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British doctor shares 9 ‘crazy’ differences between medication in England and America
From the food to the vocabulary, there are some huge differences between the US and the UK. Another one is the medication!
A British doctor on vacation in America visited CVS and shared some of the major differences between what you can buy in a pharmacy.
9 differences between medication in England vs America
“I’m kind of shocked by some of the things they have here which is only on prescription in the UK, sometimes for good reason,” junior doctor Dr. Mim said.
1. Ibuprofen
After walking into the pharmacy, the first thing she picked up was a huge multi-pack with two bottles of ibuprofen, which is 1,000 tablets. The most you can get in a pack in England is 16 capsules and you’re only allowed to buy two at most stores. So, that’s 32!
2. Aleve
She then grabbed a bottle of Aleve, which is designed for back and muscle pain relief. It contains naproxen, a “super strong anti-inflammatory” which is only available by prescription in the UK, not for anyone to buy in pharmacies.
3. Melatonin gummies
In the US, melatonin gummies are sold everywhere, which are designed to help you sleep. In England, the maximum dose doctors prescribe for insomnia is 2 mg, but many options available on shelves in America are 10 mg.
4. Omeprazole
The next crazy difference is omeprazole, a medication used to treat indigestion, heartburn and acid reflux. It’s another one that you can’t get without a prescription in the UK, but it’s available in pharmacies across the US.
5. Antibiotic and Pain Relief Ointment
She also picked up an antibiotic and pain relief ointment for protection against infection from burns, cuts and scrapes, which contains trimethoprim. In the UK, you can’t buy any antibiotics over the counter at all, they have to be prescribed by a doctor.
6. Paracetamol
Similar to ibuprofen, the US sells paracetamol in huge tubs containing 500 capsules, which the British doctor said is “crazy” to her. That’s 250 doses of two capsules in one bottle, whereas the UK only sells up to 18 in a pack.
7. Crest whitening products
Crest teeth whitening products are huge in the US, from toothpaste to whitening strips. These are all illegal in the UK because they contain much higher levels of hydrogen peroxide than is allowed in teeth products by law.
8. Contraceptive pill
In England, you can only get the contraceptive pill by prescription from a doctor or a sexual health clinic. However, you can pick up a daily oral contraceptive from CVS and take it straight to the cash register in America.
9. Purelax
Finally, the British doctor grabbed an enormous 26.9 oz bottle of Purelax in the pharmacy, a laxative designed to relieve occasional constipation and said in shock as she held it next to her head: “Look how big that is!”
Medication isn’t the only difference between the two countries either. Americans are confused by the strange way British people wash their dishes and there are things in British homes that don’t make sense to Americans.
