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Q.Can I buy prescription medicines from your pharmacy?
A. We can not provide medicines to you that are designated prescription medicines here in New Zealand. The regulations that we operate under state that we may not dispense New Zealand prescription medicines unless prescribed by a New Zealand registered doctor. If you have a prescription from a New Zealand registered doctor then we can dispense your medications to you.
Q. How will I know if a medicine requires a prescription or not?
A. The easiest way to find out is to send us a short note at apothecary.co.nzinfo@apothecary.co.nz and we will advise you as soon as possible without obligation. We do not offer prescription medicines for sale without a New Zealand written prescription so anything you see here on this web site does not require a prescription in New Zealand unless we state otherwise.
Q. I've heard of cheaper medicines called “generics”. What are generic medicines?
A. When a medicine first comes to the market it is protected by a patent. This means that no one can copy the medicine for as long as the patent life. Once the patent runs out the medicine can be legally copied. These copied medicines are commonly known as generics. Generically copied medicines are usually cheaper than original branded medicines. eg. RAZENE is a generic copy of ZYRTEC and LORA-TABS is a generic copy of CLARATYNE/CLARATIN.
Q. Are generic medicines just as good as original medicines?
A. In New Zealand the governing regulatory body, Medsafe requires that for a medicine to be registered here it must satisfy a stringent testing process. New Zealand registered generic medicines must be of the same strength and have the same bioavailability profile as the original medicine. The regulation of medicines here in New Zealand is designed to ensure high quality, safe and effective medicines. Every step from manufacture, wholesaler, pharmacy to end user is regulated for safety and quality. You can take New Zealand generic medicines with confidence in their safety and effectiveness.
Q. Will my generic medicine look exactly the same as the original branded medicine I take?
A. No, the outward physical appearance will be different but the content of the generic medicine will be the same as the original branded medicine.
Q. Why are medicines so cheap?
A. In New Zealand most medicines are subsidised by the New Zealand government as part of our national health scheme. The tendering process in place here has driven prices down to rock bottom levels and has caused the prices of medicines to be out of alignment with most modern, developed countries.
If you would like more information and to compare prices please contact us at
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