Consumers have been advised to abandon costly pharmacy medicines as there’s a straightforward method to achieve identical results at a fraction of the price.
Flu cases are surging, with a fresh variant continuing to trigger outbreaks particularly among youngsters. Information regarding the H3N2 strain from Australia reveals it has experienced its most severe flu season on record, and this pattern is now anticipated to replicate in Britain as we approach the colder months.
While infections haven’t reached their seasonal climax yet, they’re significantly higher than typical levels for this period, according to UKHSA.
Given this situation, it might be prudent to stockpile cold and flu remedies in preparation for potential illness affecting you or your family members. However, the expense of these medications can quickly add up.
To assist shoppers, money saving experts at Which? have encouraged the public to make one straightforward substitution when purchasing cold and flu treatments, potentially resulting in considerable savings.
Taking to their social media platforms, one employee explained that while many shoppers assume branded medications like Advil, Calpol, or Lemsip are better than their unbranded alternatives, this has often been proven to not be the case.
“Something I never knew before I worked at Which? was when you’re feeling a bit fluey, expensive branded cold meds aren’t necessary, and in some cases, don’t offer proven benefits,” the Which? representative stated at the beginning of the clip.
She continued by highlighting that own-brand painkillers, which are typically much cheaper than their branded counterparts, are usually equally effective while costing just a fraction of the price.
“And you can often find the best value medicines at supermarkets and discount stores rather than at a pharmacy,” she said.
Are branded medications superior to generic versions?
No, branded medications aren’t automatically deemed ‘superior’ when compared to their generic equivalents. By law, all own-brand medicines, including those available in supermarkets and discount retailers, must contain identical active ingredients to branded versions.
They have undergone the same testing and regulatory processes, while frequently delivering equivalent clinical benefits and remaining equally safe and effective.
Brand name versions of medications are developed by the pharmaceutical company that holds the rights to the medicine. If a company possesses a patent on a specific drug, they are the sole entity permitted to market it under that name once the drug receives its licence.
However, once the patent lapses, other manufacturers can market the identical drug under a different name. The sole distinction between these branded and generic medications may lie in the inactive ingredients.
The Which? representative proceeded to encourage people to seek out own brands or generic brands containing the same active ingredients as the branded alternatives, because they will perform the same function at a fraction of the cost.
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
