I am not looking to cause any arguments within this group, I'm merely concerned that I will be able to get insulin if I need to. I thought that, maybe, other diabetics might have considered this and found somewhere to purchase insulin. Sorry if my question has been misunderstood.
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Over the counter insulin
- Thread starter Uzes3
- Start date
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Inka
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
I always make sure I have spare in the fridge in case my prescription is delayed. In an emergency, I believe you can get an emergency prescription and/or enough insulin to tide you over.
The government won’t stop your insulin. Just carry on ordering it as normal.
The government won’t stop your insulin. Just carry on ordering it as normal.
Docb
Moderator
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Hi @Uzes3. I do not think you will cause any arguments within this group, we are not like that, but having read your introduction on the newbies board I doubt you will find many supporters.
The consensus around here is that vaccination is a good thing. Yes, as with all things in life, there are some risks, but any cost/benefit analysis will arrive at the conclusion that getting a vaccine is by far the best thing to do. The risk of getting a bad outcome from covid is low, but far higher than the risk of a bad outcome from the vaccine.
As far as I am aware a pharmacy in the UK would not supply insulin without it being prescribed by an authorised medical professional. In the highly unlikely even that your scenario played out - that insulin was denied to unvaccinated individuals - then you would not get it prescribed and so you could not get it from a pharmacy. This implies you would have to buy it from some foreign source on a black market. Now, that really would lead to a significant risk of a bad outcome.
The consensus around here is that vaccination is a good thing. Yes, as with all things in life, there are some risks, but any cost/benefit analysis will arrive at the conclusion that getting a vaccine is by far the best thing to do. The risk of getting a bad outcome from covid is low, but far higher than the risk of a bad outcome from the vaccine.
As far as I am aware a pharmacy in the UK would not supply insulin without it being prescribed by an authorised medical professional. In the highly unlikely even that your scenario played out - that insulin was denied to unvaccinated individuals - then you would not get it prescribed and so you could not get it from a pharmacy. This implies you would have to buy it from some foreign source on a black market. Now, that really would lead to a significant risk of a bad outcome.
Pumper_Sue
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Insulin is prescription only.
Many years ago it could be bought otc but due to some body builders using and abusing it and also dying from misuse it became prescription only.
Schrodinger
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Doing a mooch around the internet in the UK the answer is No, you can only get insulin via a prescription or a private prescription, I think it comes under "controlled drugs".
Normally if you run out of a medicine and go to your usual pharmacy, they can issue an emergency prescription of medications they had given you previously to cover until you can get a new one issued.
Although given the other replies, it sounds like that is not the question being asked.
Although given the other replies, it sounds like that is not the question being asked.
Paulbreen
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
I have been working in the UK in the past and the job has run over for a week or more and I have run out of insulin and I have been able to go to a pharmacy and after explaining the situation I was able to buy insulin without a prescription, as I remember it was Boots I went to and spoke to the pharmacist and she was only too glad to help. I know it was an emergency and I don’t think it would be a solution to getting insulin but good to know that you can get insulin without a prescription if it’s really urgent.
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