There is no turning back. Since September 1, and not since mid-August as originally announced, going to the Pharmacy for regular medications and paying a small part of their total cost is over.
The BOE has just published the list of drugs that from then on will be excluded from public financing ; that is to say, the cost up to now borne by Social Security.
Medications and exceptions
- Medications as common and popular as Almax (antacid), Fortasec (anti-diarrheal), Mucosan (cough syrup) or Calmatel (pain-relieving ointment) will be fully paid for by the citizen who wishes to use them.
- Even so, there will be exceptions: their access will have a reduced price for cancer patients, Crohn’s patients, irritable bowel syndrome and diverticulosis, portosystemic encephalopathy and paraplegia, intermittent claudication, superficial basal cell carcinoma and condyloma acuminata, neoplastic patients with cough persistent and those who suffer from Sjögren’s syndrome.
- In addition to the list with the 425 medicines that will be excluded from public financing, which will mean an expected saving of 458 million euros, the BOE adds the reasons why they will no longer be paid for by Social Security. The main reason is its “low therapeutic utility” and its indication “in the treatment of minor symptoms”.
- These symptoms are problems as common as coughing, diarrhea, constipation or skin irritation. Consult the complete list of affected drugs by clicking here.