There are generic alternatives to Telfast. Ask at your local pharmacy 
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While going OT here, it remains an interesting topic so I will split it off. Generics are usually a âwinâ and I normally buy them, but are not always.
My web survey (re)confirms generic fexofenadine hcl (in the largest boxes) can be 54% MORE expensive to 10% LESS expensive than the brand once the annually offered rebate is taken into account (not counting postage when applicable). In small packets the generic can be half the cost but when you use a med why ever buy a small packet because of the absurd unit cost for either brand or generic, in comparison to the large box?
The equation shifts a bit depending on where you buy each and whether you walk by the chemist regularly, need to make a special trip (petrol), or need to have it posted, and whether there is a rebate on 
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My local pharmacy offers both, and the generics are pretty much always cheaper - regardless of any rebate offers.
One thing that does worry me regarding generics is in the supermarket. Increasingly, the local Coles has their branded products pushing out other brands - and once established, they raise the price. A lot. I am surprised that the ACCC has not stepped in to stop supermarkets from controlling the entire grocery supply chain.
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While that is pushing the scope of the topic I have noticed that also. A nice topic for its own thread.
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Alternatively, perhaps the title and categorisation of this thread could be broadened to cover more generic vs. name branded costs/benefits?
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I started a new one in Food to keep this one in health and body.
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Why a Canadian website? fexofenadine | healthdirect
To make life interesting. Most generics and branded medications are sold worldwide.
Maybe, but shipping will generally take care of any savings - unless youâre buying your medicines from China or India, which I would not recommend.
I went through this exercise but found that MOST tablets/caplets use LACTOSE as a binder. For a âlactose intollerantâ person you need to check the label (but more importantly the manufacturerâs website). Telfast seemed to be the only OTC hayfever remedy without lactose in it available at my pharmacy. Even the pharmacists were unaware of the lactose use in these remedies, until I pointed it out to them.
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I agree. I tend to buy 30 pack Telfast in Chemist Warehouse as it is cheaper but only if I am travelling to the town that had that chemist.
I recently purchased a packet of paracetamol tablets at Blooms the chemist under their name and I paid $2.99.
On the same shelf was a packet of Panadol tablets, same quantity, same chemical constituent but at a cost of $12.99, an extra $10 for the name on the packet.
To the best of my knowledge, the manufacturers of the Panadol tablets were not involved in the research to create paracetamol, so why the exorbitant markup.
If the ignorant sheep that continue to buy Panadol donât wake up to themselves, this will continue.
The same situation exists with ibuprofen and Nurofen.
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Paracetamol ( acetaminophen) sold as Panadol, Tylenol and others is out of the period that gives exclusive rights to the creator which is why there are so many noname varieties.
The brand name Panadol is, as you say, identical to many other versions except for the name. They work on the basis that not everybody knows this but in this country they know the name Panadol. In the USA apparently Tylenol is the recognized brand.
Having a recognised brand name is worth something and the owners are always at pains to try to play on that as much as possible. In some contexts keeping the price high does more than increase the takings per unit sale as some people perceive higher price as higher quality. The owners of such names will tune their advertising campaigns about issues of quality, trust and being the âoriginalâ, whether they were actually the original or not.
Schweppes soft drink is another example where you pay double or more for essentially the same product. I know somebody who always buys a certain name brand milk. Not because he imagines it gives more money to farmers or it tastes better or lasts longer but because it is âbetterâ, he knows it is better because it is what his mother used to buy - bless her soul. I bet he buys Panadol too.
Once the market for a given drug is open you will see jockeying for position using other methods as well. The reason is that selling the same product but competing on price lowers profit margins. One method is to add a little wrinkle that distinguishes your version.
In the case of painkillers these often focus on speed of action, so the special kind is more finely ground or the pill self destructs in the stomach or it is sold as a liquid. The ad campaign will then move towards âno other product works quickerâ. This may be true but it doesnât mean the one being touted is significantly faster than others or even faster at all, it only means it isnât slower. You will pay more for the special kind than the plain kind regardless of whether it is better from a practical point of view.
How do they get away with this? People donât necessarily make rational decisions about purchasing and vendors prey on that. You can try to convince people to save their money but if you look at all the other irrational decision making that goes on in life you have little chance of success so save your breath.
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Choice released a report but avoided any mention of whether there are differences in coatings. Some anecdotally claim some products have different coatings that are easier on the stomach for example.
My supplementary comment is the prices we are charged for most of these products include a substantial Australia tax making our generics about 2X the costs of what we can import for, including GST, postage and adhering to legal limits. Some of the âspecialityâ variations such as paracetamol osteo are about a 5X factor.
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This older topic is being revisited as a result of the Sigma takeover of Chemist Warehouse and their decisions on stocking.
To restart comparisons consider CW pricing
Nexium over the counter, 20mg, 14 tabs - $16.99 âbrandedâ Generics $8.99 and $11.19
Nexium, prescription, 20mg, 30 tabs - $15.99 Generic $9.99
Nexium 20 mg, 2 x 30 tabs $31.98 Generic $19.98
Generic 20mg 4 x 30 tabs $31.50
Note the economy of buying a generic 4 x 30 pack but the script needs to specify that.
For those taking it long term, economically it appears a compelling choice, but aside from that the pricing demonstrates medicinal costs can be perverse so one needs to research costs vs package sizes as well a branded vs generic and have the script written accordingly. GPs are not in the business of saving one money at the chemist, they focus on treating illness so anything one can add for them to do better for your circumstance should be welcomed and helpful.
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In general:
Some generic or even brand name products that fall below the standard PBS co-payment price can have an extra amount applied by the Chemist. This extra amount cannot make the price exceed the standard PBS co-payment amount and is $3.45 (if a safety net purchase it is $1.45).
To be more specific about the additional costs able to be imposed by the Chemist see the following screenshot.
These are not imposed by the drug manufacturer/wholesaler, these are strictly Chemist/pharmacy imposed charges to allow the chemist/pharmacy to collect more income.
There are many products that fall below the co-payment charge, particularly those that are ones that have been in production for a long period.
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The following may be of interest in regards to the perceived side effects of generic drugs Vs brand name ones. It seems for some people just the thinking that they are taking generic drugs even if they arenât generic is enough to elicit more side effect symptoms. Those who have a better message about generics, may suffer less.
The following article is paywalled but some may be able to view the article in its entirety. I am attempting to find a better link about the research.
Some further reading:
https://iaap-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/aphw.12575
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