zentiva

[treacle9]

It would seem that someone somewhere has decided that we are not allowed the zentiva brand because it is not a generic medication. probably some jobsworth civil servant that doesnt have any idea the problems those with lupus have with some generic meds. If one has to take multi meds they wont work if ingredients in one of them give that patient diahrea.

Lets be honest about this, there is no shortage of zentiva hydrocloraquine those in controll either do not believe the numerous patients suffering with this situation or they feel that penny pinching is more important than our welfare.

we are sent round in circles with no one taking responsibility, no idea who to aproach to rectify this as no one is honest enough to tell us the truth. where can we go for help

[Star13]

You call Zentiva , you tell them where you live, you ask them if and when the last supplies were sent to your nearest wholesaler. You get their number and then you call them and ask why they are not supplying your pharmacy.

If anyone along that chain says they don’t have any, go back to Zentiva and tell them that what they are telling you isn’t correct.

You shouldn’t have to do this chasing but if we all do it they will soon get fed up with all the calls.

[Dottie11 in reply to Star13]

Do you have their number please ?

[Star13 in reply to Dottie11]

Sure:

zentiva.co.uk/contact

[Dottie11 in reply to Star13]

Thank you . Very helpful. I started on Plaquenil , swapped to Zentiva and now having supply blips too.

[happytulip]

Have you scrolled down and read cobsies post about Zentevia. It might help explain.

[dg70]

So true. If you save £1 a box by buying a quinoric hydroxy why would the warehouses buy zentiva. They are there to make profit. Chemists have absolutely no control on what they're sent when they order hydroxy now. It's pot luck what they get. There is absolutely no other way to get zentiva or any make of hydroxy other than physically pick up your prescription from the gp and ring round to see who has it on the shelf. Chemists are sympathetic but they can do nothing in this situation. We and hundreds of others who need specific makes of drug can no longer request them. It's awful but we are now powerless along with GPS and Chemists. The giant warehouses hold the power and they are not patient centered. It's so frustrating and stressful and so sad for all of us who's counties have switched this last year to this way of working. I came to the realisation yesterday there is nothing we can do but face monthly ring rounds of Chemists and travel to get it.

[cobsie]

Zentiva is a brand same as Quinoric same as IPCA. Plaquenil was the original, developed by Sanofi, and once the license expired all these other brands appeared on the market. In my emails to Zentiva I have quoted some of the responses I received, without names etc, demonstrating how this was all affecting us and what pharmacies were telling us about availability.

Lupus UK are on this issue too so hopefully we will find some answers soon.

[happytulip]

Can you not get a "brand only" prescription? I can't tolerate Zentevia, I need Quinoric so the pharmacist and GP worked together to organise a brand only script. Yes, it cost the surgery a bit of money but that's better and cheaper than me being admitted. It was really easy to arrange. Can this not be done with Zentevia?

Just a second thought, during the pandemic I couldn't get hold of my HCQ because of the misinformation out there about HCQ. I got in contact with my local MP who liased with my pharmacy and they really helped me have access to my meds. Can you involve your MP?

[Poshcards in reply to happytulip]

I involve my local MP all the time but nothing comes of it!!

[Poshcards]

no good driving to any hospital as you cannot get a prescription from them, you have to be an inpatient

[happytulip in reply to Poshcards]

I can get a prescription from my hospital during an outpatient appointment, as long as it's related to my SLE and not something my GP could do. It has to be an in-house prescription though, not an FP10 (the green prescription forms).And if they don't have the drug available to me in outpatient pharmacy it gets couriered out to me usually that night or the next day.Everywhere is different.

[Poshcards]

my rheumy hospital is a 7 hour round trip!

[StriatedCaracara in reply to Poshcards]

Same here...😵‍💫🫣

[lottagelady]

Oh crikey, fingers crossed that hasn't happened to me yet - I cannot bear the other brands, the taste makes me feel sick! This is the only brand that goes down without the dreadful taste. I have requested 'Zentiva only' for years now because of it - expect they will try though soon sadly .... Suspect at some point they will also come down on the type of Colostomy products I have too, had that for nearly 20 years and then you could get all sorts of different products to protect your skin etc, but now they just send folk out of hospital with one type of bag (the one that sponsors the Stoma Nurses), and they do not tell their patients that other things are available out there to help - I hate it ....