medicine prices in thailand? (are different pharmacies cheaper)?

[dj230]

Went to bangkok hospital to get a prescription refill, the visit was fairly cheap but was kind of surprised at the cost of the medication, was wondering are prices cheaper at different pharmacies in thailand and can you take a perscription from bangkok hospital and fill it elsewhere?

 

 

[Jingthing]

Good questions.

Meds in hospital pharmacies are generally much more expensive.

If it's a one time thing then you might want to play along and pay it but for chronic conditions most people just buy refills in other pharmacies in which case you should shop around as prices do vary (but will be much less than at private hospitals).

In most cases no prescription will be needed but in some cases you'll be given a hospital only controlled medication in which case you'd have no choice even if chronic. 

Edited August 11, 2021 by Jingthing

[dj230]

7 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Good questions.

Meds in hospital pharmacies are generally much more expensive.

If it's a one time thing then you might want to play along and pay it but for chronic conditions most people just buy refills in other pharmacies in which case you should shop around as prices do vary (but will be much less private hospitals).

In most cases no prescription will be needed but in some cases you'll be given a hospital only controlled medication in which case you'd have no choice even if chronic. 

wait you don't need a perscription to buy medication in thailand?

[Jingthing]

9 minutes ago, dj230 said:

wait you don't need a perscription to buy medication in thailand?

For the vast majority of meds, correct.

For some more controlled medications, they are probably only available at hospitals. 

This can be a bit awkward with the doctors and hospitals though. Doctors there will send you to the hospital pharmacy as this is all part of their money spinning thing. So to refuse to pay for the initial supply knowing you can get it outside could sometimes be problematic. Also you might know yet if it's a hospital controlled medication or not if it's a new prescription. 

Edited August 11, 2021 by Jingthing

[dj230]

4 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

For the vast majority of meds, correct.

For some more controlled medications, they are probably only available at hospitals. 

This can be a bit awkward with the doctors and hospitals though. Doctors there will send you to the hospital pharmacy as this is all part of their money spinning thing. So to refuse to pay for the first dose knowing you can get it outside could sometimes be problematic. 

Sorry could you clarify about it being problematic? Like the doctor getting upset I didn't fill at the pharmacy at the hospital? I ended up filling half the perscription at the hospital

 

I don't think it's controlled because i just found it on lazada for about 50% of what the pharmacy charges but it's expiration is soon, it's androgel in case that helps but at least I'll have a genuine box/package to compare it to, since lazada is not really a reputable source.

 

I was thinking of switching back to testosterone injections because it'd be way cheaper (usually is since the gel is less commonly used), although I don't like how the injections cause testosterone levels to stay elevated 24/7, with the gel you get a more natural daily spike and a taper. 

[Jingthing]

17 minutes ago, dj230 said:

Sorry could you clarify about it being problematic? Like the doctor getting upset I didn't fill at the pharmacy at the hospital? I ended up filling half the perscription at the hospital

 

I don't think it's controlled because i just found it on lazada for about 50% of what the pharmacy charges but it's expiration is soon, it's androgel in case that helps but at least I'll have a genuine box/package to compare it to, since lazada is not really a reputable source.

 

I was thinking of switching back to testosterone injections because it'd be way cheaper (usually is since the gel is less commonly used), although I don't like how the injections cause testosterone levels to stay elevated 24/7, with the gel you get a more natural daily spike and a taper. 

I can't really clarify further. 

[it is what it is]

 

there's a medium sized pharmacy near thewet market, reasonable/cheap prices and very helpful staff, i always go there for my medication

[Sheryl]

Medications are always much, much  less expensive at pharmacies than at private hospitals.

 

Most medications do not require a prescription in Thailand. Main exceptions are narcotics and some psychotropics.

[dj230]

6 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

Medications are always much, much  less expensive at pharmacies than at private hospitals.

 

Most medications do not require a prescription in Thailand. Main exceptions are narcotics and some psychotropics.

wow thanks

[scubascuba3]

At the hospital cashier\pharmacy say you don't want to buy the meds, they will look at you in surprise like no one has ever said that. In the past I've asked the doctor which meds he's smuggling on my bill, to be honest they should tell you and explain before you leave the room but they don't, so I feel no guilt getting them removed

[JayClay]

5 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

At the hospital cashier\pharmacy say you don't want to buy the meds, they will look at you in surprise like no one has ever said that

I always tell the doctor directly that I want to get the medicine from outside and I am given a scrap of paper with the details. This saves any confusion at the cashier and probably saves them a whole load of admin getting them removed from your bill.

 

Make sure you go through the items with the doctor as I've had an occasion where the pharmacists couldn't understand what the doctor had written.

[ezzra]

And no one said anything about the authenticity and the true strength of medicines sold in Thailand pharmacies and sometimes in hospitals, of which many are produced without proper licences, fake or diluted or mixed with some unknown chemicals, 30 years living here teaches you a lot i'll clue ya...

[ChipButty]

I was having a walk around Central Phuket the other week and I needed some Aspirin and there is 2 pharmacies in there they wouldn't sell to me without a prescription I know it sounds daft but it's true, one girl told me some rule they have in there,

I stopped on the way home and picked some up from a local pharmacy, No problem,

[recom273]

1 hour ago, ezzra said:

And no one said anything about the authenticity and the true strength of medicines sold in Thailand pharmacies and sometimes in hospitals, of which many are produced without proper licences, fake or diluted or mixed with some unknown chemicals, 30 years living here teaches you a lot i'll clue ya...

For sure, I find with antibiotics there is a big difference between the “quality” of the drugs and their efficiency but if you have an ongoing prescription you can generally tell if the drugs are fake or generic - many are imported from Europe with holograms and the rest, but yes, good point.

I don’t have an issue with paying the hospital premium in the first, saving 300-500B on your health seems a little trivial,  especially if it’s a one-off, but I learned through this forum the markup that hospital pharmacy’s make is huge.

[jackdd]

44 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

I was having a walk around Central Phuket the other week and I needed some Aspirin and there is 2 pharmacies in there they wouldn't sell to me without a prescription I know it sounds daft but it's true, one girl told me some rule they have in there,

I stopped on the way home and picked some up from a local pharmacy, No problem,

That's not "some rule they have in there", they simply follow Thai law. Aspirin is classed as Special Controlled Drug:

Quote

 S = Special Controlled Drug (ยาควบคุมพิเศษ)
A first grade pharmacist shall be on duty at the premises selling modern drugs. Sale to public is on prescription only. Daily purchase and sale record required.

 

[Tropicalevo]

2 hours ago, JayClay said:

I always tell the doctor directly that I want to get the medicine from outside and I am given a scrap of paper with the details. This saves any confusion at the cashier and probably saves them a whole load of admin getting them removed from your bill.

 

Make sure you go through the items with the doctor as I've had an occasion where the pharmacists couldn't understand what the doctor had written.

Same here. Just tell the doctor that your insurance does not cover walk-in treatment.

The doctors at Bangkok Samui have no problem in giving a written 'scrap of paper'.

Second para is a good point.

Also, when to take the meds. My last one was 'in the evening'. I should have asked - before dinner, after dinner or at bed time!

[Tropicalevo]

1 hour ago, ezzra said:

And no one said anything about the authenticity and the true strength of medicines sold in Thailand pharmacies and sometimes in hospitals, of which many are produced without proper licences, fake or diluted or mixed with some unknown chemicals,

My local pharmacist always asks me if I want 'original or copy'.

[Jingthing]

1 hour ago, Tropicalevo said:

My local pharmacist always asks me if I want 'original or copy'.

That means generic. Copies are of non generic meds and nobody in their right mind wants to buy them or admit selling them.

That's one reason I favor major brand chain pharmacies assuming they are less likely to be selling counterfeits 

 

For example non generic more expensive.   LISINOPRIL

 

Generic, same medication, cheaper,  totally legal and safe  LISPRIL 

Edited August 12, 2021 by Jingthing

[dj230]

3 hours ago, ezzra said:

And no one said anything about the authenticity and the true strength of medicines sold in Thailand pharmacies and sometimes in hospitals, of which many are produced without proper licences, fake or diluted or mixed with some unknown chemicals, 30 years living here teaches you a lot i'll clue ya...

Thanks for the heads up, I am pretty good with knowing what's legit, I only take one medication and it's a pretty unique med, not something with generics, it looks like only one pharmaceutical company here . I know of complete fakes/underdosed products and counterfeits though

 

  

2 hours ago, recom273 said:

For sure, I find with antibiotics there is a big difference between the “quality” of the drugs and their efficiency but if you have an ongoing prescription you can generally tell if the drugs are fake or generic - many are imported from Europe with holograms and the rest, but yes, good point.

I don’t have an issue with paying the hospital premium in the first, saving 300-500B on your health seems a little trivial,  especially if it’s a one-off, but I learned through this forum the markup that hospital pharmacy’s make is huge.

That's pretty cool how its not regulated here lol, if it's a few hundred baht it's not a big deal, I think in my case the medication is kind of expensive everywhere, the Thailand hospital was on par with pricing with US prices for this medication (androgel)

Just wondering, when you buy medications do you make sure to buy from big pharmaceutical companies?

 

  

1 hour ago, Jingthing said:

That means generic. Copies are of non generic meds and nobody in their right mind wants to buy them or admit selling them.

That's one reason I favor major brand chain pharmacies assuming they are less likely to be selling counterfeits 

 

For example non generic more expensive.   LISINOPRIL

 

Generic, same medication, cheaper,  totally legal and safe  LISPRIL 

Actually in my experience usually it's the big pharmaceutical brands are counterfeited, maybe it's different in Thailand, it's pretty easy to tell once you have a real box side by side/foil but they're usually impossible to tell if you don't because of how good counterfeits are.

 

Edited August 12, 2021 by dj230

[recom273]

9 minutes ago, dj230 said:

Thanks for the heads up, I am pretty good with knowing what's legit, I only take one medication and it's a pretty unique med, not something with generics, it looks like only one pharmaceutical company here . I know of complete fakes/underdosed products and counterfeits though

 

  

That's pretty cool how its not regulated here lol, if it's a few hundred baht it's not a big deal, I think in my case the medication is kind of expensive everywhere, the Thailand hospital was on par with pricing with US prices for this medication (androgel)

Just wondering, when you buy medications do you make sure to buy from big pharmaceutical companies?

 

  

Actually in my experience usually it's the big pharmaceutical brands are counterfeited, maybe it's different in Thailand, it's pretty easy to tell once you have a real box side by side/foil but they're usually impossible to tell if you don't because of how good counterfeits are.

 

You need to shop around - I have a daily medication that cost nearly 3000B from a reasonably priced private hospital where we used to live - we found a indie pharmacy which has some title like government dispensary in Thai, the same medicine is 1900B. 
We recently moved and we haven’t found any local pharmacy to supply for less than 3000B as they collect from a hospital pharmacy but I can order from Meditide over the internet for 2250B - I have never taken anything other than paracetamol in my life, and it’s still all a bit new to me.

Others will tell you fascino is a reputable franchise, for me I never found them to stock my drugs or willing to order. 
 

 

[dj230]

Just wondering, can I actually have prescription meds shipped in? Maybe I can just order from a Canadian pharmacy and use my handy Canadian government healthcare

[Jingthing]

18 minutes ago, dj230 said:

....

 

  

Actually in my experience usually it's the big pharmaceutical brands are counterfeited, maybe it's different in Thailand, it's pretty easy to tell once you have a real box side by side/foil but they're usually impossible to tell if you don't because of how good counterfeits are.

 

That's exactly what I said. Criminals wouldn't copy genetics. They copy famous non generic brands.

[dj230]

1 minute ago, Jingthing said:

That's exactly what I said. Criminals wouldn't copy genetics. They copy famous non generic brands.

oops misread that 

[Jingthing]

5 minutes ago, recom273 said:

You need to shop around - I have a daily medication that cost nearly 3000B from a reasonably priced private hospital where we used to live - we found a indie pharmacy which has some title like government dispensary in Thai, the same medicine is 1900B. 
We recently moved and we haven’t found any local pharmacy to supply for less than 3000B as they collect from a hospital pharmacy but I can order from Meditide over the internet for 2250B - I have never taken anything other than paracetamol in my life, and it’s still all a bit new to me.

Others will tell you fascino is a reputable franchise, for me I never found them to stock my drugs or willing to order. 
 

 

I like Fascino. With their discount card they are sometimes the cheapest and sometimes not. You are correct that they will not special order meds but they will move meds from one of their own shops to your closer shop.

[KannikaP]

15 minutes ago, recom273 said:

I have a daily medication that cost nearly 3000B

Bht 3000 a DAY?

[recom273]

18 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

Bht 3000 a DAY?

lol - nah man - daily medication that costs 3000 per pack - which last a month that I take daily.

[dj230]

12 minutes ago, recom273 said:

lol - nah man - daily medication that costs 3000 per pack - which last a month that I take daily.

can you get health insurance?

[recom273]

38 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

I like Fascino. With their discount card they are sometimes the cheapest and sometimes not. You are correct that they will not special order meds but they will move meds from one of their own shops to your closer shop.

That’s good to know - they didn’t offer that option the other day.

[recom273]

Just now, dj230 said:

can you get health insurance?

Nah I doubt it now - don’t you have to declare a pre existing condition? but I honestly have no idea. 
 

It’s just 80B a day medicine. 

[1FinickyOne]

1 hour ago, dj230 said:

Just wondering, when you buy medications do you make sure to buy from big pharmaceutical companies?

I buy generics and they tend to have the exact same ingredients as the originals... and work fine for me.. as far as hospitals, Jingthing has it right and out of respect, I tend to buy my first dose at the hospital and then buy at local pharmacies... for much less... some of the doctors have even been so kind as to direct me to where I might get it cheaper -  - - in the future... 

 

good luck - it is not that complicated