# Advice please...



## chrissyl (May 20, 2013)

Hello all,

After a kick up the bottom, I have finally booked my nurses planning meeting in May.
From reading the information booklets, the clinic orders the drugs however I have read on here you can get the cheaper from Asda.

Is anyone able to advice what is cheaper please. I will be attending the Oxford clinic.

Kind regards,

C


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## noteasy (Apr 4, 2013)

chrissyl said:


> Hello all,
> 
> After a kick up the bottom, I have finally booked my nurses planning meeting in May.
> From reading the information booklets, the clinic orders the drugs however I have read on here you can get the cheaper from Asda.
> ...


It's Asda's policy not to make profit on fertility drugs but as they're a bricks and mortar store, they will charge 20% VAT. Two private companies came in cheaper for me both times I've done a stimulated cycle: Alcura (formerly Central Homecare) and Healthcare at Home.

I recommend both/either. You can fill a partial prescription with either. I have experience of filling an order with time in mind only with Alcura; provided the order is received by 2pm you'll get your delivery the next day. And your first two deliveries are free (provided that they are over £50, not needed before 9am, and not to be be delivered on a Saturday -- but if you DO need them before 9am or on a Saturday, the delivery cost isn't much, ~£15 if I remember correctly).

Good luck.

PS. It's also possible a pharmacy near to your clinic offers patients a discount so worth looking into this as a Plan B option, especially because at times you may find you're low on something. Good to have a back-up in place.


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## KALM (May 1, 2014)

Chrissyl, when I cycled with Oxford last year they used Alcura. I did shop around a little once I had my prescription, but the difference I would have saved going elsewhere was not that much, so for ease it was easier to stick with Alcura.  I guess it will depend on what drugs you'll need. You can ask for a private prescription so you can look around.


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## Talkingfrog (Apr 17, 2014)

The clinic we used sent the prescription to healthcare at home.  Any additional drugs needed during stimulation were purchased from the clinic directly as there was a £50 delivery charge.  We were lucky - as my AMH is high we were on a dose of 150 menopur so our drugs bill was less than the estimate they give on the website for an average cycle.


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## chrissyl (May 20, 2013)

Thank you very much.
I will research both. £50.00 sounds like a lot of money for delivery!

C xx


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## Rosalind73 (Apr 25, 2012)

Hi Chrissyl,

I used Alcura for Cetrotide (£14 per standard unit) and Pharmasure for Merional (£14 for 75IU or £28 for 150IU - this is the cheapest I've found anywhere. They are the main distributors I think). Alcura don't charge for delivery if you spend over a certain amount and don't charge for cold chain delivery either so I got my Pregnyl from them too (£4.05 per 5000IU). They will accept an emailed prescription from your clinic.

Pharmasure doesn't charge for deliery over a certain amount (I think £150). They will accept a faxed prescription from your clinic (and like you to send the hard copy in afterwards).

It's also worth asking your local hospital pharmacy. I remember mine (the Whittington) did Merional for £15 for a 75IU vial, but you had to buy a pack of 10.

The other thing to bear in mind is that Alcura, Pharmasure, Healthcare at Home and so on will give you a different price according to what clinic you're cycling with. It seems they've slightly stiched up the market really. Still don't understand how that works.

Good luck!


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## chrissyl (May 20, 2013)

Hello Rosalind75,

Thanks for that.
I live opposite our hospital so will ask them.

Xx


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