltd, Nadi and Namaka Medisure Pharmacy, Nadi sold Glucophage while MS Pharmacy in Nadi and West-ern Medicare Pharmacy, Lautoka and Super Drug Pharmacy, Suva sold Diaformin - both are originator brands al-though generic metformin is readily available for diabetic patients as diabetes is a common ailment in Fiji.

Comparing the same batch numbers and source of medicines, Midway Pharmacy, Ba sold the most expensive Flamingo metformin at $2.70, while Health First Pharmacy Nadi and Nadi Chemist sold the tablets at $1.48. Price dif-ference was 82%. The most common price was $1.95 charged by Nausori Pharmacy, Suva City Pharmacy, Chadulal’s Pharmacy, Lautoka and Hyperchem Pharmacy, Ba.

Ten (10) pharmacies in the Central/Eastern Divison sold the same batch of metformin (Pure Pharma, batch number 80002). AJ Swann Suva sold at $2.00 while Mega Care Pharmacy Makoi sold the same quantity at $1.05, a price dif-ference of 94%.

Manufacturer Name

Name No of pharmacy


Pure Pharma Ltd, India

Pure Pharma

10 30/500mg $1.05Wyse Pharmacy – Valelevu, Mega Care Pharmacy-Makoi, Holistic Pharmacy – Suva

$2.00AJ Swann Pharmacy, Suva

94%

Flamingo Pharmaceuticals Ltd, India

Flamingo 11 30/500mg $1.48 Health First Pharmacy, Nadi and Nadi Chemist


82%


Flamingo 3 15/300mg $1.35Nasea Chemist and Northern Drug Store in Labasa.

$1.95My Chemist,Labasa

44%

Windlas Biotech Ltd, India

Metofen 2 30/500mg $1.38Amy St. Pharmacy - Suva.

$1.95Rewa Pharmacy - Nausori

41%

Key Findings

Table 8: Metformin

16 SimvastatinSix (6) pharmacies dispensed Arrow simvastatin (SAWH0019). The highest price was recorded in the three Laba-sa pharmacies at $9.45. Budget Pharmacy Nadi had the cheapest price of $2.95. The three northern pharmacies charged 220% more than the cheapest Arrow simvastatin purchased.

Winstatin was sold by Amy Street Pharmacy; Good Health Care, Suva; Guardian Angel, L/Beach for $3.15 while Western Medicare Ltd charged $10.00. This is a price difference of 217%, which is three times more than what a consumer would pay for in Suva.

Five (5) pharmacies dispensed Arrow simvastatin (SAWH0023). Chovhan Pharmacy Lautoka charged $7.50, which was 143% more expensive than the lowest price offered by Nadi Chemist which was $3.08.

Arrow (Batch No: SAWH0021) was sold by Patel Pharmacy in Sigatoka for $15.00 while Hyperchem Pharmacy, Ba sold the same tablets for $5.10, a price difference of 194%

Manufacturer Name

Name No of pharmacy


Not Stated ArrowBatch No: SAWH0019

6 30/20mg $2.95Budget Pharmacy, Nadi

$9.45My Chemist, Nasea Chemist and Northern Drug Store in Labasa

220%

Windlas Biotech Ltd, India

Winstatin 4 30/20mg $3.15Amy Street Pharmacy; Good Health Care, Suva; Guardian Angel, L/Beach;

$10.00Western Medicare Ltd

217%

Not Stated ArrowBatch No: SAWH0021

3 30/20mg $5.10Hyperchem Pharmacy, Ba

$15.00Patel Pharmacy,Sigatoka

194%

Not Stated Arrow Batch#SAWH0023

5 30/20mg $3.08Nadi Chemist, Nadi

$11.55Central Pharmacy, Suva

275%

Cipla Ltd, Ltd Simcard 11 30/20mg $9.75Flagstaff Pharmacy in Suva, Mega Care Pharmacy in Makoi and Thakorlal’s Pharmacy in Nadi.

$11.59Health First Pharmacy, Nadi

19%

Crescent Pharma Ltd

Crescsent 2 28/20mg $5.85Thakor lal Pharmacy, Lautoka

$18.00Health Care Chemist, Tavua

207%

Table 9: Simvastatin

Key Findings

17

Manufacturer Name

Name No of pharmacy



Flaminopril

Batch No: 1868

14 30/10mg $1.50Life Pharmacy Ltd, Nausori

$5.00Chovhan Pharmacy, Lautoka

233%


FlaminoprilBatch No: 106

2 30/10mg $1.73Hyperchem Pharmacy, Ba


189%

Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd, India

Invoril 9 30/10mg $2.25Guardian Angel, L/Beach; Wyse Pharmacy, Valelevu

$4.50Wyse Pharmacy, Nakasi

100%

Suvik Hitek Pvt Lt, India

Sunapril 3 30/10mg $1.95Super Drug, Nabua and Metro Pharmacy, Suva

$3.25AJ Swann Pharmacy, Suva

66%

Merck Sharp Dohme(Australia) Pty Ltd

Renitec 2 30/10mg $9.00Western Medicare Lautoka

$13.01Hyperchem Pharmacy, Lautoka

45%

Global Pharma Health Care Pvt Ltd, India

Priloten 4 30/10mg $3.69Amy Street Pharmacy, Suva

$3.75City Centre Pharmacy & Good Health Care Pharmacy, Suva and Rewa Pharmacy, Nausori

1.6%

Table 10: Enalapril

EnalaprilThe most popularly dispensed enalapril was Flaminopril (17 pharmacies). The most expensive, Flaminopril (same batch #1868) was recorded in the Western Division, at Chovhan Pharmacy in Lautoka. It was selling it for $5.00, while the lowest price of $1.50 was recorded in the Centra/Eastern Divison at Life Pharmacy in Nausori, a difference of about 233%. This drug was commonly priced at $1.95 by three pharmacies - Pharmacy Plus, Samabula Drug Store and Suva City Pharmacy.

Nine (9) pharmacies sold Invoril enalapril from Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd, India. The medicine had the same batch number 1952512 and expiry date of 08/2010. The highest price was recorded by Wyse Pharmacy Nakasi at $4.50 and interestingly Wyse Valelevu offered the lowest price of $2.25. The price difference between the two Wyse branches for the same medicine is 100%.

There was a price difference of 189% between two pharmacies selling Flaminopril (Batch No: 106). Hyperchem Pharmacy, Ba sold this drug for $1.73 while Midway Pharmacy, Ba sold the same drug for $5.00.

AJ Swann Suva sold Sunapril enalapril at 66% more than two pharmacies selling the same batch – Metro Pharmacy Suva and Superdrug Nabua.

Key Findings

18 AmoxicillinApo, a most popular generic was dispensed in three different quantities – 9/500mg; 10/500mg and 15/500mg. For the 9/500mg quantity the highest price was $4.00 by Chovhan Pharmacy Ltd, Lautoka and lowest of $1.67 by Life Pharmacy, Nadi (percentage price difference of 89%).

Stalmox amoxicillin, manufactured by Stallion Laboratories Pvt Ltd, India was dispensed by Guardian Angel Phar-macy, L/Beach for $1.85 while Island Pharmacy, Ba dispensed the same drug for $7.00, a price difference of 278%.

GSK was sold for $3.60 by MS Pharmacy, Nadi and the same medicine was sold for $7.24 by Thakorlal’s Pharmacy, Lautoka, a price difference of 101%. See table below for more details.

Manufacturer Name

Name No of pharmacy


Stallion Laboratories Pvt Ltd, India

Stalmox 2 10/500mg $1.85Guardian Angel Pharmacy, L/Beach

$7.00Island Pharmacy, Ba

278%

(Prawil Laboratories Ltd)

Amoxywil 9/500mg $1.61Amy Pharmacy, Suva


148%

Glaxo Smith Kline Australia Pty Ltd

GSK 2 9/500mg $3.60MS Pharmacy, Nadi

$7.24Thakorlal’s Pharmacy, Lautoka

101%

Not stated Apo 10 9/500mg $1.67Life Pharmacy, Nadi

$4.00Chovhan Pharmacy Ltd, Lautoka

89%

Pure Pharma Ltd, India

Peemox 2 10/500mg $1.85Wyse Pharmacy, Nakasi

$2.65Flagstaff Pharmacy, Suva

43%

Table 11: Amoxicillin

GlipizideWith the same source and batch number, six pharmacies dispensed the same Minidiab glipizide (batch L927B). The highest price was recorded at Island Pharmacy Ba ($3.50) while the cheapest was sold by Madison Suva ($3.00).

Ten pharmacies dispensed the same Minidiab glipizide (batch L942A). The highest price recorded was $3.75 by City Centre Pharmacy Suva and Nasea Chemist Labasa, while the lowest was sold by Central Pharmacy Suva for $3.00. The price difference was $0.75 or 25%. An interesting observation was that Life Pharmacy Nausori sold this same batch medicine but at a higher dosage of 40/5mg for $2.50. Most of the 30/5mg dosage sold cost more than $2.50.

The generic DHA glipizide was sold for $4.45 (Midway Pharmacy-Ba) and lowest at $3.00 (Health Care Chemist, Tavua), a percentage price difference of 48%.

Manufacturer Name

Name No of pharmacy


Pfizer Australia Pty Ltd

MinidiabBatch No: L942A

10 30/5mg $3.00Central Pharmacy, Suva

$3.75City Centre Pharmacy, Suva and Nasea Chemist in Labasa.

25%


MinidiabBatch No: M111A

15 30/5mg $3.08Care Chemist, Sigatoka


44.5%


MinidiabBatch No: M111A

6 40/5mg $4.05Superdrug Pharmacy, Suva and Thakorlal’s Pharmacy, Nadi

$4.85Superdrug Pharmacy, Nabua and Flagstaff Pharmacy, Suva

20%

Drug House of Australia (Asia) Pte Ltd Singapore

DHA 2 30/5mg $3.00Health Care Chemist,Tavua


48%

Table 12: Glipizide

Key Findings

19Price Variance- Same Medicine and Same QuantityPharmacists are charging higher prices for the same drug and quantity which has no credible explanation other than over-pricing. The following table would illustrate this point:

Table 13: Comparison of same drug and quantityManufacturers Name Drug Name Quantity Weight Lowest Price Highest Price % difference

Microlab Frusemide 30 40mg $0.83 - Nadi Chemist $4.65Midway Pharmacy- Ba & Chovhan Pharmacy Ltd-Lautoka charged originator brand price for generic medicine.

460%

Apo Frusemide 30 40mg $1.35 - Nasea Chemist,Labasa $4.65Northern Drug Store, Wyse Pharmacy, Nakasi & Thakorlal Pharmacy-Nadi charged originator brand price for generic medicine.

244%

Aspirin – India 15 300mg $0.60 - Mega Care Pharmacy, Holistic Pharmacy, Rewa Pharmacy, Wyse Pharmacy – Valelevu


350%

Aspirin - India 30 300mg $0.73 - Health First Pharmacy, Life Pharmacy Ltd -Nadi, Nadi Chemist

$2.00Western Medicare Pharmacy, Lautoka

174%

Pure Pharma Ltd Pure Pharma – Metformin

30 500mg $1.05 - Wyse Pharmacy – Valelevu, Mega Care Pharmacy-Makoi, Holistic Pharmacy – Suva

$2.00 A.J. Swan Pharmacy, Suva

94%

Flamingo Pharmaceuticals Ltd

Flamingo-Metformin

30 500mg $1.48 - Health First Pharmacy, Nadi Chemist


82%

Arrow-SimvastatinBatch #SAWH0019

30 20mg $2.95 - Budget Pharmacy Nadi $9.45My Chemist, Nasea Chemist and Northern Drug Store, Labasa

220%

Arrow-SimvastatinBatch #SAWH0023

30 20mg $3.08 - Nadi Chemist, Nadi $11.55Central Pharmacy Suva

275%

Crescent Pharma Ltd CrescentBatch# 08016

28 20mg $5.85 - Thakor lal Pharmacy, Lautoka $18.00Health Care Chemist, Tavua

207%

Windlas Biotech Ltd Winstatin-Simvastatin

30 20mg $3.15 - Amy Street Pharmacy; Good Health Care, Suva; Guardian Angel, L/Beach;

$10.00Western Medicare Ltd

217%

Flamingo Pharmaceuticals Ltd

Flaminopril-Enalapril

30 10mg $1.50 - Holistic Pharmacy, Suva $5.00Nadi Chemist, Patel Pharmacy, Sigatoka

233%


FlaminoprilBatch No: 106

2 30/10mg $1.73 - Hyperchem Pharmacy, Ba $5.00Midway Pharmacy, Ba

189%

Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd

Invoril-Enalapril

30 10mg $2.25 - Guardian Angel, L/Beach; Wyse Pharmacy, Valelevu

$4.50Wyse Pharmacy, Nakasi

100%

Suvik Hitek Pvt Ltd Sunapril-Enalapril

30 10mg $1.95 - Super Drug, Nabua $3.25A.J.Swan Pharmacy, Suva

66%

Merck Sharp Dohme Pty Ltd

Renitec-Enalapril

30 10mg $9.00 - Western Medicare Lautoka $13.01Hyperchem, Lautoka

45%

Apo-Amoxicillin

9 500mg $1.67 - Life Pharmacy, Nadi $4.00Chovhan Pharmacy Ltd,Lautoka

89%

Stallion Laboratories Pty Ltd

Stalmox-Amoxicillin

10 500mg $1.85 - Guardian Angel Pharmacy, L/Beach

$7.00Island Pharmacy, Ba

278%

Prawil Laboratories Ltd

Amoxywil 9 500mg $1.61 - Amy Street Pharmacy, Suva $4.00Midway Pharmacy, Nadi

148%

Glaxo Smith Kline GSK-Amoxicillin

9 500mg $3.60 - MS Pharmacy, Nadi $7.24Thakorlal’s Pharmacy, Lautoka

101%


Minidiab-Glipizide

30 5mg $3.00 - Madison Pharmacy, Suva; Central Pharmacy, Suva


48%

Key Findings

20This survey clearly demonstrates anomalies in pricing de-spite placing medicines under Price Control. A few exam-ples of meaningless pricing are outlined below:

• Midway Pharmacy, Ba sold 15 aspirin for $2.70, Wyse Pharmacy, Nakasi sold 20 aspirin for $2.25 whereas Health First Pharmacy, Life Pharmacy, Nadi, and Nadi Chemist sold 30 aspirin for $0.73. Why sell 15 aspirin for $2.70 but 30 aspirin for $0.73?

• Sugar City Pharmacy, Lautoka sold 15 amoxicillin (Apo) for $3.45 while Chovhan Pharmacy Ltd, Lautoka sold 9 tablets of amoxicillin (Apo) for $4.00.

• 10 Amoxywil was sold for $2.00 by Hyperchem, Ba where as Midway Pharmacy Ltd sold 9 tablets of Amox-ywil for $4.00.

• Island Pharmacy, Ba dispensed 30 Crescent, aimvastitin for $9.00 while Thakorlal Pharmacy, Lautoka dispensed 28 tablets for $5.85. Why does it cost $3.15 for only two extra tablets?

The above analysis clearly shows that the majority of phar-macies in Fiji are unnecessarily charging higher prices thus indulging in profiteering. The trade margins in phar-maceuticals are astronomical. The difference in price is over 400%! The pharmaceutical sector owes an explana-tion to the Government (provider of incentives) and the public (consumers) for these absurd anomalies in prices. Although prescribed medicines are placed under Price Control with a percentage mark up of 35%, the Council’s

survey still reveals very high trade margins. For example, drugs such as Microlab frusemide (with 460% price differ-ence); aspirin (India) (with 350% price difference); Stalmox amoxicillin (with 278% price difference) are only a tip of the iceberg. It was also noted that several pharmacies sold originator brand for maximum profits. Consumers are forced to pay for a very inflated cost, which could have been easily reduced by retailers and still make reasonable profits.

Meaningless Pricing

Profitability VS. Profiteering

My wife returned home to Australia recently after spending time with sick Mum in Suva and related a rather disquieting story. After a visit to their family doc-tor, her Mum was given a prescription for 30 tablets which they took to a pharmacy in the Nabua area. The sales assistant was very helpful and polite. While she was browsing, the sales assistant told her that the pre-scription would cost $30.75.

She was surprised at the high cost, but as the need was urgent she gave approval for the prescription to be filled. When the medication was brought to her in a plastic zip lock bag, she decided to check the con-tents and noticed only 20 tablets instead of the 30 pre-scribed. The sales assistant was embarrassed, but rec-tified the problem through the pharmacist. While an apology was given, no further explanation was forth-

coming so my wife thought it was a genuine mistake and left.

However she decided to share the experience with her sister who uses a pharmacy in Laucala Bay area. What she found was that her sister had paid only $6.75 for the same prescription the previous month at the Lau-cala Bay pharmacy. They rang the Laucala Bay phar-macist who was very helpful and explained that the medication from Nabua pharmacy was most likely the original, hence the exorbitant price.

It came to light after my wife checked with the phar-macy in Nabua that the medication was indeed the original, hence the excessive cost. It was ironic that a few days later, the local newspapers featured an arti-cle on generic brands versus original brands and how some pharmacies were not giving the public the op-tion to choose.

The other disconcerting thing is that, the Nabua and nearby areas are serviced by possibly one pharmacy. This leaves members of the public little or no choice and at the ‘mercy’ of a monopolistic trader.

COLIN DEOKI

Australia

Medicine price

Letter to Editor

Published in Fiji Times - 19/12/2010

Key Findings

21Pharmacy Trade PracticesThis part of the report deals with non-price issues in particular pharmacy practices in dispensing medicines to consumers.

Issues with Receipts This research has also highlighted many problems with the receipting procedures of these pharmacies. None of the 47 pharmacies provided individual medicine names on their receipts however, nineteen (19) provided itemised receipts using codes. Thirty two (32) pharmacies provided medicine price on their labels. Out of the 32 pharmacies that provided prices on their labels, 15 did not provide itemised receipts.

Three (3) pharmacies did not supply the basic information required by Fiji laws such as the company name, tax number, and company address and so on. These were Sugar City Pharmacy- Lautoka and Chovhan Pharmacy also in Lautoka and Patel Pharmacy in Sigatoka. Madison Pharmacy, Suva provided a chit with total price when re-quested for a receipt by our staff. In the Northern Division, Northern Drug Store, Labasa issued a receipt from “My Chemist” instead of a receipt specifically for Northern Drug Store. The owners are the same for both Drug Stores.

There were some pharmacies with receipts that had one code such as 005785 Prescription instead of the names of each medicine. There was no way a consumer could have known how much he/she paid for each medication. An interesting finding here was that Wyse Pharmacies in Nakasi and Valelevu have the same owner but Valelevu branch had prices clearly marked on each medication pack whereas the one in Nakasi did not do this. Wyse Nakasi instead provided a receipt with the total amount. One would assume that the same business would have similar practices however in this case the practice of pricing was different. Some of the practices used by the pharmacies in issuing receipts are a breach of Counter Inflation Act (Cap 73)

2

1

Pharmacy Trade Practices

Table 14: Non-disclosure of individual medicine prices

PHARMACY Location/Division

1 A.J.Swann Co Ltd Suva/Central Eastern

2 Life Pharmacy Nausori/ Central Eastern

3 Wyse Pharmacy Nakasi/ Central Eastern

4 Chovahan Pharmacy Ltd Lautoka/Western

5 Midway Pharmacy Ba/ Western

6 Western Medicare Pharmacy Lautoka/ Western

7 Island Pharmacy Ba/ Western

8 Patel Pharmacy Ltd Sigatoka/ Western

9 Naidu’s Medical Centre Rakiraki/Western

10 Health Care Chemist Tavua/ Western

Non-disclosure of individual medicine pricesIt should be noted that 10 pharmacies (see Table 14) did not provide price information on individual receipts or on the pack-age. Instead the total cost of medicine purchased was provided. Seven (7) of these pharmacies are in the Western Division while 3 are in the Central/Eastern Divisions. All 3 pharmacies in Labasa provided itemised receipts. However, Northern Drug Store, La-basa issued a ‘My Chemist’ receipt. To obtain individual prices of medicines, 11 pharmacies were contacted via telephone by Council staff. The team was unable to obtain pricing informa-tion from Naidu’s Medical Centre in Rakiraki. Furthermore, some pharmacies which issued receipts with total cost of medicine did have prices on individual medication packs but only on some of them. Other packets did not have prices on them. For example Life Pharmacy in Nadi did not provide prices on the packets of simvastatin, metformin and frusemide. Some of these pharma-cies, for example, Chovhan Pharmacy Ltd, Midway Pharmacy, Ba did not provide itemised receipts but sold generics at originator brand price.

22 Presence of PharmacistA pharmacist is required to check the prescrip-tions before dispensing medicines. 35 out of 47 pharmacies surveyed did not have a pharmacist visible within the premises. The Council staff, who were posing as consumers were either served by the Pharmacy Assistant or the Sales Assist-ant. However, a more firm conclusion about the presence of the pharmacist would have been possible, if there was a whole day’s surveillance in each pharmacy. The Council wishes to state that the onus is on the regulatory authorities to look into this and to be more vigilant on this is-sue. FPS should encourage pharmacists to wear a coat so that the public can identify a pharma-cist from other staff. The name of the pharmacist on duty should be made visible at all times.

Queries on prescription51% of pharmacies under survey made inquiries on the prescription and the patient, while 49% dispensed drugs without any further clarifica-tion. The two questions posed by the pharma-cies were age and the patient’s phone number. One pharmacy – Hyperchem Pharmacy, Ba re-quested the address of the patient, while Tha-korlal’s Pharmacy Nadi commented that the pa-tient “must be very sick and dying”

It should be noted that the higher number of queries on the prescription were made by the pharmacies in the Western Division. This was probably due to two factors; the prescription was from a Suva-based doctor and the purchas-er was non-Indian when the prescription was for an elderly Indian man.

DIVISIONS No. of Pharmacies

Queries made %

No queries made

%

Central/Eastern 23 3 13 20 87

Western 21 11 52.4 10 47.6

Northern 3 0 0 3 100

TOTAL 47 24 51 23 49

Wrong Name on Medicine PacketsPharmacy Plus of Suva incorrectly entered the patient’s name on the medicine packs. The purchaser’s name (Alisi) appeared on the packs instead of the patient’s name (Hari Ram) as per prescription (Case 1). Similarly, Life Pharmacy in Nadi incorrectly entered the patient’s second name (Ram) and had “Prasad” instead (Case 2).

3 4

5

6

Choice over generic or originator brand medicinesDuring our survey, none of the pharmacies asked the buyer whether he/she wanted generics or originator brand of medicines. The general rule amongst pharmacists is to dispense generic drugs when presented with a hospital prescription 9. Some pharmacies dispensed originator brand even though generic versions are commonly avail-able. For example, 500mg of generic metformin was available at Budget Pharmacy for at $0.85 while an originator brand was sold for $7.95 at Namaka Medisure Pharmacy, Nadi which is ten times more.


9 Information provided by our industry expert.

23Wrong strength dispensed One common practice among pharmacies is to dispense the correct medicine but with an incorrect dosage. There is a general assumption that a pharmacist as a professional would dispense the correct dosage of medication as and when required. Too little or too much of any medication could have adverse effect on one’s health. There are several examples of this. Thakorlal’s Pharmacy in Lautoka dispensed 5 mg enalapril as seen on the packet but the label stated 10mg as per prescription. A consumer unknowingly would have consumed a lower dose which is contrary to the doctor’s recommendation. Such mistakes can be fatal. This pharmacy also incorrectly stated that the doctor was from Lautoka Hospital instead of CWM hospital.

Sugar City Pharmacy in Lautoka dispensed 15 amoxicillin capsules when the prescription required a dosage of 9 capsules. The prescription clearly stated no repeats for this particular anti-biotic. In another case Wyse Pharmacy in Valelevu dispensed 30 tablets of 100mg

Aspirin tablets with instructions on the label to” take one tablet daily after food”. The prescription stated a dosage 150mg aspirin per day for a month.

In other cases, Thakorlal’s Pharmacy, Nadi dispensed 28 tablets of 20mg of simvastatin - Crescent rather than 30 tablets of 20mg. Life Pharmacy, Nausori dispensed 40 tablets of 5g of glipizide – Minidiab instead of 30 and Naidu’s Medical Centre issued 20 tablets of 5mg of glipizide – Minidiab. Rewa Pharmacy – Nausori changed the dose and dispensed 20/40mg of simvastatin – Arrow instead of 30/20mg.

Fraudulent Sale Three pharmacies were found selling generic medication labelled as originator brand and also charging origi-nator brand price. Thakorlal Pharmacy in Nadi, and Wyse Pharmacy in Nakasi dispensed generic frusemide tablets Apo but labelled it as Laxis which is an originator brand tablet and also charged the price of Laxis ($4. 65) which is much more expensive than generic Apo ($1.35

7

8


24Problems with labelsNineteen (19) pharmacies violated labelling re-quirements in one way or another. An apparent issue with labelling was the directions for use of the medicine. For example, Life Pharmacy- Nausori had hand written directions on all the labels of its medication. The problem here was that these instructions could easily fade through handling or if it gets wet. A number of pharma-cies did not have any directions for the use of medication on their labels while there were some which not only had clear directions for use but also had auxiliary labels with additional cautionary advice such as “avoid taking alcohol or grape fruit juice while taking the medication”. There needs to be a standardisation of practice in the labelling of labelling medication.

Pharmacy located in same building as medical practitioners or near each otherIn Nadi, two pharmacies situated on Lodhia Street are each housed in the same building as medical practi-tioners. Life Pharmacy is located next door in the same building as Faizal’s Medical Centre. The next building is Health First Pharmacy housed under the same building as Zen’s Medical Centre. The survey found a $10.08 prescription pack price difference between Life Pharmacy ($22.00) and Health Pharmacy ($32.08). In Suva, the same goes for Amy Street Pharmacy located within the Suva Private Hospital pharmacy. The issue here is the restriction of consumer choice as doctors are more likely to recommend these pharmacies to their patients. Moreover, inpatient and outpatient’s choice on pharmacies can be very limited in this case.

9

10


25

Pharmacy ownership laws are totally exploited by select-ed individuals through false information. In some cases names are lent to operate limited liability companies but the people whose names are used had migrated as far back as 1987 or are working for some other organisation or are non pharmacists. Non pharmacists who appear as owners must have been given token shares for use of their names.

Under the Pharmacy and Poisons Act (Cap 115), Section 18 (d) all the share capital of the body corporate is owned by registered pharmacists. Our company search has found that there are 9 non-pharmacists who have shares in phar-macies. This does not include others who had migrated.

The Council expects the reasons for including of non-pharmacists are for financial assistance to start the compa-ny. However, financial help also amounts to direct interfer-ence in the independence of pharmacies and the ability of a pharmacist to make decisions based on ethics rather than purely on financial gains. This was evident in the sur-vey where originator brand medicine was dispensed in-stead of generics which are widely available and the same brand and quantity sold at exorbitant price. Over charg-ing was evident which is a direct result of interference. It must be noted that when a few individuals are involved in a web of cross ownership of pharmacies and subsidiar-ies, we cannot discount the high probability of cartel-like behaviour or price fixing.

In one case the company documents of Flagstaff Phar-macy, Metro Pharmacy and Nasese Pharmacy were faxed

from the same source where information for Superdrug Pharmacy, Nabua; Central Pharmacy, Suva; Superdrug Pharmacy, Suva; and City Centre Pharmacy was faxed.

The ownership of pharmacies by medical practitioners while illegal under the current laws is also a very worrying trend as both diagnosis and dispensing can be compro-mised for maximum profits.

Fiji Islands Revenue and Customs Authority (FIRCA) should determine through its own investigation s whether com-panies’ and their shareholders are accurately declaring their income for tax purposes. There are violations, for ex-ample non–pharmacists are shareholders in some cases and in a few cases the same shareholder(s) own multi-ple pharmacies according to the Registrar of Companies’ records.

Non-pharmacist Pharmacy having ownership in

Swadesh Prabha Ram Sugar City Pharmacy

Virendra Shantilal PatelBarti Ben

Patel Pharmacy

Hamida Khan Namaka Medisure

Jone Finiasi Metro Pharmacy Suva

Jone Finiasi Nasese Pharmacy Suva

Dr Bijend Ram Rewa Pharmacy

Kalyan Sunil Kumar Laucala Bay Pharmacy

Ajay Ram Khelawan Nausori Pharmacy

Table16: Pharmacy Ownership

Pharmacy Ownership

There are certain pharmacy owners who own more

than two pharmacies, they would have to either sell or close down the additional pharmacies they operate.

“

”Dr. Neil Sharma - Minister of Health, Fiji.

Pharmacy Ownership

26

The Consumer Council found a majority of those pharma-cies surveyed were engaging in profiteering. A consumer simply trusts the pharmacist, and believes that the pre-scription issued by the medical doctor will be dispensed in good faith by the pharmacist. Unfortunately, consumers’ trust in pharmacists for their health care had been violated by not allowing them the freedom to choose a generic or an originator brand of medication, not issuing proper receipts and engaging in fraudulent practices.

The study has indicated that information is not readily available to patients/consumers (even to the educated cit-izens) on medicines and prices which they should know. Due to the lack of such information, consumers are solely dependent on the local pharmacies/chemists for the in-formation on types, prices, alternatives and other param-eters for the selection of medicines. It was also observed that whatever little communication that exists between the pharmacists and consumers it often not easily under-stood.

The survey was done realistically and objectively keeping in view the importance of the health sector. It should be reiterated that the role of the pharmaceutical sector is to conduct business within the laws of the country as well as keeping the citizens health and well being in mind. Profits are important for any business but it must not be at the expense of the innocent patients or consumers. The medi-cal field has advanced so much that this day and age the main focus globally is access to affordable drugs.

The pharmaceutical sector needs to work with relevant Government agencies in making the accessibility and af-fordability of medicines a genuine concern for the well be-ing and health of our citizens.

RECOMMENDATIONSBased on these findings, the Council recommends the following measures be adopted by the Ministry of Health and other concerned organizations dealing with health-care issues and ensuring a better dispensing services of medicines at affordable prices:

1. To acknowledge that there have been breaches and unfair trade practices by the pharmaceutical sector and that the enforcement agencies have not been vigilant;

2. Pharmacy and Poisons Board together with PIB (Commerce Commission) to prosecute pharmacies if breaches have occurred. The Council will supply the dispensed medications as evidence, if required. This must be done by thoroughly scrutinising all in-voices which are less than 3 months of supply date as purchases would have been made within that time frame. This must be done urgently because the Coun-cil wishes to recover money spent on the purchase of these medications;

3. The Price Control Order is now some 18 years out of date thus urgently needs to be reviewed and amend-ed to address Fiji’s increasing cost of health care. PIB has neither carried out any review of the Price Control Order on medicines nor has it produced any formal monitoring report to gauge compliance. PIB/Com-merce Commission should play a more active role in monitoring and enforcing Price Control Orders and where possible prosecute offending pharmacists;

Conclusion and Recommendations

The Consumer Council of Fiji survey adds credibility to the notion that some pharmacies are overcharging consumers either by

pricing more expensive brands first or deliberately not informing consumers of the availability of cheaper generic medicine.

It will be interesting to see what action is taken to ensure consumers are made aware of their right to proper medication

at a price that is justified and fair.

“

”Editorial comment – Fiji Times (19/11/2010)


274. Pharmacy and Poisons Board needs to take a more

proactive role in regulating the industry and its practices. The governing legislation, Pharmacy and Poisons Act appears to regulate registration and de-registration of pharmacists under Section 5 and 33 respectively. This law needs to be better enforced. The Council calls for an urgent review of the Pharmacy and Poisons Board to make this body effective and ef-ficient in enforcing the laws and in attending to com-plaints. Membership should include representatives from enforcement agencies, consumer groups and NGOs for transparency and effectiveness of the board;

5. The law also establishes the Fiji Pharmaceutical Soci-ety (Section 32B). They need to strengthen their code of ethics and monitor market practices. The society also needs to undertake regular training and edu-cation to up-skill its members and ensure that they are up to date with the changing role of pharmacists in the health sector. They should have merit system whereby certain points are acquired to qualify for an-nual registration. Registration requirements should be made clearer in the legislation and should include what is considered bad marketing practices;

6. A price list of common drugs consumed for common illnesses should be prominently displayed at pharma-cies. PIB/Commerce Commission to list these in a re-vised price order;

7. The Ministry of Health to impose a strict “Code of Con-duct” that must be practised by all pharmacies. The Code of Conduct has to be a binding document and any breaches to it should lead to fines or cancellation of licenses;

8. Fiji Islands Revenue and Customs Authority (FIRCA) can investigate whether companies and their share-holders are accurately and truthfully declaring their income for tax purposes. There are violations, for ex-ample non–pharmacists are shareholders in some cases and in a few cases the same shareholder(s) own multiple pharmacies according to the Registrar of Companies’ records;

9. FPS to ensure its members wear professional attire (e.g white coat) so that the public can differentiate a pharmacist from other pharmacy staff. FSP should also require that pharmacies display the pharmacist’s name that is on duty at one particular period of time;

10. FPS, the Ministry of Health and the Consumer Coun-cil of Fiji should educate consumers on the different categories of medicines – generics, branded generics and originator brands, including labelling informa-tion;

11. Pharmacies should display information on the prices of essential, commonly used drugs. Such information will assist consumers to compare prices before pur-chasing medicines;

12. FPS and the Ministry of Health should set up guide-lines for dispensing of drugs. Providing consumer drug information for all parties involved will empower consumers to make informed decisions thus safe-guarding their rights to health and information;

13. The Ministry of Health/Commerce Commission should also look at the importers and distributors of pharmaceuticals in Fiji to ensure competition. The Council’s coverage of this survey did not include this aspect but this is an important feature which should be looked at separately by relevant agencies; and

14. The Government to implement the recommenda-tions of the study so as to empower the citizens of Fiji and rid of any room for manipulation by pharmacies to protect their health interests.


28

Bailey, M. 2004. Affordability of Medicines in Fiji. http://www.haiweb.org/medicineprices/surveys/200409FJ/survey_report.pdf

Fiji Bureau of Statistics (2010), Preliminary Report : Poverty and Household Incomes in Fiji in 2008-09.

Fiji Republic Gazette Supplement, No.26, Friday 5th June, 1992; Legal Notice No.69, Counter-Inflation Act (Chapter 73), Counter-Inflation (Price Control), Ethical Medicine, No.5, Order, 1992.

MedilinePlus online service of the United States National Library of Medicine, From the National Institutes of Health, www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo (Accessed 12 June 2010) – Medicine description and use (Table 1).

Ministry of Health, October 2009. Monitoring of Pharmaceutical Prices in Private Sector.

Ministry of Health, October 2009. Naturopathic Medicine- Retailing in Fiji.

Panapasa G., 2010, ‘Symposium on NCDs’, Fiji Times, 6 July.

Speech of the Ministry for Health, Dr Neil Sharma delivered to members of the Fiji Pharmaceutical Society, Natadola, Nadi, 29th Nov 2009. Www. www.health.gov.fj/speeches/29/11/2009--fiji-pharmaceutical-societynatadola.html (Accessed 15 June 2010)

References

References

29AppendixResponse From Pharmacy and Poisons Board

Response From Pharmacy and Poisons Board

30 Response From Fiji Pharmaceutical Society

Response From Fiji Pharmaceutical Society

31

Response From Fiji Pharmaceutical Society

32CE

NTR

AL/

EAST

ERN

DIV

ISIO

N

NoPh

arm

acy

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icatio

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tal P

rice

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men

ts/No

tes

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0mg

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in

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form

in

30/5

00m

g

Simva

statin

30/2

0mg

Enala

pril

30/1

0mg

Amox

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n

9/50

0mg

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zide

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mg

*1A.

J. Sw

ann C

o Ltd

, Suv

aM

icrola

b $2

.00(In

dia)

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Pure

Phar

ma

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ure P

harm

a Ltd

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Batch

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002

Expir

y Dat

e: 06

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1

Arro

w

$5.00

Batch

# SA

WH0

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Expir

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Suna

pril

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(S

uvik

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Batch

#

0002

Expir

y Dat

e:

12/2

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Stalm

ox

$2.45

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tallio

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#

STL/

801

Expir

y Dat

e: 11

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Mini

diab

$3.45

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td)

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27B

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rices

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ceipt

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icine

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how

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price

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Lasix

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Mini

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# M

111A

Expir

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3Ce

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India

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# SA

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5 (M

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#

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9

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2011

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(P

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Individual Medicine Prices & CommentsIn

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diab (

40)

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Batch

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$28.7

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Batch

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Gene

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ech L

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# W

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y Dat

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(India

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y Dat

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Mini

diab

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(P

fizer

Pty L

td)

Batch

# M

111A

Expir

y Dat

e: 09

/201

2

$18.6

0-P

rices

wer

e ite

mize

d on t

he re

ceipt

but m

edici

ne na

mes

wer

e not

m

entio

ned t

o sho

w wh

at th

e cos

t of e

ach m

edici

ne w

as.

-For

the m

edici

ne pa

cket

s, pr

ices w

ere o

nly f

ound

on En

alapr

il, Sim

vasta

tin, M

etfo

rmin

& Gl

ipizid

e whe

reas

Asp

irin,

Frus

emide

&

Amox

icillin

did n

ot ha

ve pr

ices o

n the

pack

ets.


divi

dual

Med

icin

e P

rices

& C

omm

ents

(con

tinue

d).

34*1

0Lif

e Pha

rmac

y, Na

usor

i M

ircola

b $1

.50(In

dia)

$1.50

Pure

Phar

ma

$1.50

(P

ure P

harm

a Ltd

)

Batch

# 80

002

Expir

y Dat

e: 06

/201

1

Arro

w $6

.00

Batch

# SA

WH0

023

Expir

y Dat

e: 10

/201

1

Flam

inopr

il $1

.50

(Flam

ingo

Phar

mac

eutic

als

Ltd)

Batch

#

1868

Expir

y Dat

e: 08

/201

1

NAM

inidia

b (40

) $2

.50

(Pfiz

er Pt

y Ltd

)

Batch

#

L942

A

Expir

y Dat

e: 07

/201

2

$14.5

0-L

abels

are h

and w

ritte

n.

-No p

rope

r lab

elling

with

no m

entio

n of p

harm

acy n

ame,

cont

act e

tc.

11M

adiso

n Pha

rmac

y, Su

vaM

icrola

b $1

.00(In

dia)

$1.00

Flam

ingo

$1.50

(Fl

aming

o Ph

arm

aceu

ticals

Ltd

)

Batch

#

227

Expir

yDat

e: 05

/201

1

Arro

w $7

.50

Batch

# SA

WH0

019

Expir

y Dat

e: 07

/201

1

Flam

inopr

il $3

.45

(Flam

ingo

Phar

mac

eutic

als

Ltd)

Batch

#

1868

Expir

y Dat

e: 08

/201

1

Pulm

oxyl

$2

.45

(Flam

ingo

Phar

mac

eutic

als

Ltd)

Batch

#

PXFB

0304

Expir

y Dat

e: 06

/201

1

Mini

diab

$3.00

(P

fizer

Pty L

td)

Batch

# L9

27B

Expir

y Dat

e: 07

/201

2

$19.9

0Di

d not

issu

e pro

per r

eceip

t, jus

t pro

vided

a ch

it wi

th to

tal p

rice i

n han

d wr

itten

whe

n req

uest

was m

ade f

or a

rece

ipt by

our s

taff.

12M

ega C

are P

harm

acy,

Mak

oi,

Nasin

uLa

six

$4.35

(India

) $0

.60Pu

re Ph

arm

a $1

.05

(Pur

e Pha

rma

Ltd)

Batch

# 80

002

Expir

y Dat

e: 06

/201

1

Simca

rd

$9.75

(C

ipla L

td)

Batch

# G9

7838

Expir

y Dat

e: 05

/201

2

Invo

ril

$4.05

(R

anba

xy

Labo

rato

ries L

td)

Batch

# 19

5251

2

Expir

y Dat

e: 08

/201

0

NAM

inidia

b $3

.45

(Pfiz

er Pt

y Ltd

)

Batch

# M

111A

Expir

y Dat

e: 09

/201

2

$23.2

5- R

eceip

t had

only

tota

l cos

t of m

edici

ne pu

rchas

ed.

-Asp

irin p

acke

t had

no pr

ice.

13M

etro

Phar

mac

y, Su

va

Lasix

$4

.65(In

dia)

$1.35

Pure

Phar

ma

$1.95

(P

ure P

harm

a Ltd

)

Batch

#

8000

2

Expir

y Dat

e: 06

/201

1

Simca

rd

$11.5

5 (C

ipla L

td)

Batch

#

G978

38

Expir

y Dat

e: 05

/201

2

Suna

pril

$1.95

(S

uvik

Hite

k Pvt

Ltd)

Batch

#

0002

Expir

y Dat

e: 12

/201

2

NAM

inidia

b $3

.75

(Pfiz

er Pt

y Ltd

)

Batch

#

M11

1A

Expir

y Dat

e:

09/2

012

$25.2

0

14Na

sese

Phar

mac

y , Su

vaM

icrola

b $1

.95(In

dia)

$1.95

Phar

mac

or

$3.45

(P

harm

acor

Ltd)

Batch

#

KW9G

59

Expir

y Dat

e: 09

/201

2

Simca

rd –

$1

1.55

(Cipl

a Ltd

)

Batch

# G9

7838

Expir

y Dat

e: 05

/201

2

Invo

ril –

$4

.05

(Ran

baxy

La

bora

torie

s Ltd

)

Batch

#

1952

512

Expir

y Dat

e:

08/2

010

Peem

ox

$2.45

(P

ure P

harm

a Ltd

)

Batch

#

8000

6

Expir

y Dat

e: 02

/201

1

Mini

diab (

40)

$4.45

(P

fizer

Pty L

td)

Batch

# M

111A

Expir

y Dat

e: 09

/201

2

$29.8

5


divi

dual

Med

icin

e P

rices

& C

omm

ents

(con

tinue

d).

3515

Naus

ori P

harm

acy L

td, N

auso

riM

icrola

b $1

.95(In

dia)

$1.20

Flam

ingo

$1.95

(Fl

aming

o Ph

arm

aceu

ticals

Ltd

)

Batch

#

227

Expir

y Dat

e: 05

/201

1

Simca

rd

$11.5

5 (C

ipla L

td)

Batch

#

G978

38

Expir

y Dat

e: 05

/201

2

Flam

inopr

il $3

.45

(Flam

ingo

Phar

mac

eutic

als

Ltd)

Batch

#

1868

Expir

y dat

e: 08

/11

Apo

$1.71

Mini

diab

$3.45

(P

fizer

Pty L

td)

Batch

#

M11

1A

Expir

y Dat

e: 09

/201

2

$25.2

6

16Ph

arm

acy P

lus, S

uva

Apo

$1.95

(India

) $1

.20Fla

ming

o $1

.65

(Flam

ingo

Phar

mac

eutic

als

Ltd)

Batch

# 22

7

Expir

y Dat

e: 05

/201

1

Arro

w $7

.95

Batch

# SA

WH0

021

Expir

y Dat

e: 10

/201

1

Flam

inopr

il $1

.95

(Flam

ingo

Phar

mac

eutic

als

Ltd)

Batch

#

1868

Expir

y Dat

e:

08/2

011

Apo

$2.45

Mini

diab

$3.15

(P

fizer

Pty L

td)

Batch

#

M11

1A

Expir

y Dat

e:

09/2

012

$20.3

0Ha

d the

wro

ng pa

tient

nam

e on t

he m

edici

ne pa

cket

s. Th

e nam

e of o

ur

purch

aser

“Alis

i” app

eare

d on t

he m

edici

ne pa

cket

s ins

tead

of pa

tient

s na

me (

Hari R

am) o

n the

pres

cript

ion.

17Re

wa Ph

arm

acy,

Naus

ori

Micr

olab

$1.95

(India

) $0

.60M

etof

en

$1.95

(W

indlas

Biot

ech

Ltd)

Batch

# W

0500

2E

Expir

y Dat

e: 08

/201

1

Arro

w (2

0/40

mg)

$3

.65

Batch

# SA

FH00

15

Expir

y Dat

e: 01

/201

1

Prilo

ten

$3.75

(G

lobal

Phar

ma

Healt

h Car

e Pvt

Ltd)

Batch

#

890

Expir

y Dat

e: 09

/201

2

Amox

ywil

$1.71

(P

rawi

l Lab

orat

ories

Ltd

)

Expir

y Dat

e: 08

/201

1

NA$1

3.60

-Inste

ad of

30Sim

vasta

tin ta

blets

only

20 w

ere d

ispen

sed a

nd th

e dir

ectio

n for

use o

f this

med

icatio

n was

wro

ngly

writt

en on

the l

abel.

The

dir

ectio

n sta

ted ‘

take

half (

1/2)

table

t at n

ight (

bedt

ime)

’ whe

n in a

ctual

fact t

he di

recti

on sh

ould

be ta

ke on

e tab

let da

ily.

18Sa

mab

ula D

rug

Stor

e,Sam

abula

Durin

$1

.95(In

dia)

$1.05

Flam

ingo

$1.65

(Fl

aming

o Ph

arm

aceu

ticals

Ltd

)

Batch

# 22

7

Expir

y Dat

e: 05

/201

1

Arro

w $4

.05

Batch

# SA

WH0

023

Expir

y Dat

e: 10

/201

1

Flam

inopr

il $1

.95

(Flam

ingo

Phar

mac

eutic

als

Ltd)

Batch

#

1868

Expir

y Dat

e: 08

/201

1

Apo

$1.80

Mini

diab

$3.45

(P

fizer

Pty L

td)

Batch

#

L942

A

Expir

y Dat

e:

07/2

012

$15.9

0

19Su

perd

rug P

harm

acy,

Nabu

aM

icrola

b $1

.95(In

dia)

$1.05

Pure

Phar

ma

$1.95

(P

ure P

harm

a Ltd

)

Batch

# 80

02

Expir

y Dat

e: 06

/201

1

Simca

rd

$11.5

5 (C

ipla L

td)

Batch

#

G978

38

Expir

y Dat

e: 05

/201

2

Suna

pril

$1.95

(S

uvik

Hite

k Pvt

Ltd)

Batch

#

0002

Expir

y Dat

e: 12

/201

2

NAM

inidia

b (40

) $4

.85

(Pfiz

er Pt

y Ltd

)

Batch

#

M11

1A

Expir

y Dat

e: 09

/201

2

$23.3

0


divi

dual

Med

icin

e P

rices

& C

omm

ents

(con

tinue

d).

3620

Supe

rdru

g Pha

rmac

y, Su

vaLa

six

$4.65

(India

) $1

.00Di

aform

in $6

.15

(Alph

a Pha

rma)

Batch

#

A144

G

Expir

y Dat

e: 12

/201

2

Simca

rd

$11.5

5 (C

ipla L

td)

Batch

#

G978

38

Expir

y Dat

e: 05

/201

2

Suna

pril

$3.45

(S

uvik

Hite

k Pvt

Ltd)

Batch

#

9179

Expir

y Dat

e:

08/2

012

GSK

$7.95

(G

laxao

Smith

Kl

ine)

Batch

#

1333

Expir

y Dat

e: 06

/201

1

Mini

diab

$4.05

(40)

(P

fizer

Pty L

td)

Batch

#

M11

1A

Expir

y Dat

e: 09

/201

2

$38.8

0M

edici

ne pa

cket

s had

auxil

iary l

abels

with

addit

ional

caut

ionar

y adv

ice to

he

lp pa

tient

s tak

e pre

caut

ions w

hile o

n med

icatio

n.

21Su

va Ci

ty Ph

arm

acy,

Suva

La

six

$4.35

(India

) $1

.20Fla

ming

o $1

.95

(Flam

ingo

Phar

mac

eutic

als

Ltd)

Batch

#

227

Expir

y Dat

e: 05

/201

1

Arro

w $7

.50

Batch

# SA

WH0

007

Expir

y Dat

e: 10

/201

1

Flam

inopr

il $1

.95

(Flam

ingo

Phar

mac

eutic

als

Ltd)

Batch

#

1868

Expir

y Dat

e: 08

/201

1

NAM

inidia

b (40

) $4

.45

(Pfiz

er Pt

y Ltd

)

Batch

#

M11

1A

Expir

y Dat

e: 09

/201

2

$21.4

0

*22

Wys

e Pha

rmac

y, Na

kasi

Micr

olab

$4.10

(India

)(2

0/30

0mg)

$2

.25

Pure

Phar

ma

$1.85

(P

ure P

harm

a Ltd

)

Batch

#

8000

2

Expir

y Dat

e: 06

/201

1

Simca

rd

$11.5

5 (C

ipla L

td)

Batch

# G9

7838

Expir

y Dat

e: 05

/201

2

Invo

ril

$4.50

(R

anba

xy

Labo

rato

ries L

td)

Batch

# 19

5251

2

Expir

y Dat

e: 08

/201

0

Peem

ox

$1.85

(P

ure P

harm

a Ltd

)

Batch

#

9000

1

Expir

y Dat

e: 03

/201

1

Mini

diab (

40)

$3.55

(P

fizer

Pty L

td)

Batch

#

L942

A

Expir

y Dat

e:

07/2

012

$29.6

5-W

yse P

harm

acy i

n Nak

asi &

Valel

evu h

as th

e sam

e own

er bu

t Wys

e Ph

arm

acy i

n Vale

levu h

ad pr

ices c

learly

mar

ked o

n eac

h med

icatio

n pa

cket

s whe

reas

the o

ne in

Nak

asi d

id no

t do t

his; in

stead

give

a re

ceipt

wi

th to

tal a

mou

nt on

ly.

-Disp

ense

d gen

eric

Fruse

mide

table

ts AP

O bu

t lab

elled

it as

Laxis

whic

h is

a bra

nded

table

t & al

so ch

arge

d the

price

of br

ande

d Lax

is wh

ich is

muc

h m

ore e

xpen

sive t

han g

ener

ic AP

O.

23W

yse P

harm

acy,

Valel

evu

Lasix

$4

.35

(San

ofis

Aven

tis

Austr

alia P

ty

Ltd)

Batch

# 80

5069

1

Expir

y Dat

e: 01

/201

2

(India

) $0

.60Pu

re Ph

arm

a $1

.05

(Pur

e Pha

rma L

td)

Batch

#

8000

2

Expir

y Dat

e:

06/2

011

Simca

rd

$11.5

5 (C

ipla L

td)

Batch

#

G876

18

Expir

y Dat

e: 03

/201

1

Invo

ril

$2.25

(R

anba

xy

Labo

rato

ries L

td)

Batch

#

1952

512

Expir

y Dat

e: 08

/201

0

Peem

ox

$1.53

(P

ure P

harm

a Ltd

)

Expir

y Dat

e:

02/2

011

Mini

diab

$3.15

(P

fizer

Pty L

td)

Batch

#

L927

B

Expir

y Dat

e: 07

/201

2

$24.5

0-

WES

TERN

DIV

ISIO

N


divi

dual

Med

icin

e P

rices

& C

omm

ents

(con

tinue

d).

3724

Budg

et Ph

arm

acy,

Nadi

Lasix

$4

.20(In

dia)

$0.85

Met

ofen

$1

.65

(Wind

las Bi

otec

h Ltd

)

Batch

#

W05

002E

Expir

y Dat

e: 08

/201

1

Arro

w $2

.95

Batch

#

SAW

H001

9

Expir

y Dat

e:

07/2

011

Prilo

ten

$3.70

(G

lobal

Phar

ma

Healt

h Car

e Pvt

Ltd)

Batch

#

890

Expir

y Dat

e: 09

/201

2

Amox

ywil

$1.65

(P

rawi

l Lab

orat

ories

Ltd

)

Mini

diab

$3.20

(P

fizer

Pty L

td)

Batch

#

M11

1A

Expir

y Dat

e: 09

/201

2

$18.0

0

25Ca

re Ch

emist

, Siga

toka

Flam

ingo

$1.95

Card

iprin

(30/

100m

g)

$4.61

Batch

#

9177

01

Expir

y Dat

e: 01

/05/

2011

Flam

ingo

$1.53

(Fl

aming

o Ph

arm

aceu

ticals

Ltd

)

Batch

#

227

Expir

y Dat

e:

05/2

011

Arro

w

$3.28

Batch

#:

SAW

H001

9

Expir

y Dat

e: 07

/201

1

Flam

inopr

il $3

.42

(Flam

ingo

Phar

mac

eutic

als

Ltd)

Batch

# 18

68

Expir

y Dat

e: 08

/201

1

Apo

$2.44

Mini

diab

$3.08

(P

fizer

Pty L

td)

Batch

#

M11

1A

Expir

y Dat

e: 09

/201

2

$20.3

1

26Ch

andu

lal’s P

harm

acy

Micr

olab

$1.35

(India

) $0

.90Fla

ming

o $1

.95

(Flam

ingo

Phar

mac

eutic

als

Ltd)

Batch

#

227

Expir

y Dat

e:

05/2

011

Arro

w

$4.05

Batch

# SA

WH0

007

Expir

y Dat

e:

01/2

011

M-E

nalap

ril

$4.95

Apo

$3.15

Mini

diab

$3.45

(P

fizer

Pty L

td)

Batch

#

L942

A

Expir

y Dat

e: 07

/201

2

$19.8

0

*27

Chov

han P

harm

acy L

td,

Laut

oka

Micr

olab

$4.65

(India

) (2

0/30

0mg)

$2

.70

Pure

Phar

ma

$2.70

(P

ure P

harm

a Ltd

)

Batch

#

8000

2

Expir

y Dat

e: 06

/201

1

Arro

w

$7.50

Batch

# SA

WH0

023

Expir

y Dat

e:

10/2

011

Flam

inopr

il $5

.00

(Flam

ingo

Phar

mac

eutic

als

Ltd)

Batch

# 18

68

Expir

y Dat

e: 08

/201

1

Apo

$4.00

Mini

diab

$4.45

(P

fizer

Pty L

td)

Batch

# M

111A

Expir

y Dat

e: 09

/201

2

$31.0

0-R

eceip

t issu

ed di

d not

have

com

pany

nam

e, ta

x num

ber, c

ompa

ny

addr

ess e

tc.

- Rec

eipt h

ad on

ly to

tal c

ost o

f med

icine

purch

ased

.

-Med

icine

pack

ets a

lso di

d not

have

price

s.


divi

dual

Med

icin

e P

rices

& C

omm

ents

(con

tinue

d).

38*2

8He

alth C

are C

hem

ist, T

avua

Micr

olab

$1.50

(India

) $0

.75Fla

ming

o $1

.50

(Flam

ingo

Phar

mac

eutic

als

Ltd)

Batch

# 22

4

Expir

y Dat

e: 05

/201

1

Cres

cent

(2

8/20

mg)

$1

8.00

(Cre

scent

Ph

arm

a Ltd

)

Batch

#

0801

6

Expir

y dat

e: 02

/201

1

Flam

inopr

il $3

.00

(Flam

ingo

Phar

mac

eutic

als

Ltd)

Batch

#

1868

Expir

y Dat

e: 08

/201

1

Blue

-yell

ow

$2.95

DHA

$3.00

(D

rug H

ouse

s of

Austr

alia(

Asia)

Pte

Ltd, S

ingap

ore)

Batch

#

8045

6

Expir

y Dat

e: 05

/201

2

$30.7

0- R

eceip

t had

only

tota

l cos

t of m

edici

ne pu

rchas

ed.

-Med

icine

pack

ets a

lso di

d not

have

price

s.

29He

alth F

irst P

harm

acy,

Nadi

Lasix

$4

.63(In

dia)

$0.73

Flam

ingo

$1.48

(Flam

ingo

Phar

mac

eutic

als

Ltd)

Batch

# 22

7

Expir

y Dat

e:

05/2

011

Simca

rd

$11.5

9 (C

ipla L

td)

Batch

#

G978

38

Expir

y Dat

e: 05

/201

2

Flam

inopr

il $3

.29

(Flam

ingo

Phar

mac

eutic

als

Ltd)

Batch

#

1868

Expir

y Dat

e: 08

/201

1

GSK

$7.17

(G

laxao

Smith

Kline

)

Batch

#

1333

Expir

y Dat

e: 06

/201

1

Mini

diab

$3.19

(P

fizer

Pty L

td)

Batch

#

M11

1A

Expir

y Dat

e:

09/2

012

$32.0

8

30Hy

perch

em Ph

arm

acy,

BaLa

six

$4.38

(India

(3

0/81

mg)

$2

.21

Flam

ingo

$1.95

(Fl

aming

o Ph

arm

aceu

ticals

Ltd

)

Batch

# 22

7

Expir

y Dat

e: 05

/201

1

Arro

w $5

.10

Batch

# SA

WH0

021

Expir

y Dat

e: 10

/201

1

Flam

inopr

il $1

.73

(Flam

ingo

Phar

mac

eutic

als

Ltd)

Batch

#

106

Expir

y Dat

e: 05

/201

0

Amox

ywil

$2.00

(P

rawi

l Lab

orat

ories

Ltd

)

Batch

#

PC00

7

Expir

y Dat

e: 08

/201

1

Mini

diab (

40)

$4.20

(P

fizer

Pty L

td)

Batch

#

L927

B

Expir

y Dat

e: 07

/201

2

$21.5

5

31Hy

perch

em Ph

arm

acy,

Laut

oka

Lasix

$4

.18So

lprin

(16/

300m

g)

$1.25

Batch

#

8172

03

Expir

y Dat

e: 01

/06/

2010

Gluc

opha

ge

$6.73

(A

lpha P

harm

a)

Batch

#:

1000

46

Expir

y Dat

e: 07

/201

3

Simca

rd

$9.83

(C

ipla L

td)

Batch

# G9

7838

Expir

y Dat

e: 05

/201

2

Renit

ec

$13.0

1 (M

erck

Shar

p &

Dohm

e (Au

strali

a)

Pty L

td

Batch

# N2

047

Expir

y Dat

e: 04

/201

1

GSK

$6.16

(G

laxao

Smith

Kline

)

Batch

#

1342

Expir

y Dat

e: 07

/201

1

Mini

diab

$3.08

(P

fizer

Pty L

td)

Batch

#

L927

B

Expir

y Dat

e: 09

/201

2

$44.2

5

32Isl

and P

harm

acy C

omple

x, Na

diLa

six

$2.85

(S

anofi

s Av

entis

Pa

kista

n Pty

Ltd

)

Batch

#

HC04

4

Expir

y Dat

e: 08

/201

4

(India

) $1

.00Xm

et

$1.65

Acta

vis

$6.45

(R

elon C

hem

Ltd

)

Batch

#

K204

4

Expir

y Dat

e: 02

/201

2

Suna

pril

$2.25

(S

uvik

Hite

k Pvt

Ltd)

Batch

#

9179

Expir

y Dat

e: 08

/201

2

GSK

$7.20

(G

laxao

Smith

Kline

)

Batch

#

1333

Expir

y Dat

e: 06

/201

1

Mini

diab

$3.15

(P

fizer

Pty L

td)

Batch

#:

L927

B

Expir

y Dat

e: 07

/201

2

$24.5

5-P

rices

wer

e ite

mize

d on t

he re

ceipt

but m

edici

ne na

mes

wer

e not

m

entio

ned t

o sho

w wh

at th

e cos

t of e

ach m

edici

ne w

as.

-Med

icine

pack

ets a

lso di

d not

have

price

s.

-


divi

dual

Med

icin

e P

rices

& C

omm

ents

(con

tinue

d).

39*3

3Isl

and P

harm

acy,

BaM

icrola

b $2

.50(In

dia)

$1.50

Xmet

$2

.00Cr

esce

nt

$9.00

(C

resce

nt

Phar

ma L

td)

Batch

#

0801

6

Expir

y dat

e: 02

/201

1

Suna

pril

$3.00

(S

uvik

Hite

k Pvt

Ltd)

Batch

#

0002

Expir

y Dat

e: 12

/201

2

Stalm

ox

$7.00

(S

tallio

n Lab

orat

ories

Pt

y Ltd

)

Batch

#

STL/

801

Expir

y Dat

e: 11

/201

0

Mini

diab

$3.50

(P

fizer

Pty L

td)

Batch

#

L927

B

Expir

yDat

e: 07

/201

2

$28.5

0- R

eceip

t had

only

tota

l cos

t of m

edici

ne pu

rchas

ed.

34Lif

e Pha

rmac

y Ltd

, Nad

iLa

six

$4.00

(India

) $0

.73Gl

ucop

hage

$6

.70

(Alph

a Pha

rma)

Batch

#

1000

46

Expir

y Dat

e :07

/201

3

Arro

w $4

.05

Batch

# SA

WH0

019

Expir

y Dat

e: 07

/201

1

Flam

inopr

il $1

.73

(Flam

ingo

Phar

mac

eutic

als

Ltd)

Batch

# 18

68

Expir

y Dat

e: 08

/201

1

Apo

$1.67

Mini

diab

$3.12

(P

fizer

Pty L

td)

Batch

# M

111A

Expir

y Dat

e: 09

/201

2

$22.0

0W

rong

nam

e on t

he la

bel.

‘Har

i Pra

sad’

inste

ad of

‘Har

i Ram

’.

-

*35

Midw

ay Ph

arm

acy,

BaM

icrola

b $4

.65(In

dia)

$2.70

Flam

ingo

$2.70

(Fl

aming

o Ph

arm

aceu

ticals

Ltd

)

Batch

#

227

Expir

y Dat

e: 05

/201

1

Arro

w $7

.50

Batch

#

SAW

H002

1

Expir

y Dat

e: 10

/201

1

Flam

inopr

il $5

.00

(Flam

ingo

Phar

mac

eutic

als

Ltd)

Batch

#

106

Expir

y Dat

e:

05/2

010

Amox

ywil

$4.00

(P

rawi

l Lab

orat

ories

Ltd

)

Batch

#

PC00

7

Expir

y Dat

e: 08

/201

1

DHA

$4.45

(D

rug H

ouse

s of

Austr

alia(

Asia)

Pte

Ltd, S

ingap

ore)

Batch

#

8045

6

Expir

y Dat

e: 05

/201

2

$18.0

0 -

Rece

ipt ha

d onl

y tot

al co

st of

med

icine

purch

ased

.

-Med

icine

pack

ets a

lso di

d not

have

price

s

36M

S Pha

rmac

y, Na

diLa

six

$4.18

(S

anofi

s Av

entis

Au

strali

a Pty

Ltd

)

Batch

# 80

4882

6

Expir

y Dat

e: 10

/201

2

(India

) $0

.90Di

aform

in $6

.00

(Alph

a Pha

rma)

Batch

#

A633

F

Expir

y Dat

e: 10

/201

2

Wins

tatin

$3

.45

(Wind

las

Biot

ech L

td)

Batch

# W

2800

1E

Expir

y Dat

e: 09

/201

1

Prilo

ten

$3.70

(G

lobal

Phar

ma

Healt

h Car

e Pvt

Ltd)

Batch

#

890

Expir

y Dat

e: 09

/201

2

GSK

$3.60

(G

laxao

Smith

Kline

)

Mini

diab

$3.50

(P

fizer

Pty L

td)

Batch

#: M

111A

Expir

y Dat

e: 09

/201

2

$25.3

5

37Na

di Ch

emist

, Nad

iM

icrola

b $0

.83(In

dia)

$0.73

Flam

ingo

$1.48

(Fl

aming

o Ph

arm

aceu

ticals

Ltd

)

Batch

#:

227

Expir

y Dat

e: 05

/201

1

Arro

w $3

.08

Batch

#:

SAW

H002

3

Expir

y Dat

e:

10/2

011

Flam

inopr

il $1

.73

(Flam

ingo

Phar

mac

eutic

als

Ltd)

Batch

# 18

68

Expir

y Dat

e: 08

/201

1

Apo

$2.11

DHA

$3.49

(D

rug H

ouse

s of

Austr

alia(

Asia)

Pte

Ltd, S

ingap

ore)

$13.4

5


divi

dual

Med

icin

e P

rices

& C

omm

ents

(con

tinue

d).

40*3

8Na

idu’s M

edica

l Cen

treAp

o

No Pr

ice

(India

)

No Pr

ice

Pure

Phar

ma

No Pr

ice

(Pur

e Pha

rma L

td)

Batch

#

8000

2

Expir

y Dat

e: 06

/201

1

Simca

rd

No Pr

ice

(Cipl

a Ltd

)

Batch

#

G978

38

Expir

y Dat

e: 05

/201

2

Invo

ril

No Pr

ice

(Ran

baxy

La

bora

torie

s Ltd

)

Batch

#

1952

512

Expir

y Dat

e: 08

/201

0

Peem

ox (2

0)

No Pr

ice

(Pur

e Pha

rma L

td)

Batch

#

9000

1

Expir

y Dat

e: 03

/201

1

Mini

diab

(20)

No Pr

ice

(Pfiz

er Pt

y Ltd

)

Batch

#

K841

A

Expir

y Dat

e: 01

/201

2

$30.5

0- R

eceip

t had

only

tota

l cos

t of m

edici

ne pu

rchas

ed.

-Med

icine

pack

ets a

lso di

d not

have

price

s

39Na

mak

a Med

isure

Phar

mac

y, Na

diAp

o

$2.55

(India

) (2

5/30

0mg)

$1.45

Gluc

opha

ge

$7.95

(L

ipha

Phar

mac

eutic

als)

Batch

#

1026

55

Expir

y Dat

e: 05

/201

3

Simca

rd

$9.45

(C

ipla L

td)

Batch

#

G876

18

Expir

y Dat

e: 03

/201

1

Invo

ril

$4.05

(R

anba

xy

Labo

rato

ries L

td)

Batch

#

1952

512

Expir

y Dat

e: 08

/201

0

Ram

baxy

$5

.40

(Ran

baxy

La

bora

torie

s Ltd

)

Batch

#

2002

564

Mini

diab

$3.45

(P

fizer

Pty L

td)

Batch

#

L942

A

Expir

y Dat

e 07

/201

2

$31.0

0

*40

Pate

l Pha

rmac

y Ltd

, Siga

toka

Micr

olab

$1.50

(India

)

$1.00

Flam

ingo

$1.80

(Flam

ingo

Phar

mac

eutic

als

Ltd)

Batch

# :22

7

Expir

y Da

te:05

/201

1

Arro

w

$15.0

0

Batch

#

SAW

H002

1

Expir

y Da

te:10

/201

1

Flam

inopr

il $4

.00

(Flam

ingo

Phar

mac

eutic

als

Ltd)

Batch

#

1868

Expir

y Dat

e: 08

/201

1

Pulm

oxyl

$3.70

(M

icrola

bs Lt

d)

Mini

diab

$3.50

(P

fizer

Pty L

td)

Batch

#

L942

A

Expir

y Dat

e: 07

/201

2

$30.5

0-R

eceip

t issu

ed di

d not

have

com

pany

nam

e, ta

x num

ber, c

ompa

ny

addr

ess e

tc.

- Rec

eipt h

ad on

ly to

tal c

ost o

f med

icine

purch

ased

.

-Med

icine

pack

ets a

lso di

d not

have

price

s

41Su

gar C

ity Ph

arm

acy L

td,

Laut

oka

Micr

olab

$1.65

(India

) (30

)

$1.45

Flam

ingo

$1.95

(Flam

ingo

Phar

mac

eutic

als

Ltd)

Batch

# 20

1

Expir

y Da

te:09

/201

0

Arro

w

$5.85

Batch

#

SAW

H002

3

Expir

y Da

te:10

/201

1

M-E

nalap

ril

$3.15

Apo

(15)

$3.45

Mini

diab

$4.05

(P

fizer

Pty L

td)

Batch

#

M11

1A

Expir

y Dat

e: 09

/201

2

$21.5

5-R

eceip

t issu

ed di

d not

have

com

pany

nam

e, ta

x num

ber, c

ompa

ny

addr

ess e

tc.

- Disp

ense

d 15 A

mox

icillin

caps

ules w

hen p

rescr

iption

stat

ed a

dose

of

9cap

sules

. Ove

rdos

e of m

edici

ne.


divi

dual

Med

icin

e P

rices

& C

omm

ents

(con

tinue

d).

4142

Thak

orlal

’s Pha

rmac

y, La

utok

aLa

six

$4.63

(S

anofi

s Av

entis

Au

strali

a Pty

Ltd

)

Batch

#:

8048

862

Expir

y Dat

e: 10

/201

2

(India

) $1

.06Di

aform

in $6

.10

(Alph

a Pha

rma)

Batch

#

196D

Expir

y Dat

e: 05

/201

2

Cres

cent

(2

8)

$5.85

(C

resce

nt

Phar

ma L

td)

Batch

#

0801

6

Expir

y Dat

e: 02

/201

1

Suna

pril

(5m

g)

$2.07

(S

uvik

Hite

k Pvt

Ltd)

Batch

# 92

17

Expir

y Dat

e: 11

/201

2

GSK

$7.24

(G

laxo S

mith

Kline

)

Expir

y Dat

e: 06

/201

1

Mini

diab

$3.22

(P

fizer

Pty L

td)

Batch

#

L942

A

Expir

y Dat

e: 07

/201

2

$30.1

7-U

nder

dose

of m

edici

ne. D

ispen

sed 5

mg o

f Ena

lapril

give

n onc

e dail

y ins

tead

of th

e pre

scribe

d 10m

g.

43Th

akor

lal’s P

harm

acy,

Nadi

Apo

$4.65

(India

) (3)

$1

.45Pu

re Ph

arm

a $3

.45

(Pha

rmac

or Lt

d)

Batch

#

KW9G

59

Expir

y Dat

e: 09

/201

2

Simca

rd

$9.75

(C

ipla L

td)

Batch

# G9

7838

Expir

y Dat

e: 05

/201

2

Rent

ic $1

3.05

(Mer

ch Sh

arp &

Do

hme (

Austr

alia)

Pt

y Ltd

)

Batch

#

N321

9

Expir

y Dat

e: 08

/201

1

Nova

mox

-LB

$3.69

(C

ipla L

td)

Batch

#

DT93

27

Expir

y Dat

e: 02

/201

1

Mini

diab (

40)

$4.05

(P

fizer

Pty L

td)

Batch

#

M11

1A

Expir

y Dat

e: 09

/201

2

$40.1

0-D

ispen

sed g

ener

ic Fru

sem

ide ta

blets

APO

but l

abell

ed it

as La

xis w

hich i

s a b

rand

ed ta

blet &

also

char

ged t

he pr

ice of

bran

ded L

axis

which

is m

uch

mor

e exp

ensiv

e tha

n gen

eric

APO.

*44

Wes

tern

Med

icare

Phar

mac

y, Ba

Micr

olab

$4.50

(India

) (30

) $2

.00Di

aform

in $6

.00

(Alph

a Pha

rma)

Batch

#

A462

D

Expir

y Dat

e: 05

/201

2

Wins

tant

in $1

0.00

(Wind

las

Biot

ech L

td)

Batch

# W

2800

1E

Expir

y Dat

e: 09

/201

1

Renit

ec

$9.00

(M

erch

Shar

p &

Dohm

e (Au

strali

a)

Pty L

td)

Batch

# N2

047

Expir

y Dat

e: 04

/201

1

GSK

$5.85

(G

laxao

Smith

Kline

)

Batch

#

1333

Mini

diab (

30)

$3.15

(P

fizer

Pty L

td)

Batch

# M

111A

Expir

y Dat

e: 09

/201

2

$40.5

0- R

eceip

t had

only

tota

l cos

t of m

edici

ne pu

rchas

ed.

-Med

icine

pack

ets a

lso di

d not

have

price

s

NO

RTH

ERN

DIV

ISIO

N

45M

y Che

mist

, Lab

asa

Micr

olab

$1.95

(India

) $0

.75Fla

ming

o $1

.95

(Flam

ingo

Phar

mac

eutic

als

Ltd)

Batch

#

227

Expir

y Dat

e: 05

/201

1

Arro

w $9

.45

Batch

# SA

WH0

019

Expir

y Dat

e:

07/2

011

Invo

ril

$4.05

(R

anba

xy

Labo

rato

ries L

td)

Batch

# 19

5251

2

Expir

y Dat

e: 08

/201

0

Apo

$1.80

Mini

diab

$3.45

(P

fizer

Pty L

td)

Batch

#

L942

A

Expir

y Dat

e: 07

/201

2

$23.4

0


divi

dual

Med

icin

e P

rices

& C

omm

ents

(con

tinue

d).

4246

Nase

a Che

mist

, Lab

asa

Apo

$1.35

(India

) $0

.75Fla

ming

o $1

.35

(Flam

ingo

Phar

mac

eutic

als

Ltd)

Batch

#:

227

Expir

y Dat

e: 05

/201

1

Arro

w $9

.45

Batch

#

SAW

H001

9

Expir

y Dat

e: 07

/201

1

Invo

ril

$3.45

(R

anba

xy

Labo

rato

ries L

td)

Batch

# 19

5251

2

Expir

y Dat

e: 08

/201

0

Apo

$1.71

Mini

diab

$3.75

(P

fizer

Pty L

td)

Batch

#

L942

A

Expir

y Dat

e: 07

/201

2

$21.8

0

47No

rther

n Dru

g Sto

re, La

basa

Apo

$4.65

(India

) $0

.75Fla

ming

o $1

.35

(Flam

ingo

Phar

mac

eutic

als

Ltd)

Batch

#:

227

Expir

y Dat

e: 05

/201

1

Arro

w $9

.45

Batch

# SA

WH0

019

Expir

y Dat

e: 07

/201

1

Invo

ril

$4.05

(R

anba

xy

Labo

rato

ries L

td)

Batch

# 19

5251

2

Expir

y Dat

e: 08

/201

0

Apo

$1.80

Mini

diab

$3.45

(P

fizer

Pty L

td)

Batch

#: L9

42A

Expir

y Dat

e: 07

/201

2

$25.5

0Iss

uing s

ame r

eceip

t as

My C

hem

ist.

NB: *

Phar

mac

ies th

at w

ere c

alled

for m

edici

ne pr

ices


divi

dual

Med

icin

e P

rices

& C

omm

ents

(con

tinue

d).

43

Price Comparisons: Same medicine, batch number, manufacturer/source country

Pric

e Co

mpa

rison

s: S

ame

med

icin

e, b

atch

num

ber,

man

ufac

ture

r/so

urce

cou

ntry

.Ph

arm

acy N

ame

Med

icine

/Dru

g Na

me

Man

ufac

ture

rBa

tch

NoEx

piry

Dat

e Co

mm

ents

AM

OXICI

LLIN

Peem

ox Am

oxici

llin, s

ame #

, sou

rce co

untry

, 10/

500m

gW

yse P

harm

acy,

Naka

siPe

emox

$1.85

(Pur

e Pha

rma L

td, In

dia)

9000

103

/201

1Fla

gsta

ff Ph

arm

acy,

Suva

sells

it fo

r $2.6

5 whil

e Wys

e Pha

rmac

y, Na

kasi

for $

1.85,

a diff

eren

ce of

$0.80

Flags

taff

Phar

mac

y, Su

vaPe

emox

$2.65

(Pur

e Pha

rma L

td, In

dia)

9000

103

/201

1St

almox

Amox

icillin

, sam

e #, s

ource

coun

try 10

/500

mg

A.J.

Swan

n Co L

td, S

uva

Stalm

ox $2

.45(S

tallio

n Lab

orat

ories

Pvt L

td, In

dia)

STL/

801

11/2

010

Guar

dian A

ngel

Phar

mac

y, Su

va so

ld St

almox

amox

icillin

for $

1.85 w

hile I

sland

Phar

mac

y, Ba

sold

the s

ame f

or $7

.00, a

diff

eren

ce of

$5.15

or 27

8%.

Guar

dian A

ngel

Phar

mac

y, L/

Beac

h St

almox

$1.85

(Sta

llion L

abor

ator

ies Pv

t Ltd

, India

)ST

L/80

111

/201

0Isl

and P

harm

acy,

BaSt

almox

$7.00

(Sta

llion L

abor

ator

ies Pv

t Ltd

, India

)ST

L/80

111

/201

0GS

K Am

oxici

llin 9/

500m

gHe

alth F

irst P

harm

acy,

Nadi

GSK $

7.17

(Glax

ao Sm

ith Kl

ine Au

strali

a Pty

Ltd)

1333

06/2

011

A sm

all pr

ice di

ffere

nce o

f $0.0

3 bet

ween

Hea

lth Fi

rst an

d Isla

nd Ph

arm

acy,

Nadi.

Islan

d Pha

rmac

y Com

plex,

Nadi

GSK $

7.20

(Glax

ao Sm

ith Kl

ine, A

ustra

lia Pt

y Ltd

)13

3306

/201

1

** AS

PIRI

N –

No co

mpa

rison

s asp

irin t

ablet

s wer

e loo

se ta

blets

wher

eby t

here

wer

e no m

anuf

actu

rer n

ame,

batch

num

ber a

nd ex

piry d

ates

give

n.

ENAL

APRI

L

Flam

inopr

il Ena

lapril

– 30

/10m

g

Holis

tic Ph

arm

acy,

Suva

Flam

inopr

il $1.6

5 Fla

ming

o Pha

rmac

eutic

als Lt

d, In

dia18

6808

/201

1

High

est t

price

of Fl

amino

pril e

nalap

ril (1

868)

was

$5.00

reco

rded

in th

e Wes

t at C

hovh

an Ph

arm

acy L

auto

ka, w

hile l

owes

t pr

ices o

f $1.5

0 was

reco

rded

at Li

fe Ph

arm

acy N

auso

ri. Pr

ice di

ffere

nce –

233%

. Sam

e pric

e of $

1.95 o

ffere

d by P

harm

acy

Plus,

Sam

abula

Dru

g Sto

re an

d Suv

a City

Phar

mac

y. Lif

e Pha

rmac

y, Na

di an

d Nad

i Che

mist

also

had t

he sa

me p

rice o

f $1.7

3.

Lauc

ala Ba

y Pha

rmac

y, Su

vaFla

mino

pril $

2.25

Flam

ingo P

harm

aceu

ticals

Ltd,

India

1868

08/2

011

Life P

harm

acy,

Naus

ori

Flam

inopr

il $1.5

0Fla

ming

o Pha

rmac

eutic

als Lt

d, In

dia18

6808

/201

1M

adiso

n Pha

rmac

y, Su

vaFla

mino

pril $

3.45

Flam

ingo P

harm

aceu

ticals

Ltd,

India

1868

08/2

011

Phar

mac

y Plus

, Suv

aFla

mino

pril $

1.95

Flam

ingo P

harm

aceu

ticals

Ltd,

India

1868

08/2

011

Sam

abula

Dru

g Sto

re,Sa

mab

ulaFla

mino

pril $

1.95

Flam

ingo P

harm

aceu

ticals

Ltd,

India

1868

08/2

011

Suva

City

Phar

mac

y, Su

va

Flam

inopr

il $1.9

5Fla

ming

o Pha

rmac

eutic

als Lt

d, In

dia18

6808

/201

1Ca

re Ch

emist

, Siga

toka

Flam

inopr

il $3.4

2(Fl

aming

o Pha

rmac

eutic

als Lt

d, In

dia)

1868

08/2

011

Chov

han P

harm

acy L

td, L

auto

kaFla

mino

pril $

5.00

(Flam

ingo P

harm

aceu

ticals

Ltd,

India

)18

6808

/201

1He

alth C

are C

hem

ist, T

avua

Flam

inopr

il $3.0

0(Fl

aming

o Pha

rmac

eutic

als Lt

d, In

dia)

1868

08/2

011

Healt

h Firs

t Pha

rmac

y, Na

diFla

mino

pril $

3.29

(Flam

ingo P

harm

aceu

ticals

Ltd,

India

)18

6808

/201

1Lif

e Pha

rmac

y Ltd

, Nad

iFla

mino

pril $

1.73

(Flam

ingo P

harm

aceu

ticals

Ltd,

India

)18

6808

/201

1Na

di Ch

emist

, Nad

iFla

mino

pril $

1.73

(Flam

ingo P

harm

aceu

ticals

Ltd,

India

)18

6808

/201

1Na

usor

i Pha

rmac

y Ltd

Flam

inopr

il $3.4

5Fla

ming

o Pha

rmac

eutic

als Lt

d, In

dia)

1868

08/2

011

Pate

l Pha

rmac

y Ltd

, Siga

toka

Flam

inopr

il $4.0

0(Fl

aming

o Pha

rmac

eutic

als Lt

d, In

dia)

1868

08/2

011

Invo

ril En

alapr

il – 30

/10m

g

44

Price Comparisons: Same medicine, batch number, manufacturer/source country

Flags

taff

Phar

mac

y, Su

vaIn

voril

$3.4

5Ra

nbax

y Lab

orat

ories

Ltd,

India

1952

512

08/2

010

Nine

(9) p

harm

acies

sold

Invo

ril en

alapr

il fro

m Ra

nbax

y Lab

orat

ories

Ltd,

India

. The

med

icine

bore

the s

ame b

atch

num

ber

1952

512 a

nd ex

piry d

ate o

f 08/

2010

. The

high

est p

rice w

as re

cord

ed by

Wys

e Pha

rmac

y Nak

asi a

t $4.5

0 and

inte

resti

ngly

Wys

e Vale

levu h

as th

e low

est p

rice o

f $2.2

5. Th

e pric

e diff

eren

ce be

twee

n the

two W

yse b

ranc

hes f

or th

e sam

e med

icine

is

a 100

%. G

uard

ian An

gel p

harm

acy a

lso so

ld it

at th

e low

est p

rice o

f $2.2

5. In

the N

orth

ern D

ivisio

n, N

asea

Chem

ist so

ld In

voril

enala

pril f

or $3

.45 w

hile t

he ot

her 2

phar

mac

ies fo

r $4.0

5, a p

rice d

iffer

ence

of $0

.60.

Guar

dian A

ngel

Phar

mac

y, L/

Beac

h Nas

inuIn

voril

$2.2

5Ra

nbax

y Lab

orat

ories

Ltd,

India

1952

512

08/2

010

Meg

a Car

e Pha

rmac

y, M

akoi,

Nas

inuIn

voril

$4.05

Ranb

axy L

abor

ator

ies Lt

d, In

dia19

5251

208

/201

0W

yse P

harm

acy,

Naka

siIn

voril

$4.50

Ranb

axy L

abor

ator

ies Lt

d, In

dia

1952

512

08/2

010

Wys

e Pha

rmac

y, Va

lelev

uIn

voril

$2.25

Ranb

axy L

abor

ator

ies Lt

d, In

dia

1952

512

08/2

010

Nase

se Ph

arm

acy ,

Suva

Invo

ril $4

.05Ra

nbax

y Lab

orat

ories

Ltd,

India

1952

512

08/2

010

My C

hem

ist, L

abas

aIn

voril

$4.05

(Ran

baxy

Labo

rato

ries L

td, In

dia19

5251

208

/201

0Na

sea C

hem

ist, L

abas

aIn

voril

$3.45

(Ran

baxy

Labo

rato

ries L

td, In

dia19

5251

208

/201

0No

rther

n Dru

g Sto

re, La

basa

Invo

ril $4

.05(R

anba

xy La

bora

torie

s Ltd

, India

19

5251

208

/201

0Pr

ilote

n Ena

lapril

– 30

/10m

g

Amy S

treet

Phar

mac

y Pr

ilote

n $3.6

9Gl

obal

Phar

ma H

ealth

Care

Pvt L

td,

India

890

09/2

012

Prilo

ten e

nalap

ril of

the s

ame b

atch

num

ber w

as so

ld by

4 ph

arm

acies

, all f

rom

the C

entra

l/Eas

tern

Divi

sion.

Amy S

treet

Ph

arm

acy s

old Pr

ilote

n ena

lapril

for $

3.69,

a mer

e $0.0

6 low

er th

an th

e oth

er th

ree s

elling

the s

ame m

edici

ne.

City C

entre

Phar

mac

y, Su

vaPr

ilote

n $3

.75Gl

obal

Phar

ma H

ealth

Care

Pvt L

td,

India

890

09/2

012

Good

Hea

lth Ca

re Ph

arm

acy,

Suva

Prilo

ten

$3.75

Glob

al Ph

arm

a Hea

lth Ca

re Pv

t Ltd

, In

dia89

009

/201

2

Rewa

Phar

mac

y, Na

usor

iPr

ilote

n $3.7

5Gl

obal

Phar

ma H

ealth

Care

Pvt L

td,

India

890

09/2

012

Suna

pril E

nalap

ril 30

/10m

gA.

J. Sw

ann C

o Ltd

, Suv

aSu

napr

il $3.2

5Su

vik H

itek P

vt Lt

d, In

dia00

0212

/201

2AJ

Swan

n’s pr

ice fo

r Sun

april

Enala

pril

(000

2) w

as $3

.25 w

hich w

as 66

% m

ore e

xpen

sive t

han t

he ot

her t

wo ph

arm

acies

se

lling t

he sa

me –

Met

ro Ph

arm

acy S

uva &

Supe

rdru

g Nab

ua -

$1.95

.M

etro

Phar

mac

y, Su

va

Suna

pril $

1.95

Suvik

Hite

k Pvt

Ltd,

India

0002

12/2

012

Supe

rdru

g Pha

rmac

y, Na

bua

Suna

pril $

1.95

Suvik

Hite

k Pvt

Ltd,

India

0002

12/2

012

Renit

ec En

alapr

il 30/

10m

g

Hype

rchem

Phar

mac

y, La

utok

aRe

nitec

$13.0

1(M

erck

Shar

p & D

ohm

e (Au

strali

a)

Pty L

tdN2

047

04/2

011

Hype

rchem

Laut

oka a

nd W

este

rn M

edica

re Ba

, Lau

toka

sold

Renit

ec en

alapr

il by t

he sa

me m

anuf

actu

rer a

nd ha

ving t

he

sam

e bat

ch nu

mbe

r. Hyp

erch

em ($

13.01

) was

45%

mor

e exp

ensiv

e tha

n Wes

tern

Med

icare

($9.0

0)W

este

rn M

edica

re Ph

arm

acy,

BaRe

nitec

$9.00

(Mer

ch Sh

arp &

Doh

me (

Austr

alia)

Pt

y Ltd

)N2

047

04/2

011

Flam

inopr

il Ena

lapril

30/1

0gm

Hype

rchem

Phar

mac

y, Ba

Flam

inopr

il $1.7

3(Fl

aming

o Pha

rmac

eutic

als Lt

d, In

dia)

106

05/2

010

Midw

ay Ph

arm

acy B

a sold

Flam

inopr

il ena

lapril

(Flam

ingo P

harm

aceu

ticals

, India

) for

$5.00

whil

e Hyp

erch

em Ba

sold

the

sam

e for

just

$1.73

.Cons

umer

s wou

ld ea

sily b

e pay

ing 18

9% m

ore f

or th

is m

edici

ne if

they

did n

ot ch

eck t

he pr

icing

in

thes

e out

lets w

hich a

re w

ithin

walki

ng di

stanc

e of e

ach o

ther.

Midw

ay Ph

arm

acy,

BaFla

mino

pril $

5.00

(Flam

ingo P

harm

aceu

ticals

Ltd,

India

)10

605

/201

0

Prilo

ten E

nalap

ril –

30/1

0mg

Budg

et Ph

arm

acy,

Nadi

Prilo

ten $

3.70

(Glob

al Ph

arm

a Hea

lth Ca

re Pv

t Ltd

, In

dia)

890

09/2

012

Sam

e pric

e of $

3.70 c

harg

ed by

the t

wo ph

arm

acies

for P

rilot

en en

alapr

il.M

S Pha

rmac

y, Na

diPr

ilote

n $3.7

0(G

lobal

Phar

ma H

ealth

Care

Pvt L

td,

India

)89

009

/201

2

FRUS

EMID

E La

six Fr

usem

ide 30

/40m

gCe

ntra

l Pha

rmac

y, Su

vaLa

six $4

.65Sa

nofis

Aven

tis Au

strali

a Pty

Ltd

Not S

tate

d10

/201

2Th

ree p

harm

acies

in Su

va so

ld La

six fr

om th

e sam

e man

ufac

ture

r. Cen

tral P

harm

acy S

uva d

id no

t hav

e the

batch

num

ber

visibl

e, ho

weve

r com

parin

g the

med

icine

on ba

sis of

“sam

e man

ufac

ture”

is su

fficie

nt. C

entra

l Pha

rmac

y’s pr

ice ($

4.65)

was

jus

t 6.9%

high

er th

an H

olisti

c Suv

a and

Wys

e Vale

levu.

Holis

tic Ph

arm

acy,

Suva

Lasix

$4.35

Sano

fis Av

entis

Austr

alia P

ty Lt

d80

4882

610

/201

2

Wys

e Pha

rmac

y, Va

lelev

uLa

six $4

.35Sa

nofis

Aven

tis Au

strali

a Pty

Ltd

8050

691

01/2

012

GLIP

IZIDE

Pric

e Co

mpa

rison

s: S

ame

med

icin

e, b

atch

num

ber,

man

ufac

ture

r/so

urce

cou

ntry

(con

tinue

d).

45M

inidia

b Glip

izide

30/5

mg –

sam

e bat

ch #

A.J.

Swan

n Co L

td, S

uva

Mini

diab $

3.45

(Pfiz

er Au

strali

a Pty

Ltd)

L927

B07

/201

2

Six ph

arm

acies

disp

ense

d the

sam

e Mini

diab b

atch

(L92

7B),

thre

e eac

h in t

he Ce

ntra

l/Eas

tern

and W

este

rn di

vision

s. Th

e high

est p

rice w

as re

cord

ed at

Islan

d Pha

rmac

y Ba (

$3.50

) whil

e the

chea

pest

was s

old by

Mad

ison S

uva (

$3.00

). The

pr

ice di

ffere

nce b

etwe

en th

e high

est a

nd lo

west

price

was

16.6%

.

Mad

ison P

harm

acy,

Suva

Mini

diab $

3.00

(Pfiz

er Au

strali

a Pty

Ltd)

L927

B07

/201

2W

yse P

harm

acy,

Valel

evu

Mini

diab $

3.15

(Pfiz

er Au

strali

a Pty

Ltd)

L927

B07

/201

2Hy

perch

em Ph

arm

acy,

Laut

oka

Mini

diab $

3.08

(Pfiz

er Au

strali

a Pty

Ltd)

L927

B07

/201

2Isl

and P

harm

acy C

omple

x, Na

diM

inidia

b $3.1

5(P

fizer

Austr

alia P

ty Lt

d)L9

27B

07/2

012

Islan

d Pha

rmac

y, Ba

Mini

diab $

3.50

(Pfiz

er Au

strali

a Pty

Ltd)

L927

B07

/201

2M

inidia

b Glip

izide

30/5

mg –

sam

e bat

ch #

Cent

ral P

harm

acy,

Suva

Mini

diab $

3.00

(Pfiz

er Au

strali

a Pty

Ltd)

L942

A07

/201

2

Ten p

harm

acies

disp

ense

d the

sam

e Mini

diab b

atch

L942

A. Th

e high

est p

rice r

ecor

ded w

as $3

.75 by

City

Cent

re

Phar

mac

y Suv

a and

Nas

ea Ch

emist

Laba

sa, w

hile t

he lo

west

was s

old by

Cent

ral P

harm

acy S

uva f

or $3

.00. T

he pr

ice

differ

ence

was

$0.75

or 25

%. (

Note

: Life

Phar

mac

y Nau

sori s

old th

e sam

e bat

ch m

edici

ne bu

t high

er do

sage

of 40

/5m

g fo

r $2.5

0)

City C

entre

Phar

mac

y, Su

vaM

inidia

b $3.7

5(P

fizer

Austr

alia P

ty Lt

d)L9

42A

07/2

012

Guar

dian A

ngel

Phar

mac

y, L/

Beac

h M

inidia

b $3.4

5(P

fizer

Austr

alia P

ty Lt

d)L9

42A

07/2

012

Chan

dulal

’s Pha

rmac

yM

inidia

b$3.4

5(P

fizer

Austr

alia P

ty Lt

d)L9

42A

07/2

012

Nam

aka M

edisu

re Ph

arm

acy,

Nadi

Mini

diab $

3.45

(Pfiz

er Au

strali

a Pte

Ltd)

L942

A07

/201

2Pa

tel P

harm

acy L

td, S

igato

kaM

inidia

b $3.5

0(P

fizer

Austr

alia P

te Lt

d)L9

42A

07/2

012

Thak

orlal

’s Pha

rmac

y, La

utok

aM

inidia

b $3.2

2(P

fizer

Austr

alia P

te Lt

d)L9

42A

07/2

012

My C

hem

ist, L

abas

aM

inidia

b $3.4

5(P

fizer

Austr

alia P

ty Lt

d)L9

42A

07/2

012

Nase

a Che

mist

, Lab

asa

Mini

diab $

3.75

(Pfiz

er Au

strali

a Pty

Ltd)

L942

A07

/201

2No

rther

n Dru

g Sto

re, La

basa

Mini

diab $

3.45

(Pfiz

er Au

strali

a Pty

Ltd)

L942

A07

/201

2M

inidia

b Glip

izide

30/5

mg –

sam

e bat

ch #

Amy S

treet

Phar

mac

yM

inidia

b $3.4

9(P

fizer

Austr

alia P

ty Lt

d)M

111A

09/2

012

High

est p

rice o

f $4.4

5 rec

orde

d Cho

vhan

Phar

mac

y Lau

toka

, whil

e the

chea

pest

was s

old by

Care

Chem

ist Si

gato

ka fo

r $3

.08, p

rice d

iffer

ence

being

44.5%

.

Holis

tic Su

va, L

auca

la Ba

y Pha

rmac

y, M

ega C

are M

akoi

and N

auso

ry Ph

arm

acy a

ll sold

Mini

diab g

lipizi

de (M

111A

) at

$3.45

. The

two L

auto

ka ph

arm

acies

– Ch

ovha

n and

Suga

r City

Phar

mac

y sold

the m

edici

ne fo

r pric

es ab

ove $

4.00.

Holis

tic Ph

arm

acy,

Suva

Mini

diab $

3.45

(Pfiz

er Au

strali

a Pty

Ltd)

M11

1A09

/201

2La

ucala

Bay P

harm

acy,

Suva

Mini

diab $

3.45

(Pfiz

er Au

strali

a Pty

Ltd)

M11

1A09

/201

2M

ega C

are P

harm

acy,

Mak

oi, N

asinu

Mini

diab $

3.45

(Pfiz

er Au

strali

a Pty

Ltd)

M11

1A09

/201

2M

etro

Phar

mac

y, Su

va

Mini

diab $

3.75

(Pfiz

er Au

strali

a Pty

Ltd)

M11

1A09

/201

2Na

usor

i Pha

rmac

y Ltd

, Nau

sori

Mini

diab $

3.45

(Pfiz

er Au

strali

a Pty

Ltd)

M11

1A09

/201

2Ph

arm

acy P

lus, S

uva

Mini

diab $

3.15

(Pfiz

er Au

strali

a Pty

Ltd)

M11

1A09

/201

2Bu

dget

Phar

mac

y, Na

diM

inidia

b$3.2

0(P

fizer

Austr

alia P

ty Lt

d)M

111A

09/2

012

Care

Chem

ist, S

igato

kaM

inidia

b$3.0

8(P

fizer

Austr

alia P

ty Lt

d)M

111A

09/2

012

Chov

han P

harm

acy L

td, L

auto

kaM

inidia

b$4.4

5(P

fizer

Austr

alia P

ty Lt

d)M

111A

09/2

012

Life P

harm

acy L

td, N

adi

Mini

diab$

3.12

(Pfiz

er Au

strali

a Pty

Ltd)

M11

1A09

/201

2M

S Pha

rmac

y, Na

diM

inidia

b$3.5

0(P

fizer

Austr

alia P

te Lt

d)M

111A

09/2

012

Suga

r City

Phar

mac

y Ltd

, Lau

toka

Mini

diab$

4.05

(Pfiz

er Au

strali

a Pte

Ltd)

M11

1A09

/201

2He

alth F

irst P

harm

acy,

Nadi

Mini

diab$

3.19

(Pfiz

er Au

strali

a Pty

Ltd)

M11

1A

09/2

012

Wes

tern

Med

icare

Phar

mac

y, Ba

Mini

diab$

3.15

(Pfiz

er Au

strali

a Pte

Ltd)

M11

1A09

/201

2M

inidia

b Glip

izide

40/5

mg –

sam

e bat

ch #

Supe

rdru

g Pha

rmac

y, Su

vaM

inidia

b $4.0

5 (P

fizer

Austr

alia P

ty Lt

d)M

111A

09/2

012

Supe

rdru

g, Fla

gsta

ff, N

ases

e, Su

perd

rug N

abua

and S

uva C

ity Ph

arm

acy s

old sa

me b

atch

Mini

diab g

lipizi

de at

40/5

mg.

The h

ighes

t pric

e in t

his gr

oup w

as ch

arge

d by F

lagsta

ff Ph

arm

acy a

nd Su

perd

rug N

abua

at $4

.85, w

hile S

uper

drug

Suva

ch

arge

d $0.8

0 les

s at $

4.05 t

han i

ts Na

bua b

ranc

h.

Flags

taff

Phar

mac

y, Su

vaM

inidia

b $4.8

5(P

fizer

Austr

alia P

ty Lt

d)M

111A

09/2

012

Nase

se Ph

arm

acy ,

Suva

Mini

diab $

4.45

(Pfiz

er Au

strali

a Pty

Ltd)

M11

1A09

/201

2Su

perd

rug P

harm

acy,

Nabu

aM

inidia

b $4.8

5(P

fizer

Austr

alia P

ty Lt

d)M

111A

09/2

012

Suva

City

Phar

mac

y, Su

va

Mini

diab $

4.45

(Pfiz

er Au

strali

a Pty

Ltd)

M11

1A09

/201

2Th

akor

lal’s P

harm

acy,

Nadi

Mini

diab$

4.05

(Pfiz

er Au

strali

a Pte

Ltd)

M11

1A09

/201

2DH

A Mini

diab G

lipizi

de 30

/5m

g

Price Comparisons: Same medicine, batch number, manufacturer/source countryP

rice

Com

paris

ons:

Sam

e m

edic

ine,

bat

ch n

umbe

r, m

anuf

actu

rer/

sour

ce c

ount

ry (c

ontin

ued)

.

46


rice

Com

paris

ons:

Sam

e m

edic

ine,

bat

ch n

umbe

r, m

anuf

actu

rer/

sour

ce c

ount

ry (c

ontin

ued)

.He

alth C

are C

hem

ist, T

avua

DHA $

3.00

(Dru

g Hou

ses o

f Aus

tralia

(Asia

) Pte

Ltd

, Sing

apor

e)80

456

05/2

012

Price

diffe

renc

e of $

1.45 f

or D

HA M

inidia

b glip

izide

sold

by th

ese t

wo ph

arm

acies

. Midw

ay Ba

sold

it at

48%

high

er th

an

Healt

h Car

e Che

mist

Tavu

a.M

idway

Phar

mac

y, Ba

DHA $

4.45

Drug

Hou

ses o

f Aus

tralia

(Asia

) Pty

Lim

ited,

Singa

pore

8045

605

/201

2

MET

FORM

INM

etof

en M

etfo

rmin

30/5

00m

gAm

y Stre

et Ph

arm

acy

Met

ofen

$1.38

Wind

las Bi

otec

h Ltd

,India

W05

002E

08/2

011

Price

diffe

renc

e of $

0.57 o

r 41%

.

Rewa

Phar

mac

y, Na

usor

iM

etof

en$1

.95W

indlas

Biot

ech L

td, In

diaW

0500

2E08

/201

1

Flam

ingo M

etfo

rmin

sam

e bat

ch#,

sour

ce co

untry

30/5

00m

gM

adiso

n Pha

rmac

y, Su

vaFla

ming

o $1.5

0Fla

ming

o Pha

rmac

eutic

als Lt

d, In

dia22

705

/201

1

Midw

ay Ph

arm

acy s

old th

e mos

t exp

ensiv

e at $

2.70,

while

Hea

lth Fi

rst Ph

arm

acy N

adi a

nd N

adi C

hem

ist w

ere t

he

chea

pest

at $1

.48. P

rice d

iffer

ence

betw

een c

heap

est a

nd m

ost e

xpen

sive p

rice –

82%

. The

mos

t com

mon

price

wa

s $1.9

5 cha

rged

by fiv

e pha

rmac

ies –

Nau

sori P

harm

acy,

Suva

City

Phar

m., C

hadu

lal an

d Hyp

erch

em Ba

.

Naus

ori P

harm

acy L

td, N

auso

riFla

ming

o $1.9

5Fla

ming

o Pha

rmac

eutic

als Lt

d, In

dia22

705

/201

1Ph

arm

acy P

lus, S

uva

Flam

ingo $

1.65

Flam

ingo P

harm

aceu

ticals

Ltd,

India

227

05/2

011

Sam

abula

Dru

g Sto

re, Sa

mab

ulaFla

ming

o $1.6

5Fla

ming

o Pha

rmac

eutic

als Lt

d, In

dia22

705

/201

1Su

va Ci

ty Ph

arm

acy,

Suva

Fla

ming

o $1.9

5Fla

ming

o Pha

rmac

eutic

als Lt

d, In

dia22

705

/201

1Ca

re Ch

emist

, Siga

toka

Flam

ingo $

1.53

Flam

ingo P

harm

aceu

ticals

Ltd,

India

227

05/2

011

Chan

dulal

’s Pha

rmac

y, La

utok

aFla

ming

o $1.9

5Fla

ming

o Pha

rmac

eutic

als Lt

d, In

dia22

705

/201

1He

alth F

irst P

harm

acy,

Nadi

Flam

ingo $

1.48

Flam

ingo P

harm

aceu

ticals

Ltd,

India

227

05/2

011

Hype

rchem

Phar

mac

y, Ba

Flam

ingo $

1.95

Flam

ingo P

harm

aceu

ticals

Ltd,

India

227

05/2

011

Midw

ay Ph

arm

acy,

BaFla

ming

o $2.7

0Fla

ming

o Pha

rmac

eutic

als Lt

d, In

dia22

705

/201

1Na

di Ch

emist

, Nad

iFla

ming

o $1.4

8Fla

ming

o Pha

rmac

eutic

als Lt

d, In

dia22

705

/201

1Pa

tel P

harm

acy L

td, S

igato

kaFla

ming

o $1.8

0Fla

ming

o Pha

rmac

eutic

als Lt

d, In

dia22

705

/201

1Fla

ming

o Met

form

in, sa

me b

atch

#, so

urce

coun

try 15

/300

mg

My C

hem

ist, L

abas

aFla

ming

o $1.9

5Fla

ming

o Pha

rmac

eutic

als Lt

d, In

dia22

705

/201

1Th

e thr

ee N

orth

ern p

harm

acies

disp

ense

d 15/

300m

g of t

he sa

me m

etfo

rmin.

My C

hem

ist w

as th

e high

est p

riced

$1

.95 w

hile t

he ot

her t

wo ch

arge

d for

$1.35

, a $0

.60 di

ffere

nce (

44%

)Na

sea C

hem

ist, L

abas

aFla

ming

o $1.3

5Fla

ming

o Pha

rmac

eutic

als Lt

d, In

dia22

705

/201

1No

rther

n Dru

g Sto

re, La

basa

Flam

ingo$

1.35

Flam

ingo P

harm

aceu

ticals

Ltd,

India

227

05/2

011

Pure

Phar

ma M

etfo

rmin

30/5

00m

g, sa

me b

atch

A.J.

Swan

n Co L

td, S

uva

Pure

Phar

ma $

2.00

Pure

Phar

ma L

td, In

dia80

002

06/2

011

AJ Sw

ann S

uva s

old th

e mos

t exp

ensiv

e at $

2.00 w

hile t

he ch

eape

st wa

s fou

nd at

Meg

a Car

e Pha

rmac

y Mak

oi,

Holis

tic Ph

arm

acy,

Suva

and W

yse P

harm

acy V

alelev

u ($1

.05).

Price

diffe

renc

e bet

ween

chea

pest

and m

ost

expe

nsive

– 94

%.

Cent

ral P

harm

acy,

Suva

Pure

Phar

ma $

1.95

Pure

Phar

ma L

td, In

dia80

002

06/2

011

City C

entre

Phar

mac

y, Su

vaPu

re Ph

arm

a $1.9

5Pu

re Ph

arm

a Ltd

, India

8000

206

/201

1Fla

gsta

ff Ph

arm

acy,

Suva

Pure

Phar

ma $

1.95

Pure

Phar

ma L

td, In

dia80

002

06/2

011

Holis

tic Ph

arm

acy,

Suva

Pure

Phar

ma $

1.05

Pure

Phar

ma L

td, In

dia80

002

06/2

011

Lauc

ala Ba

y Pha

rmac

y, Su

vaPu

re Ph

arm

a $1.6

5Pu

re Ph

arm

a Ltd

, India

8000

206

/201

1Lif

e Pha

rmac

y, Na

usor

i Pu

re Ph

arm

a $1.5

0Pu

re Ph

arm

a Ltd

, India

8000

206

/201

1M

ega C

are P

harm

acy,

Mak

oi, N

asinu

Pure

Phar

ma $

1.05

Pure

Phar

ma L

td, In

dia

8000

206

/201

1M

etro

Phar

mac

y, Su

va

Pure

Phar

ma $

1.95

Pure

Phar

ma L

td,In

dia

8000

206

/201

1Su

per D

rug P

harm

acy,

Nabu

aPu

re Ph

arm

a $1.9

5Pu

re Ph

arm

a Ltd

,India

80

002

06/2

011

Wys

e Pha

rmac

y, Na

kasi

Pure

Phar

ma $

1.85

Pure

Phar

ma L

td, In

dia80

002

06/2

011

Wys

e Pha

rmac

y, Va

lelev

uPu

re Ph

arm

a $1.0

5Pu

re Ph

arm

a Ltd

, India

80

002

06/2

011

Gluc

opha

ge M

etfo

rmin,

sam

e bat

ch#,

sour

ce co

untry

30/

500m

gHy

perch

em Ph

arm

acy,

Laut

oka

Gluc

opha

ge $6

.73Al

pha P

harm

, Aus

tralia

1000

4607

/201

3Sa

me m

anuf

actu

rer, b

atch

# &

expir

y dat

e. D

iffer

ence

of $0

.03.

Life P

harm

acy L

td, N

adi

Gluc

opha

ge $6

.70Al

pha P

harm

, Aus

tralia

1000

4607

/201

3

SIMVA

STAT

INAr

row

Simva

statin

, sam

e bat

ch# 3

0/20

mg

47Lif

e Pha

rmac

y, Na

usor

i Ar

row

$6.00

NOT S

TATE

DSA

WH0

023

10/2

011

High

est p

rice c

harg

ed by

Cent

ral P

harm

acy,

Suva

at $

11.55

, che

apes

t at N

adi C

hem

ist $3

.08. P

rice d

iffer

ence

–

275%

Sam

abula

Dru

g Sto

re,Sa

mab

ulaAr

row

$4.05

NOT S

TATE

DSA

WH0

023

10/2

011

Chov

han P

harm

acy L

td, L

auto

kaAr

row

$7.50

NOT S

TATE

DSA

WH0

023

10/2

011

Cent

ral P

harm

acy,

Suva

Arro

w $1

1.55

NOT S

TATE

DSA

WH0

023

10/2

011

Nadi

Chem

ist, N

adi

Arro

w $3

.08NO

T STA

TED

SAW

H002

310

/201

1Su

gar C

ity Ph

arm

acy L

td, L

auto

kaAr

row

$5.85

NOT S

TATE

DSA

WH0

023

10/2

011

Simca

rd Si

mva

statin

, sam

e #, s

ource

coun

try, 3

0/20

mg

City C

entre

Phar

mac

y, Su

vaSim

card

$11.5

5Cip

la Ltd

, India

G978

3805

/201

0

Eleve

n (11

) pha

rmac

ies so

ld Sim

card

sim

vasta

tin (#

G978

38),

with

6 of

them

sellin

g it a

t $11

.55. T

he hi

ghes

t pr

ice w

as at

Hea

lth Fi

rst Ph

arm

acy N

adi fo

r $11

.59 w

hile F

lagsta

ff, M

ega C

are M

akoi

and T

hako

rlal’s

Nadi

sold

the

chea

pest

($9.7

5). P

rice d

iffer

ence

betw

een l

owes

/high

est –

19%

.

Flags

taff

Phar

mac

y, Su

vaSim

card

$9.75

Cipla

Ltd, In

diaG9

7838

05/2

010

Meg

a Car

e Pha

rmac

y, M

akoi,

Nas

inuSim

card

$9.75

Cipla

Ltd, In

diaG9

7838

05/2

012

Met

ro Ph

arm

acy,

Suva

Sim

card

$11.5

5Cip

la Ltd

, India

G978

3805

/201

2Na

usor

i Pha

rmac

y Ltd

, Nau

sori

Simca

rd $1

1.55

Cipla

Ltd, In

diaG9

7838

05/2

012

Supe

rdru

g Pha

rmac

y, Na

bua

Simca

rd $1

1.55

(Cipl

a Ltd

, India

)G9

7838

05/2

012

Supe

rdru

g Pha

rmac

y, Su

vaSim

card

$11.5

5Cip

la Ltd

, India

G978

3805

/201

2W

yse P

harm

acy,

Naka

siSim

card

$11.5

5Cip

la Ltd

, India

G978

3805

/201

2He

alth F

irst P

harm

acy,

Nadi

Simca

rd $1

1.59

Cipla

Ltd, In

diaG9

7838

05/2

012

Hype

rchem

Phar

mac

y, La

utok

aSim

card

$9.83

Cipla

Ltd, In

diaG9

7838

05/2

012

Thak

orlal

’s Pha

rmac

y, Na

diSim

card

$9.75

Cipla

Ltd, In

diaG9

7838

05/2

012

Wins

tatin

Sim

vasta

tin, s

ame #

, sou

rce co

untry

30/2

0mg

Good

Hea

lth Ca

re Ph

arm

acy,

Suva

Wins

tatin

$3.15

Wind

las Bi

otec

h Ltd

, India

W28

001E

09/2

011

Wins

tatin

was

sold

by Am

y Stre

et Ph

arm

acy;

Good

Hea

lth Ca

re, Su

va; G

uard

ian An

gel, L

/Bea

ch fo

r $3.1

5 whil

e W

este

rn M

edica

re Lt

d cha

rged

$10.0

0. Th

is is

a pric

e diff

eren

ce of

217%

, whic

h is t

hree

tim

es m

ore t

han w

hat a

co

nsum

er w

ould

pay f

or in

Suva

.

Guar

dian A

ngel

Phar

mac

y, L/

Beac

h Nas

inuW

insta

tin $3

.15W

indlas

Biot

ech L

td, In

diaW

2800

1E09

/201

1W

este

rn M

edica

re Ph

arm

acy,

BaW

insta

ntin

$10.0

0W

indlas

Biot

ech L

td, In

diaW

2800

1E09

/201

1M

S Pha

rmac

y, Na

diW

insta

tin $3

.45W

indlas

Biot

ech L

td, In

diaW

2800

1E09

/201

1Ar

row

Simva

statin

, sam

e #, 3

0/20

mg

Budg

et Ph

arm

acy,

Nadi

Arro

w $2

.95NO

T STA

TED

SAW

H001

907

/201

1

High

est p

rice r

ecor

ded i

n the

thre

e Lab

asa p

harm

acies

at $9

.45. B

udge

t Pha

rmac

y Nad

i had

the c

heap

est p

rice o

f $2

.95. T

he th

ree n

orth

ern p

harm

acies

have

char

ged 2

20%

mor

e tha

n the

chea

pest

Arro

w Sim

vasta

tin pu

rchas

ed.

Care

Chem

ist, S

igato

kaAr

row

$3.28

NOT S

TATE

DSA

WH0

019

07/2

011

Life P

harm

acy L

td, N

adi

Arro

w $4

.05NO

T STA

TED

SAW

H001

907

/201

1M

y Che

mist

, Lab

asa

Arro

w $9

.45NO

T STA

TED

SAW

H001

907

/201

1Na

sea C

hem

ist, L

abas

aAr

row

$9.45

NOT S

TATE

DSA

WH0

019

07/2

011

North

ern D

rug S

tore,

Laba

saAr

row

$9.45

NOT S

TATE

DSA

WH0

019

07/1

1Ar

row

Simva

statin

, sam

e #, 3

0/20

mg

Hype

rchem

Phar

mac

y, Ba

Arro

w $5

.10NO

T STA

TED

SAW

H002

110

/201

1Pa

tel P

harm

acy S

igato

ka ch

arge

d 194

% m

ore t

han H

yper

chem

Ba Ar

row

simva

statin

(SAW

H002

1)

Midw

ay Ph

arm

acy,

BaAr

row

$7.50

NOT S

TATE

DSA

WH0

021

10/2

011

Pate

l Pha

rmac

y Ltd

, Siga

toka

Arro

w $1

5.00

NOT S

TATE

DSA

WH0

021

10/2

011

Wins

tatin

Sim

vasta

tin, s

ame #

, 30/

20m

g

Cres

cent

, Sim

vasti

tin sa

me #

, sou

rce co

untry

28/2

0mg

Healt

h Car

e Che

mist

, Tav

uaCr

esce

nt $1

8.00

Cres

cent

Phar

ma L

td08

016

02/2

012

Cres

cent

was

sold

by Th

akor

lal Ph

arm

acy,

Laut

oka;

$5.85

whil

e Hea

lth Ca

re Ch

emist

, Tav

ua ch

arge

d $18

.00. T

his is

a p

rice d

iffer

ence

of 20

7%.

Thak

or La

l Pha

rmac

y, La

utok

aCr

esce

nt $5

.85Cr

esce

nt Ph

arm

a Ltd

0801

602

/201

2Isl

and P

harm

acy,

Ba (3

0/20

mg)

Cres

cent

$9.00

Cres

cent

Phar

ma L

td08

016

02/2

012


rice

Com

paris

ons:

Sam

e m

edic

ine,

bat

ch n

umbe

r, m

anuf

actu

rer/

sour

ce c

ount

ry (c

ontin

ued)

.

48

Notes


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Funded by

EUROPEAN UNION

Documents

Prices and Practices - Consumer council of Fijiconsumersfiji.org/upload/Reports/CCF Pharmacy Report_Final.pdf · Prices and Practices Pharmaceutical Survey 2010 Report by Supported