Microsoft word - privateprescriptions.doc

Superdrug Stores Plc.

118 Beddington Lane, Croydon
Surrey, CR0 4TB Tel +44 20 8684 7000 www.superdrug.com - Superdrug to save Brits millions with end to marking up on private prescriptions – Today, Tuesday 3 August 2010, Superdrug announces a commitment to dispense all privately prescribed prescriptions with no mark up on the cost of the medicine. The cost of private prescriptions can vary widely between pharmacies and Superdrug is calling on all pharmacies to follow its lead. It is estimated around five million private prescriptions are issued each year. Martin Crisp, Superdrug Superintendent Pharmacist comments: “In the past privately prescribed medicines have been priced as though any other product. However, we believe that medicines prescribed by a Doctor, whether private or on the NHS, should be treated in the same way. “We are changing our system to be more transparent. There are hundreds of thousands of private prescriptions issued every year and if everyone joined us and changed the way private prescriptions are priced this could save Britons tens of millions every year.” The new structure of dispensing private prescriptions will be available in store immediately. This move will affect the prices of all products dispensed under a private prescription not just those high cost items which are dispensed very infrequently (IVF and cancer drugs), items regularly dispensed include Viagra, Malarone (anti-malarials), Propecia (hair loss) and antibiotics. A typical saving on a prescription of four Viagra 100mg tablets will be £4.70 (from£28.20 to £23.50), the cost of 84 Propecia tablets (treatment for hair loss) will fall £17.88 to £88.40 (from £106.08), the popular contraceptive Yasmin will see its price cut by a third (from £47.75 to £31.63). Crisp continues: “We believe that a prescription shows a real need regardless of how or where it was prescribed. Whether the prescription is for a medicine to improve health or quality of life we’re delighted to make a stand and hope that we can make a real change to the way prescriptions are dispensed in the UK.” These are the savings on the most frequently dispensed medicines on private prescription. Product Bendroflumethiazide 2.5mg tabs (28) diuretic Superdrug is halving its minimum charge for dispensing medicines to £2.25 (from £4.50), this compares to other high street pharmacies which have a minimum charge of £4.95*. Superdrug Stores Plc.

118 Beddington Lane, Croydon
Surrey, CR0 4TB Tel +44 20 8684 7000 www.superdrug.com For further information please contact Zaria Pinchbeck at ZPR on 0207 896 3404 / 07802 837975 *Boots The Chemist minimum charge £4.95 on 21st July 2010 Superdrug is the United Kingdom's most fashion conscious beauty and health retailer with over 900 stores in the UK and Eire About A.S Watson Group Around the world, 25 million customers a week enjoy shopping at A.S. Watson Group’s retail stores across its 34 markets. The Group has one of the world's largest portfolio of retail formats, retail brands and geographical presence. Proudly supported by a global family of 87,000 staff, the Group is also a member of the world renowned Hong Kong-based conglomerate Hutchison Whampoa Limited, which has major interests in ports and related services; property and hotels; retail; energy, infrastructure, investments and others; and telecommunications in 54 countries. A.S. Watson Group is … the world's leading international health & beauty retailer with over 8,900 stores in 34 markets worldwide, and is one of the top three market leaders in 26 of them the leading health & beauty retailer in Asia, with Watsons Your Personal Store currently operating over 1,900 stores and 1,200 pharmacies in 10 Asian markets, including China (Mainland, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau), Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Korea and Indonesia Europe’s leading luxury perfumeries & cosmetics retailer, with over 1,900 stores in 18 markets among which 10 holding market leader position, under three retail chains, including Marionnaud; ICI Paris XL in the Benelux; and The Perfume Shop in the UK Please visit www.aswatson.com for more in-depth information about A.S. Watson Group and its brands.

Source: http://www.z-pr.com/pdf/10-08-03_superdrug.pdf