Omacor

I have been taking high strength Omacor capsules for a decade having been prescribed them on the NHS by my cardiologist for chronic high tryglycerides . Now the inappropriately named NICE has prohibited them and I've been told if I want them I'll have to buy them at £600 a year. If they are now adjudged by NICE to be unnecessary why have I been taking them for ten years and what will be the effect of stopping them.

[Bagrat]

Have they also banned similar or identical generic versions which are considerablyy cheapet?

[Hidden in reply to Bagrat]

I've not been able to identify a generic form of Omacor. They are far stronger than the normal 7 Seas cod liver oil capsules, which my Cardiologist says are of little or no value.

[Buffafly]

Seems they are Omega3 capsules for cholesterol management? I had the same issue with my antihistamines which my asthma nurse suggested should be prescribed. I was going to protest until I discovered generic/own brand versions were very cheap against branded at a very inflated price. I should discuss with your GP, maybe you should be taking statins instead?

[BobD Volunteer]

NICE stands for National Institute for Care Excellence and is there to ensure that NHS funds are not wasted on non effective or dangerous treatments. If they have removed it from the approved list (not banned it as such) then it is because it is not value for money. Many people spend vast sums of money each year on things that do nothing whatsoever for their health but make them feel better because they think it does. LIfe style and diet are often far more important .

[Hidden in reply to BobD]

So then is my cardiologist complicit in some sort of conspiracy with the manufactures of Omacor?

[BobD Volunteer in reply to Hidden]

Quite often! Far to many pills prescribed for little or no reason. Tony Blair helped in this when in power with QOF linked to doctors pay.

[Mike11]

Morrisons sell what look like the same product in their Heart Health range for a couple of pence per capsule so buy those. NHS funds need to focus on providing the expensive drugs.

[Hidden]

My cardiologist told me that I would need to eat a whole tub of the capsules commonly on sale to meet the strength of one capsule of Omacor and that's why they are so expensive.

[Dodie117]

Probably need to do your own research. Recent studies have shown that fish oil capsules do not do the job we previously thought so maybe look at more oily fish etc. Your cardiologist was prescribing in good faith but things change and our knowledge improves. Many practices in medicine have changed in the last 10 years.

Good luck 🍀

[Bagrat]

bnf.nice.org.uk/medicinal-f...

Looks like there are high strength with same content as Omacor but cheaper. It may well be the patent or whatever they call it for drugs has expired. I would ask your pharmacist .

[Hidden in reply to Bagrat]

Tried that. Response was you'll need to pay out for Omacor if you want the anti triglyceride benefits. So all this NICE nonsense about cheap over the counter alternatives is a load of eyewash. I don't consider £600 a year a cheap over the counter alternative. If at my next blood test my triglycerides have increased over their already elevated levels, what then?

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

My GP practice manager is seeking the consent of the local commissioning authority for Omacor to continue to be prescribed. He agreed that as I have familial chronic high triglycerides and have related co morbities a case can be made for an exception. I shall await the outcome but am not hopeful. When computer says no there's little chance of overturning a decision.