Mevalotin (Pravastatin) Medication Supply Problem in Thailand?

[Jingthing]

I'm still trying to understand what's going on with this.

Mevalotin Protect is a statin (cholesterol) medication that is the only brand sold in Thailand of the active chemical Pravastatin.

Recently I learned there is a problem buying this medication in Pattaya (previously only sold at Fascino, perhaps Foodland phamacy, and perhaps hospitals). 

I was told at Fascino there is a problem with the company which is really vague. 

What exactly is the problem?

Are they even doing the med anymore?

Is it just a business issue between Fascino and the company?

Is it just a temporary supply problem or is it more serious?

Or what? I don't know yet and so far no further info from Fascino.

 

The company is --

Daichi Sankyo (Thailand) importers from Daichi Sankyo (Germany).

Fascino advised hospitals. So far checked one and they didn't have and won't order it.

Of course I'm still trying to followup locally but I'm posting this on GENERAL with the hope that other people in other parts of Thailand that might use this med have any information about this.

Maybe perhaps people in Bangkok that are visiting large pharmacies can tell me if they see it in stock.

Yes, there are other statin meds but there was a reason I was put on Pravastatin specifically and it would be best if I can stay on it.

 

To add, other nations have GENERIC (cheaper) versions of this med. Thailand does not. But now I'm wondering if even the non-generic is being phased out here?

 

Intentionally posting in the general forum rather than the health forum in view of the potential of wider viewing.

 

German version pictured but Thai version graphically the same --

 

 

 

[Bang Bang]

Just a suggestion. You might want to post this to the health forum because (from what I've found) there are knowledgeable people there and responses tend to be pretty quick. Or you might try cross-posting at the risk of being collared by a mod.

[Jingthing]

4 minutes ago, Bang Bang said:

Just a suggestion. You might want to post this to the health forum because (from what I've found) there are knowledgeable people there and responses tend to be pretty quick. Or you might try cross-posting at the risk of being collared by a mod.

Fair enough. 

It might get moved anyway and that would be OK but I did intentionally put it here for the reason stated, whether that was wise or not.

Anyway, quite likely I will want to post another thread there anyway more about medical issues of not being able to get this med anymore. 

That would be a different topic really.

 

This thread here is meant to only be about the "mystery" of the supply problem. 

 

[Bang Bang]

2 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Fair enough. 

It might get moved anyway and that would be OK but I did intentionally put it here for the reason stated, whether that was wise or not.

Anyway, quite likely I will want to post another thread there anyway more about medical issues of not being able to get this med anymore. 

Good luck. Sucks not to be able to find needed meds. Btw - this is heard in the pub level of info - some statins are interchangeable so you might find a replacement. In fact, the reason it's disappearing from the market might be that local docs have mostly swung away from it to another class of statins.

[Jingthing]

2 hours ago, Bang Bang said:

Good luck. Sucks not to be able to find needed meds. Btw - this is heard in the pub level of info - some statins are interchangeable so you might find a replacement. In fact, the reason it's disappearing from the market might be that local docs have mostly swung away from it to another class of statins.

There are differences with Pravastatin that are good differences but that's a medical issue, not a SUPPLY issue. So I won't discuss them here.  It's never been a popular med here quite obviously because of the cost. The big players Lipitor, Crestor, and the lowest cost Zocor (Simvastatin) all have cheap generics here. 

To add, many people will know this med by the brand name Pravachol which is also not a generic and also has not been sold in Thailand.

 

Mevalotin brand has been sold here for decades now. The question here is it still being sold here as the only supplier is Daichi Sankyo (Thailand) importers from Daichi Sankyo (Germany).

 

 

[swissie]

There are a number of "statins". Possibly there are reasons that the OP insists on Mevalotin.

What I am taking is "Amlodipine" in Europe and "Amlopine 10" in Thailand. Same stuff. Giving me muscle pains and other massive side effects.

 

Doctor in Europe says: "Best we have". Take this stuff and shut up.

 

Any alternatives to "Amlodipine/Amlopine 10" without those nasty side-effects?

If no alternative, I shall drop Amlodipine/Amlopine 10 regardless of doctors recommendations. At my own risk. I believe it is legitimate to drop any medication, when life quality suffers. ( I feel 10 times better if I go without this prescibed medicine for only 3 days). The Doctors "commission", that he gets from the Pharma-Industry is outside of my equasion by now. Alternatives?

Thx & cheers.

[swissie]

5 hours ago, swissie said:

There are a number of "statins". Possibly there are reasons that the OP insists on Mevalotin.

What I am taking is "Amlodipine" in Europe and "Amlopine 10" in Thailand. Same stuff. Giving me muscle pains and other massive side effects.

 

Doctor in Europe says: "Best we have". Take this stuff and shut up.

 

Any alternatives to "Amlodipine/Amlopine 10" without those nasty side-effects?

If no alternative, I shall drop Amlodipine/Amlopine 10 regardless of doctors recommendations. At my own risk. I believe it is legitimate to drop any medication, when life quality suffers. ( I feel 10 times better if I go without this prescibed medicine for only 3 days). The Doctors "commission", that he gets from the Pharma-Industry is outside of my equasion by now. Alternatives?

Thx & cheers.

Sorry, my mistake. The suspected perpetraitors name is SIMVASTATIN-Mepha, 40 mg.

[Jingthing]

Swissie, you're getting into a medical discussion.

 

The intention of this thread is only meant to be about trying to understand why the SUPPLY of Mevalotin seems to have dried up.

 

[Jingthing]

Well, the best information I have now is that there is some kind of major "repackaging" of the product going on. Not sure if that's happening in Germany, Thailand, or both. Estimate of when it will be sold again -- several months or even NEVER.

 

Seems really strange to just cut it off cold turkey that way as there is no other brand of pravastatin sold in Thailand. So now -- none. 

[Jingthing]

Update on this.

There was a supply delay for a month or so.

But it didn't take several months for it to flow again, as I was misinformed by a pharmacist.

The product is now in pharmacies that used to stock it (not many).

 

The distributor in Thailand changed which was the problem --

 

Old distributor -- Daichi Sankyo

New distributor -- Zuellig

 

Case closed.