Cold sore sufferers who have grown used to receiving their cold sore treatments from their GPs will have to adapt to news that the government plans to stop funding prescription cold sore treatments as part of a move to cut back on the numbers of prescriptions it offers for a range of conditions, including dandruff, verrucas, coughs and colds and some vitamin deficiencies.
Perhaps it is an opportunity for some to look again at what's available on the market in the hope of finding the best cold sore cream for their needs, but for some of those set to lose out on the 3,000 products that will likely lose their NHS funding, things may not be so easy.
Sure, the government has to take steps to reduce the £9billion drugs bill, but the £650million saving it hopes the proposals will achieve may come at a cost for those in the most difficult financial circumstances.
More than anything, the proposals draw attention to the fact that the NHS routinely pays more for basic medicines than a customer would do if they bought them over the counter. For example, a box of paracetamol can cost as little as 35p at a supermarket but may cost the NHS as much as £34. The situation may be similar with cold sore treatments and the reality is that the NHS may not always provide the best cold sore cream for the job.
Simon Stevens, chief executive of the NHS, said: "The NHS is one of the most efficient health services in the world but we're determined to make taxpayers' money go further. The NHS should not be paying for low value treatments and it's right that we look at reducing prescriptions for medicines that patients can buy for a fraction of the price the NHS pays."
Some of the conditions affected by the proposed changes include the following:
- Cold sores
- Conjunctivitis
- Cradle cap
- Haemorrhoids
- Infant colic
- Diarrhoea
- Ear wax
- Mild indigestion
- Malaria prevention
- Minor burns and scalds
- Mouth ulcers
- Nappy rash
- Travel sickness
What Treatments Does the NHS Offer?
The NHS currently prescribes a range of tablet-form antiviral cold sore treatment medications, including acyclovir, penciclovir, as well antiviral creams, hydrocolloid-containing cold sore patches and for those who are experiencing significant pain, paracetamol and ibuprofen.
Although these treatments are often the right choice for certain sufferers, in other cases they may not be the best cold sore treatment available; sometimes individual sufferers have to experiment to find what works best for them.
Herstat, a Product That Works
Here at Herstat, we believe in our product. It can be applied at any stage of a cold sore outbreak and is available either as an ointment in a tube, for easy application, or as a conveniently sized LipCare stick.
It is based on the natural healing powers of propolis and trials have shown it to work 3.5 days quicker than a placebo during a trial, with more than 9 in 10 of participants saying they would use it again.
