Increased Price of Meds Here: My Imagination? Or, Has the Price Jumped?

GammaGlobulin · January 26

I don't know why, but I get the feeling that the price of meds here in Chiang Mai has increased, almost two-fold, during the recent two years.

Do you have the same impression?

Fortunately for me, I am in good health.

I rarely buy meds.

I mean, for one thing, I remain celibate, and so I never need to buy antibiotics to cure THE DRIP that I never suffer from.

However, sometimes I might need to buy some med such as Ibuprofen, for example, even though I am very cautious about using NSAID analgesics due to fear of liver damage.

But when I need them, on rare occasions, the price of these meds, plus other meds, seems to have almost doubled during the past 24 months.

Is this my imagination?

Has the price risen so rapidly?

And, if so, then why?

Many of the precursors for drug manufacture, probably coming out of China, or maybe out of India, have risen in cost.

At least, this is my understanding.

But, my question is:

Why....

Here in Thailand...

Have med costs risen so steeply, so rapidly?

If I were to get sick, become ill, then I might actually need to begin buying drugs.

And then, I would be more conscious of the rise in med prices.

Do you, also, notice the sudden steep rice rise?

What is the reason for this?

Thankfully, the cost of med here in Thailand is still a small fraction of the cost of the same meds in the USA, or...at least....

This is what I have been told.

Any thoughts?

Regards,

Gamma

worgeordie · January 26

I cannot say I have seen an increase in meds, they are always about the same price

when I do my 3 monthly hospital visit.

As for rice, that is due to bad harvests in India , and also Thailand ,as rice is a World

commodity ,bad harvests ,results in shortages , supply and demand ,prices rise.

regards worgeordie

GammaGlobulin · January 26

1 hour ago, worgeordie said:

I cannot say I have seen an increase in meds, they are always about the same price

when I do my 3 monthly hospital visit.

As for rice, that is due to bad harvests in India , and also Thailand ,as rice is a World

commodity ,bad harvests ,results in shortages , supply and demand ,prices rise.

regards worgeordie

Interesting.

Will check.

Tks.

Regards

GammaGlobulin · January 26

1 hour ago, worgeordie said:

I cannot say I have seen an increase in meds, they are always about the same price

when I do my 3 monthly hospital visit.

As for rice, that is due to bad harvests in India , and also Thailand ,as rice is a World

commodity ,bad harvests ,results in shortages , supply and demand ,prices rise.

regards worgeordie

I have noticed that the cost of my premium jasmine rice has actually decreased during this year.

Not sure why.

Maybe, the large local retailers are just trying to mess with my mind.

(I pay about Bt.250 or Bt.240 for FIVE KILOGRAMS of Jasmine Rice. Seems a good price for me. Several years ago, price of same rice was higher.)

Edited January 26 by GammaGlobulin

andre47 · January 27

The price for my medicine has increased 28% since last year.

another observation:
6 weeks ago a bought some medicine in a Uttaradit which I bought before always in Pattaya. The price in Uttaradit was 50% cheaper.

farangkinok · January 27

12 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

...

However, sometimes I might need to buy some med such as Ibuprofen, for example, even though I am very cautious about using NSAID analgesics due to fear of liver damage.

...

Regards,

Gamma

Clinically apparent liver injury from NSAIDs is rare (~1-10 cases per 100,000 prescriptions) and typically presents as acute hepatitis within 1 to 3 months of starting the medication. However, use of NSAIDs, even for a short period of time, can harm the kidneys. NSAIDs cause unopposed constriction of the afferent arteriole and decrease renal perfusion pressure.

Acetaminophen (brand names Panadol, Tylenol) overdose, in contrast, can cause a serious acute liver injury and hepatic failure that can result in death or need for emergency liver transplantation. Currently, acetaminophen is the major cause of acute liver failure in the United States, Europe and Australia.

Tazmo · January 27

Thailand has been well known for decades to promote “Medical Tourism “. Along with this and the popularity with the local people on getting Health Insurance.( Their drugs are paid for by their Insurance). One factor I believe for the rise in prices.

Also Tourism as a whole is known to support other aspects of the business.

So for instance a Tour Bus to a popular site, will know what restaurants to stop at. And they get tips.

Similarly, Doctors want to give business to other departments eg Pharmacy; Laboratory; Radiology etc So you would get referred not needs- based! Their Medical ethics is different from that of the West!

The last Government was supposed to have introduced measures in order to prevent overcharging for drugs. They said that hospitals had to provide records of what the drugs cost them and what they were charging the Patients.

Don’t know if this has happened!

I usually ask for a list or names of the drugs and buy them from the University Pharmacy! I do that for my prostate drug at about half the price ( and not cheap imports).

Ralf001 · January 27

14 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

I don't know why, but I get the feeling that the price of meds here in Chiang Mai has increased, almost two-fold, during the recent two years.

Do you have the same impression?

Fortunately for me, I am in good health.

I rarely buy meds.

I mean, for one thing, I remain celibate, and so I never need to buy antibiotics to cure THE DRIP that I never suffer from.

However, sometimes I might need to buy some med such as Ibuprofen, for example, even though I am very cautious about using NSAID analgesics due to fear of liver damage.

But when I need them, on rare occasions, the price of these meds, plus other meds, seems to have almost doubled during the past 24 months.

Is this my imagination?

Has the price risen so rapidly?

And, if so, then why?

Many of the precursors for drug manufacture, probably coming out of China, or maybe out of India, have risen in cost.

At least, this is my understanding.

But, my question is:

Why....

Here in Thailand...

Have med costs risen so steeply, so rapidly?

If I were to get sick, become ill, then I might actually need to begin buying drugs.

And then, I would be more conscious of the rise in med prices.

Do you, also, notice the sudden steep rice rise?

What is the reason for this?

Thankfully, the cost of med here in Thailand is still a small fraction of the cost of the same meds in the USA, or...at least....

This is what I have been told.

Any thoughts?

Regards,

Gamma

My prescription meds I get from the hospital monthly, have increased 2% from last year.

Luckly my insurance pas the bill.

NONG CHOK · January 27

I buy 3 months of blood pressure tablets when I visit an outer suburb in Bangkok, it costs me 1,000 baht. The best price I can find in Pattaya is Fascino but it's nearly 2,000 baht. In Pattaya us permanents get slugged the tourist rates for everything.

Srikcir · January 27

14 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

I don't know why, but I get the feeling that the price of meds here in Chiang Mai has increased, almost two-fold, during the recent two years.

There may be something to your suspicions.

"Private hospitals under fire as government cracks down on skyrocketing costs" https://thethaiger.com

Mitch Connor Published: 13:12, 09 December 2023| Updated: 13:27, 09 December 2023

"The Internal Trade Department tightens control on private hospitals, urging them to play ball in the battle against soaring medical expenses. The govern- ment demands transparency and cooperation from over 300 private medical institutions."

Failure or reluctance to comply likely indicates pricing abuse.

Personally I found with one drug a 100-300% price variation between private hospitals. Compared to government hospitals perhaps even higher.

NONG CHOK · January 27

14 minutes ago, NONG CHOK said:

I buy 3 months of blood pressure tablets when I visit an outer suburb in Bangkok, it costs me 1,000 baht. The best price I can find in Pattaya is Fascino but it's nearly 2,000 baht. In Pattaya us permanents get slugged the tourist rates for everything.

Thai hospitals in particular charge more than the most expensive pharmacies.

sandyf · January 27

1 hour ago, NONG CHOK said:

I buy 3 months of blood pressure tablets when I visit an outer suburb in Bangkok, it costs me 1,000 baht. The best price I can find in Pattaya is Fascino but it's nearly 2,000 baht. In Pattaya us permanents get slugged the tourist rates for everything.

Indeed I saved quite a bit going from Fascino, even with discount card, to hospital pharmacy at Bang Saen but depends what you are buying for your blood pressure. I take anapril and amlopidine for blood pressure, 3 months supply would be about 200 baht at the hospital pharmacy. Statins for cholesterol about 1 baht each.

I also take apixaban for AF, different ball game, tablets about 60 baht each.

xtrnuno41 · January 27

Is possible, not only Thailand.

In "my country" there was a medicine costing 0,46 Euro, went up to 46 euro. PER PILL

Made me almost fall of my chair. Was in a docu, dont know how it ended. As they were protesting to it.

Red about a medicine, especial made for some special disease by a doctor professor emeritus, in "my country".

Costed 16000 euro, that is already impressive.

He (?) sold invention to France company, they made and sold it, the same for 16000 euro.

Then a Swiz (at least located) company bought medicine from France company. They arranged monopolie for it for many years in Europe and USA.

And then you could have the medicine for a whopping 96000 euro ! So pay up or die.

Would your insurance pay it?

You already had the same long time ago in USA with HIV/aids medicines, maybe you remember.

Purely based on having big profits and otherwise ..ok die.

Dont look too much at his face, as you will feel sick.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/martin-shkreli-pharmaceuticals-ceo-who-raised-hiv-drug-price-by-5-000-also-hiked-cost-of-pill-taken-by-children-with-incurable-kidney-disease-10513645.html

Just red "my country" in 2023 had at least for 2 weeks a shortage of 2292 medicines, an increase of 700 by 2022.

Translate it to the whole world, a lot of shortages then, meaning manufactures are playing to raise price?

Serenity_Now · January 27

4 hours ago, Tazmo said:

I usually ask for a list or names of the drugs and buy them from the University Pharmacy! I do that for my prostate drug at about half the price ( and not cheap imports).

if you have been taking 5mg for 12 months plus a dosage cut to 2.5mg yield the same results
not that three months of 5mg hurts the pocket at 500 baht for 30
saving of 3000 baht per annum

if 5mg is giving you ED then a cut could be justified on that alone

link to study

Ben Zioner · January 27

19 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

I remain celibate

That's quite remarkable.

connda · January 27

Inflation. You'd have to had been living under a rock not to notice. Every couple of months when I'm out shopping I end up having a WTH moment when looking at prices of thing I buy regularly. Well, pork prices went down. I guess there is a silver lining in some cases.

connda · January 27

1 hour ago, xtrnuno41 said:

Is possible, not only Thailand.

In "my country" there was a medicine costing 0,46 Euro, went up to 46 euro. PER PILL

Made me almost fall of my chair. Was in a docu, dont know how it ended. As they were protesting to it.

Red about a medicine, especial made for some special disease by a doctor professor emeritus, in "my country".

Costed 16000 euro, that is already impressive.

He (?) sold invention to France company, they made and sold it, the same for 16000 euro.

Then a Swiz (at least located) company bought medicine from France company. They arranged monopolie for it for many years in Europe and USA.

And then you could have the medicine for a whopping 96000 euro ! So pay up or die.

Would your insurance pay it?

You already had the same long time ago in USA with HIV/aids medicines, maybe you remember.

Purely based on having big profits and otherwise ..ok die.

Dont look too much at his face, as you will feel sick.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/martin-shkreli-pharmaceuticals-ceo-who-raised-hiv-drug-price-by-5-000-also-hiked-cost-of-pill-taken-by-children-with-incurable-kidney-disease-10513645.html

Just red "my country" in 2023 had at least for 2 weeks a shortage of 2292 medicines, an increase of 700 by 2022.

Translate it to the whole world, a lot of shortages then, meaning manufactures are playing to raise price?

Two dosage of Albendazole (Anthelmintics) cost about the equivalent of $1.00.
The same medicine, which is prescription only, cost between $200 to $800 (easily verified with an Internet search).

newbee2022 · January 29

On 1/27/2024 at 12:56 AM, GammaGlobulin said:

I don't know why, but I get the feeling that the price of meds here in Chiang Mai has increased, almost two-fold, during the recent two years.

Do you have the same impression?

Fortunately for me, I am in good health.

I rarely buy meds.

I mean, for one thing, I remain celibate, and so I never need to buy antibiotics to cure THE DRIP that I never suffer from.

However, sometimes I might need to buy some med such as Ibuprofen, for example, even though I am very cautious about using NSAID analgesics due to fear of liver damage.

But when I need them, on rare occasions, the price of these meds, plus other meds, seems to have almost doubled during the past 24 months.

Is this my imagination?

Has the price risen so rapidly?

And, if so, then why?

Many of the precursors for drug manufacture, probably coming out of China, or maybe out of India, have risen in cost.

At least, this is my understanding.

But, my question is:

Why....

Here in Thailand...

Have med costs risen so steeply, so rapidly?

If I were to get sick, become ill, then I might actually need to begin buying drugs.

And then, I would be more conscious of the rise in med prices.

Do you, also, notice the sudden steep rice rise?

What is the reason for this?

Thankfully, the cost of med here in Thailand is still a small fraction of the cost of the same meds in the USA, or...at least....

This is what I have been told.

Any thoughts?

Regards,

Gamma

I can't agree. Prices are still low. And definitely not "jumping". Maybe it depends in what pharmacy you buy your Ibuprofen. I'm looking for generics always and find the prices ok.🙏

BigStar · January 29

On 1/27/2024 at 3:38 PM, NONG CHOK said:

I buy 3 months of blood pressure tablets when I visit an outer suburb in Bangkok, it costs me 1,000 baht. The best price I can find in Pattaya is Fascino but it's nearly 2,000 baht. In Pattaya us permanents get slugged the tourist rates for everything.

Tried any of the online sources based in BKK? Would be interesting to have the comparison.

shackleton · January 29

I used to buy My medication in Bangkok while up North I popped into a pharmacy where they gave me discount on the amount I bought saved a few baht here

Now shop there when visiting family

Celsius · January 29

do they sell EpiPen in Thailand and how much?

rickudon · January 30

I have been taking 2 meds for the last two and a half years. One has gone up by 20%, the other is the same price. As

20 hours ago, BigStar said:

I buy 3 months of blood pressure tablets when I visit an outer suburb in Bangkok, it costs me 1,000 baht.

3 months supply costs me 165 baht (Amlopine).

I either buy from a Pharmacy (one which always has good prices) or government hospital if they will prescribe them (cheaper than any online price).

BigStar · January 30

2 hours ago, rickudon said:

I have been taking 2 meds for the last two and a half years. One has gone up by 20%, the other is the same price. As

3 months supply costs me 165 baht (Amlopine).

I either buy from a Pharmacy (one which always has good prices) or government hospital if they will prescribe them (cheaper than any online price).

Somehow you attributed someone else's post to me. I don't take any meds. I was just curious about a comparison between Pattaya pharmacy prices and those online from BKK vendors.

steven100 · January 30

Obviously some pharmacies charge more than others and quite a bit if you buy in a tourist or expat area.

My XXL condoms ..56 i think they are haven't increased too much over the years, maybe 10-20 baht.

Irish star · January 30

On 1/27/2024 at 12:56 AM, GammaGlobulin said:

I don't know why, but I get the feeling that the price of meds here in Chiang Mai has increased, almost two-fold, during the recent two years.

Do you have the same impression?

Fortunately for me, I am in good health.

I rarely buy meds.

I mean, for one thing, I remain celibate, and so I never need to buy antibiotics to cure THE DRIP that I never suffer from.

However, sometimes I might need to buy some med such as Ibuprofen, for example, even though I am very cautious about using NSAID analgesics due to fear of liver damage.

But when I need them, on rare occasions, the price of these meds, plus other meds, seems to have almost doubled during the past 24 months.

Is this my imagination?

Has the price risen so rapidly?

And, if so, then why?

Many of the precursors for drug manufacture, probably coming out of China, or maybe out of India, have risen in cost.

At least, this is my understanding.

But, my question is:

Why....

Here in Thailand...

Have med costs risen so steeply, so rapidly?

If I were to get sick, become ill, then I might actually need to begin buying drugs.

And then, I would be more conscious of the rise in med prices.

Do you, also, notice the sudden steep rice rise?

What is the reason for this?

Thankfully, the cost of med here in Thailand is still a small fraction of the cost of the same meds in the USA, or...at least....

This is what I have been told.

Any thoughts?

Regards,

Gamma

Try Siam Pharmacy in Korat , they ship everywhere and English spoken , they are on Line app

Irish star · January 30

On 1/27/2024 at 8:17 PM, connda said:

Inflation. You'd have to had been living under a rock not to notice. Every couple of months when I'm out shopping I end up having a WTH moment when looking at prices of thing I buy regularly. Well, pork prices went down. I guess there is a silver lining in some cases.

Pork is terrible Now I think all the good stuff goes to China

BigStar · January 30

4 hours ago, steven100 said:

Obviously some pharmacies charge more than others and quite a bit if you buy in a tourist or expat area.

My XXL condoms ..56 i think they are haven't increased too much over the years, maybe 10-20 baht.

Still got that same box from years ago, eh. Condoms expired now anyway.

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