When it comes to treating everyday ailments, when is it worth spending more on a branded product and when can you save by opting for a cheaper generic version?
With basic painkillers, such as paracetamol and ibuprofen, experts consistently tell us supermarket versions that cost just pennies per tablet are as effective as branded, more expensive drugs with the same active ingredient.
Some branded painkillers also contain caffeine – studies have shown that this can make them more effective – however you can get the same effect with a cheaper tablet and having a cup of coffee.
As for targeted painkillers, earlier this month in a Which? report, Dr Andrew Moor, a former senior research fellow at Oxford University, said ‘it’s impossible to formulate for headache or joint pain or period pain’.
But what about other over-the-counter remedies, such as heartburn medicines, or treatments for thrush or allergies?
ADRIAN MONTI asked the experts for their verdicts on cheapskate versions versus the more expensive brands…with some surprising results.
Children’s paracetamol
SPEND: Calpol Infant Oral Suspension, £3.99 for 100ml, boots.com
OR
SAVE: Sainsbury’s Junior Paracetamol Suspension, £2.35 for 100ml, sainsburys.co.uk
Calpol Infant Oral Suspension is £3.99 for 100ml
While Sainsbury’s Junior Paracetamol Suspension is £2.35 for 100ml
Sultan Dajani, a pharmacist based in Hampshire, says: ‘The adage that people don’t trust other brands of medication if it’s not their usual one — even if they contain exactly the same active ingredients, do the same job and have no extra benefit — is certainly the case with Calpol.
‘Both Calpol and less-expensive versions contain the same amount of paracetamol for treating headaches, fever and teething pain in children. They are both equally effective.
‘But if you have a teary child waking up in the middle of the night, you want to give them what they know and like, which may be Calpol if they’ve had it before. Even though both products might be strawberry flavour, the taste might be slightly different — so they won’t take the cheaper version.’
Allergy tablets
SPEND: Piriton Allergy Tablets, £5.40 for 30 tablets, boots.com
OR
SAVE: Chlorphenamine 4mg tablets, £2.59 for 28 tablets, weldricks.co.uk
Piriton Allergy Tablets are £5.40 for 30 tablets
Whereas Chlorphenamine 4mg tablets are £2.59 for 28 tablets
‘These tablets ease the symptoms of allergies — watering eyes, a blocked or runny nose and sneezing — or itching and swelling caused by an insect bite,’ explains Nahim Khan, a pharmacist based in Warrington, Cheshire.
‘Both products contain the same dose of the same active ingredient, chlorphenamine — an antihistamine, and work by blocking the action of the histamine which is produced as part of an allergy reaction.
‘Although, technically, a syrup formulation of this antihistamine will be absorbed quicker and might act a bit faster, it’s more cost-effective to buy tablets. Otherwise, both of these products will work, and the cheaper one will save you money with no less impact on symptoms.’
Vapour rubs
SPEND: Vicks VapoRub, £3.99 for 50g, simplymedsonline.co.uk.
OR
SAVE: Healthpoint Vapour Rub, £1.09 for 100g, from savers.co.uk.
Vicks VapoRub costs £3.99 for 50g
But Healthpoint Vapour Rub is just £1.09 for 100g
Nahim Khan says: ‘The Vicks product contains levomenthol, while the Healthpoint rub has menthol, but these are in fact effectively the same ingredient which reduces congestion.
‘Both products contain other ingredients that also work as decongestants and help suppress coughs and catarrh. I’d expect them to work in exactly the same way — although there might be a slight difference in the smell as Vicks also contains turpentine oil.
‘I’d recommend the cheaper alternative as this would do just as good a job.’
Eye drops
SPEND: Optrex Bacterial Conjunctivitis Eye Ointment, £9.99 for 4g, boots.com.
OR
SAVE: Vantage Chloramphenicol Antibiotic Eye Ointment, £6.50 for 4g, simpleonlinepharmacy.co.uk.
Optrex Bacterial Conjunctivitis Eye Ointment is £9.99 for 4g
Whereas Vantage Chloramphenicol Antibiotic Eye Ointment is £6.50 for the same amount
These ointments contain chloramphenicol which is used to treat bacterial conjunctivitis. ‘It works by stopping the bacteria replicating,’ explains Nahim Khan. ‘You apply a very small amount of the ointment to the affected eye, three or four times a day.
‘Like with any antibiotics, it is important to complete the course which, in this case, is five days.
‘The cheaper brand will be just as effective, and I would be happy selling this as it is the same ingredient at the same strength as the more costly one.’
Diarrhoea relief
SPEND: Imodium Instants, £3.99 for six melt-type tablets, boots.com
OR
SAVE: Galpharm Diarrhoea Relief Instants, £1.29 for six melt-type tablets, Asda.
Imodium Instants are £3.99 for six melt-type tablets
While Galpharm Diarrhoea Relief Instants cost less than half that, at £1.29
‘These two products contain loperamide hydrochloride, which works by slowing the digestive system, allowing a more natural rhythm in the gut to help with the absorption of fluid and salts,’ explains Sultan Dajani.
‘Instants’ like this are designed to dissolve on the tongue in seconds, so work far quicker than taking a capsule, which works within about one to two hours.’
He adds: ‘There is a danger with some cheaper products that they will not dissolve entirely or as fast, meaning the delivery of the active ingredients is slower.
‘I would spend more knowing the Imodium will definitely work and possibly be quicker. Stopping the diarrhoea is only part of the recovery process as you also need to replace lost fluids, salts and minerals.’
Acid reflux
SPEND: Gaviscon Liquid Heartburn & Indigestion Peppermint, £12.09 for 600ml, superdrug.com
OR
SAVE: Sainsbury’s Heartburn & Indigestion Liquid, £6.05 for 500ml, sainsburys.co.uk
Household name Gaviscon Liquid Heartburn & Indigestion Peppermint costs £12.09 for 600ml
But Sainsbury’s Heartburn & Indigestion Liquid is £6.05 for 500ml
Ben Merriman, a clinical pharmacist in Cumbria, says: ‘Heartburn, or acid reflux, is often felt as a burning feeling in the chest and throat.
‘It’s caused by acid travelling from the stomach up the oesophagus, and even to the back of the throat.
‘Both of these medicines work by neutralising the acid in the stomach using the active ingredients, sodium bicarbonate and calcium carbonate.
‘They also contain sodium alginate, a chemical that forms a ‘raft’ at the top of the stomach, preventing acid from rising up the oesophagus.
‘I’d consider these two products interchangeable.’
Cold sore
SPEND: Zovirax Cold Sore Cream, £6.50 for 2g, boots.com
OR
SAVE: Cold sore cream tube with aciclovir, 2g for £2.75, doctorfox.co.uk
Zovirax Cold Sore Cream costs £6.50 for 2g
Whereas this cold sore cream tube with aciclovir is £2.75
Cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus and are highly contagious, says Ade Williams, a pharmacist based in Bristol.
‘The symptoms are usually painful, raised blisters around the mouth. Both of these creams contain the antiviral aciclovir and evidence shows this active ingredient can shorten the outbreaks by 12 per cent, especially when used at the first ‘tingle’ stage.
‘As both creams contain the same amount of aciclovir, there’s no reason to expect any difference in performance, so the cheaper one will save you money.’
Thrush
SPEND: Canesten oral thrush capsule, £13 for one 150ml capsule, lloydspharmacy.com
OR
SAVE: Fluconazole, £1.49 for one 150ml capsule, chemist-4-u.com
Vaginal thrush is caused by an overgrowth of fungal cells, explains Ben Merriman. ‘These are found naturally in the vagina; but if there is an imbalance, possibly caused by a course of antibiotics allowing them to overgrow, for instance, it causes an infection.
‘The active ingredient in both products is fluconazole, which inhibits the production of chemicals needed for the fungus to replicate. A single capsule should work within two days; if it’s not cleared it after seven, see your GP.
‘As both products contain no other active ingredients, they are interchangeable.
‘You should also follow personal hygiene measures such as using non-fragranced soap and wearing loose underwear to help reduce symptoms and prevent recurrence.’
Athlete’s foot
SPEND: Canesten Athlete’s Foot Dual Action Cream, 30g, £5.65, sainsburys.co.uk
OR
SAVE: Clotrimazole 1% Cream, 20g, £1.99, chemist-4-u.com
Canesten oral thrush capsule costs a staggering £13 for one 150ml capsule
But this Clotrimazole 1% Cream, 20g, is available for £1.99
When the balance of fungal cells that naturally live on our skin is upset — for example, when our feet get too hot and moist over a sustained period, it creates the perfect environment for fungi to flourish, which can cause athlete’s foot.
The symptoms include itchiness, especially between the toes, and either flakiness or softening of the skin.
‘Around a third of cases will resolve of their own accord with good foot hygiene, such as drying feet properly after they get wet, wearing non-synthetic socks and keeping toenails short,’ says Ben Merriman.
‘There are two main medical treatments for athlete’s foot: azole antifungals, such as those containing clotrimazole (such as these two products); and terbinafine. These work slightly differently but ultimately treat the infection by slowing the growth of the fungus and causing cell death.
‘The application of any cream alone will not work unless you have good foot hygiene. When buying over-the-counter creams, I would have no problems using the generic version, especially as it’s better value for money.’
Stronger painkillers
Combination paracetamol and ibruprofen
SPEND: Nuromol Dual Action Pain Relief, 16 tablets for £5.25, boots.com
OR
SAVE: Tesco Ibuprofen 200mg tablets, 16 tablets for 40p, PLUS Tesco Paracetamol tablets 500mg, 16 tablets for 39p
Nuromol Dual Action Pain Relief costs 16 tablets for £5.25
Whereas Tesco Ibuprofen 200mg tablets are only 40p
‘Paracetamol and ibuprofen [which also reduces inflammation] will ease mild to moderate headache or muscle pain, fairly rapidly,’ says Nahim Khan, a pharmacist in Warrington in Cheshire.
‘These medicines can be bought very cheaply and so you can get boxes of both tablets for less than £1.
‘It’s much cheaper than spending almost £5 on the Nuromol product which contains the same amount of these two active ingredients.
‘Admittedly, with the cheaper options you have to take two tablets rather than only one. Remember, ibuprofen should be taken with or after food.’
Codeine-based
SPEND: Solpadeine Plus, £7.99 for 32 tablets, simplymedsonline.co.uk
OR
SAVE: Aspar Co-codamol, £3.49 for 32 tablets, weldricks.co.uk
Solpadeine Plus costs £7.99 for 32 tablets
While Aspar Co-codamol is £3.49 for 32 tablets
Sultan Dajani, a pharmacist based in Hampshire, says: ‘These contain two painkillers — paracetamol and codeine — which ease migraine, toothache or an injury quickly.
‘Solpadeine Plus also contains caffeine, which is said to make the painkilling effects last longer, although it is such a small amount, I don’t think you will notice the difference.’
And you could achieve a similar effect by taking the cheaper tablets with coffee.
Sultan Dajani adds: ‘You are not paying the big price difference for any active ingredient, but instead the packaging and marketing of the brand.
‘This combination [in both brands] should only be taken for a maximum of three days; and if the pain continues, see your GP or pharmacist.’
Source: Mail Online
