– Huh? There is a big difference. I don’t understand why, says Kiki van der Vet. She is from the Netherlands, but has lived in Norway for many years. She thinks the products at pharmacies in Norway are expensive, especially when it is much cheaper in the mother country. She finds a package of Paracet at Apotek1 on Madla in Stavanger: NOK 55. – In the Netherlands it only costs NOK 25, she says. – But in Sweden, the equivalent Paracet only costs NOK 13. – Oh! There should be such a price in Norway too, says van der Vet. A pack of 500 mg paracetamol is NOK 40 cheaper in Sweden than in Norway. Photo: Simon Elias Bogen / news Almost 400 percent price difference It is cheap to shop for us in Sweden. Food and drinks are cheaper. But then it is also the case that a trip to the pharmacy in Sweden can save you a lot of money. news has checked the price differences for medicines in the two countries. We have used apotek1.no and apoteket.se to compare the prices: – It sucks to hear. Why isn’t it cheaper here? asks Markus Gjesdal (20). – I almost only buy pharmacy products on offer, says Elisabeth Sjo. – It is surprising that it should be so much cheaper in Sweden, she says. Also applies to prescription drugs And it doesn’t get much better when it comes to prescription drugs. You can get 100 tablets with 10 mg of the active substance morphine in Sweden for NOK 167. In Norway, the equivalent costs NOK 450. Communications manager at Apotek 1, Mai-Bente Paulsen, says the cost picture in Sweden is the reason why medicines are cheaper there. – Personnel costs are higher in Norway than in our neighboring country. This means that the price level to the customers is higher, she says. Common allergy medicine such as Cetirizine is almost four times more expensive in Norway. Photo: Simon Elias Bogen / news Competition drives prices down Björn Falkenhall is chief economist at Sweden’s pharmacy association. He says the prices of medicines in Sweden are low because of competition. – Online shopping is extensive and pushes prices down. There is great competition between the chains, says Falkenhall. Chief economist Björn Falkenhall at Sweden’s pharmacy association. Photo: Sveriges apoteksförening He says that the prices of medicines in Sweden have been falling for many years, but in the last year they have risen slightly again. – Prices can’t just keep falling. Maybe it will stabilize a bit now. The chief economist mentions that the pharmacies near the border with Norway have a good turnover due to the low prices. – The pharmacies on the border had a difficult time during the pandemic, but now the good turnover has returned. – We want increased competition State Secretary Karl Kristian Bekeng (Ap) in the Ministry of Health and Care says the price of non-prescription medicines in Norway is not regulated. This means that the chains themselves set the prices. Many over-the-counter medicines can also be bought at petrol stations and grocery stores. – This should make well-known over-the-counter medicines more accessible and increase price competition, he says. Karl Kristian Bekeng, State Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Care (Ap). The price of over-the-counter medicines, he says, is determined differently by the various players. Photo: Hanna Johre Bekeng says the current market situation with a high rate of establishment of new pharmacies means increased availability of medicines in large parts of the country. – We want to facilitate increased competition and the establishment of innovative solutions in the pharmacy market, he says. The State Secretary says it is the Directorate for Medical Products (DMP) that sets maximum prices for prescription drugs. – The purpose is to protect patients, the National Insurance Scheme and healthcare institutions against unreasonably high drug prices. Almost only Norwegian customers At times Apoteket in Sweden has up to 80 per cent Norwegian customers in the pharmacies near the border with Norway. That’s what Jeanette Persson, communications manager at Apoteket in Sweden, says. – Products for the stomach, teeth, aches and colds are particularly popular for Norwegians to shop in our border pharmacies, says Persson. Paracetamol in Norway: NOK 55. Photo: Simon Elias Bogen / news Medicines you buy at online pharmacies in Sweden are not delivered to Norway. But Apoteket has recently made it possible for Norwegians to join their customer club. – Many Norwegians have already become members. They can thus take part in the same campaigns and get discounts as all other members, she says. Limit on how much you can take with you But then the medicines must be bought physically in Sweden. State Secretary Bekeng says it is positive that Norwegian customers have the opportunity to buy medicines outside Norway. However, you cannot bring an unlimited number of over-the-counter medicines from Sweden. From countries within the EU/EEA, you can take with you an amount equivalent to twelve months’ consumption. Published 23.08.2024, at 10.57
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Medicines in Sweden are much cheaper than in Norway – news Rogaland – Local news, TV and radio
