People could be spending less of hay fever medicine (Image: Getty)
Hay fever is very common, with cases having tripled in the last 20 years. It affects up to to 15% of children and 26% of adults in the UK, according to Allergy UK. People who struggle in the summer months often take preventative medicine, but some could be paying far too much for this.
The team behind Martin Lewis’ MoneySavingExpert (MSE) website claims people could save up to £10 a month by switching from branded hay fever medicine to own-brand that does the same. The Royal Pharmaceutical Society told MSE: “If an over-the-counter medicine contains the same active ingredient, strength and formulation, it should work just as effectively whether it is a well-known brand or an unbranded generic alternative.
“Just remember to double-check any ingredients before you buy, especially if you have other allergies. If you’re unsure which product is most suitable for you or if you have any questions about ingredients or interactions, speak to a pharmacist who can provide safe, expert advice.”
How can I save money this summer?
The MSE team claims that relying on a certain brand like Piriteze, Clarityn or Piriton might work for you. But, people could be saving money by checking if they could be getting just as much relief for less by finding the equivalent non-branded antihistamine medicine.
For example, MSE claims that Piriteze costs £11.55 at Boots for a pack of 30 tablets. Each of these pills contains 10mg of the active ingredient cetirizine hydrochloride, which is the same dose found in Saver’s 89p Galpharm Cetirizine Hayfever and Allergy Relief tablets (also a 30-pack).
Martin Lewis’ team showed that this process of finding the active ingredient is possible with lots of leading brands. The team compared Clarityn (£11.50 for a 30-pack at Boots) to Galpharm Loratadine Hayfever and Allergy (89p for 30-pack at Savers) and Piriton (£7.15 for a 30-pack at Boots) to Crescent Chlorphenamine Maleate Tablets (£2.99 for 28-pack and also sold at Boots).
For some leading brands identified by MSE’s team, sufferers could save £10 a month on tablets. Given that some pollen seasons peak for around three months of the year, they could pocket £30 without compromising on the actual medicine that makes them feel better during the summer.
How long does hay fever season last in the UK?
According to the Met Office, most people are allergic to grass pollen, which has two peaks during the year. The season tends to last from mid-May until July.
It said: “[For grass pollen], the peak across England and Wales usually starts in the first two weeks of June. There are two peaks though, with the second, lower peak occurring in the first two weeks of July, after which things tail off slowly.
“These peaks may be masked by how wet, dry, warm or cold it is, and the timing of the peaks very much depends on the weather during spring and early summer. Dependent upon where you live in the UK, the hay fever season will start at different times.
“For example, there’s a later start and shorter season in the north of the UK, where generally there is less pollen. Urban areas have lower counts than the countryside, and places inland have higher counts than around the coast.”
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
