Voltaren makes it to the US

[peregrina2000]

I must be on a "medical issues" kick, but here's another news story I found intresting. Turns out that topical anti-inflammatory cream (lovingly known by all of us as Voltaren) was approved several years ago -- but since it's available by prescription only, looks like I'll have to continue to be the supplier for my family and bring stuff home from my next Camino.

2009 sales reached $264 million, so a guess a lot of people are on to our secret.

Laurie

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/07/healt ... .html?_r=1

 

[Sheesh]

Voltaren has been available in Canada without a prescription for about a year now. So you can stock up if you come for a visit. Also available on on-line Canadian sites. It is good stuff I agree!

 

[renegadepilgrim]

Voltaren has been available in Canada without a prescription for about a year now. So you can stock up if you come for a visit. Also available on on-line Canadian sites. It is good stuff I agree!

Is it available over the counter or is it something that has to be requested from behind the counter like T-3? I get to Vancouver, BC every once in a while and planning a trip to Toronto in the next year to visit camino friends.

 

[Sheesh]

It is available over the counter, usually on the shelf with all the other topical rubs.

 

[renegadepilgrim]

Good to know. Chatted with one of the doctors I work with last night (I work in the ER as a Tech) and he had heard of topical NSAIDs but didn't really have an opinion one way or the other, if anything, he was leaning more towards them probably being ineffective, even though he had no data to back that up. Seems to me, from the NYT article, that there still needs to be more research done in the US before they will catch on, even though they are making quite a bit of money already. I wish we could give it to some of our frequent fliers who come in for BS complaints. They love it when it's something new that comes as a prescription. Makes them think it's a narcotic or something if they don't know the name of the drug. I do recall getting a tube of something for my tendonitis at a pharmacy in Spain, but I never paid attention to the name. It worked pretty well.