Why Imported Medications So Expensive?

[oMega69]

Can not understad how they can charged soo high prices on imported medics ?

etc. Seroxat 20pc 20mg 4500b ....... . looking every were for normal prices but no luck.

Looking for Cipramil .... maybe some one know if have any Thai brand making it? or simular.................

thx

[Sheryl]

Imported medications are subject to customs duties; this plus the cost of shipping makes them costlier than they would be back home.

Always ask for medications by the generic name, that way you'll find out if there is a Thai generic equivalent.

Citalopram is available only as Cipram and as Lexapro. Both are imports, don't know if one is cheaper than the other but you could ask. They are generically equivalent.

Among the SSRIs, currently the only one currently made in Thailand as far as I know is Fluoxetine (generic of Prozac). This is available under a large number of local brand names and very cheap.

Zoloft (sertraline) is due to go off patent in the near future and when it does I'm sure there will be local production of it as well, but for now the choice is Fluoxetine or an import.

If you have occasion to travel to Phnom Penh, imported drugs are much cheaper there as there is no import tariff. Mostly European manufactured imports at close to what the cost would be in Europe. but only buy at the Pharmacie de la Gare or Naga Pharmacy, most of the others are unreliable and may sell you a counterfeit.

You can also save money by buying in bulk direct from the pharmaceutical distributor, which may make sense if you expect to be on the medication for at least a year and are able to ensure storage of it in either a/c place or the produce section of refrigerator.

[taxexile]

sheryl , do you have the name of a pharmaceuticals distributor in bangkok ?

[oMega69]

Imported medications are subject to customs duties; this plus the cost of shipping makes them costlier than they would be back home.

Always ask for medications by the generic name, that way you'll find out if there is a Thai generic equivalent.

Citalopram is available only as Cipram and as Lexapro. Both are imports, don't know if one is cheaper than the other but you could ask. They are generically equivalent.

Among the SSRIs, currently the only one currently made in Thailand as far as I know is Fluoxetine (generic of Prozac). This is available under a large number of local brand names and very cheap.

Zoloft (sertraline) is due to go off patent in the near future and when it does I'm sure there will be local production of it as well, but for now the choice is Fluoxetine or an import.

If you have occasion to travel to Phnom Penh, imported drugs are much cheaper there as there is no import tariff. Mostly European manufactured imports at close to what the cost would be in Europe. but only buy at the Pharmacie de la Gare or Naga Pharmacy, most of the others are unreliable and may sell you a counterfeit.

You can also save money by buying in bulk direct from the pharmaceutical distributor, which may make sense if you expect to be on the medication for at least a year and are able to ensure storage of it in either a/c place or the produce section of refrigerator.

thank you for a good post !

[Sheryl]

sheryl , do you have the name of a pharmaceuticals distributor in bangkok ?

There are many, in some cases the manufacturer does its own import and distribution, in others there is a middleman. Thing to do is to consult MIMS (available in most pharmacies or www.asia. mims.com for online version), look up the drug you want and it will give the name of manufacturer and distributor, then go to Thai yellow pages or the back pages of a hard copy of MIMs for address and phone number.

[taxexile]

thanks sheryl.

[chemist]

Citalopram is available only as Cipram and as Lexapro. Both are imports, don't know if one is cheaper than the other but you could ask. They are generically equivalent.

Cipram (Celexa in the US, Cipramil in many other countries) and Lexapro are not generically equivalent (neither chemically nor pharmacologically). Cipram contains R,S-citalopram (a 50:50 mixture of the R and the S enantiomer, i e a racemate), while Lexapro contains only S-citalopram (with the suitable generic name escitalopram).

Several studies have shown that escitalopram is superior to citalopram (or R,S-citalopram, if you will), and this is probably due to the fact that R-citalopram seems to inhibit the pharmacological effect of S-citalopram (which is the active compound in both Cipram/Celexa/Cipramil and Lexapro). Even the very conservative Swedish Drug Agency has acknowledged this fact.

For more information, look at for example PubMed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez

(Please note that I have no connections with the company manufacturing Cipram/Celexa/Cipramil and Lexapro.)

Regarding drug prices, I have seen boxes of Seroxat (generic name: paroxetine) containing 20 20 mg pills costing 2.700 baht at Boots. As for Lexapro, you can find boxes of 28 10 mg pills in pharmacies located for example in China Town or around Chulalongkorn Hospital. Price range for this one: 1.300-1.500 baht per box. (The prices regarding Seroxat (the brand version) and Lexapro are the same in Sweden, by the way.)

The patent for Zoloft ran out years ago (in most European countries anyway), but perhaps the patent is still active in Thailand?

Regards

Edited July 25, 2007 by chemist

[oMega69]

Oh Great... soo the Cipramil wannabe is name Lexapro.... hmm stay in Pattaya.. . think they have them over here?

Soo this Lexapro is a SSRI drug ?. As for the Zoloft that still have patent in Thailand for some moreyears.

And for the Seroxat i cant use them becuse of sideeffects.... ok thx !

[Sheryl]

Lexapro is an SSRI and has the same active ingrediant as does Cipramil. If Cipramil works for you, Lexapro should also (may even do better, for the reasons Chemist mentioned). Both Cipramil and Lexapro are imported and both are available in Thailand.

Try a Fascino's pharmacy if you live near one. (Have it in Pattya, Bangkok and I think Chiang Mai). Join their membership thing and you may get a discount. BVery reliable pharmacy with competitive prices.

[oMega69]

Lexapro is an SSRI and has the same active ingrediant as does Cipramil. If Cipramil works for you, Lexapro should also (may even do better, for the reasons Chemist mentioned). Both Cipramil and Lexapro are imported and both are available in Thailand.

Try a Fascino's pharmacy if you live near one. (Have it in Pattya, Bangkok and I think Chiang Mai). Join their membership thing and you may get a discount. BVery reliable pharmacy with competitive prices.

yes allready have the discountcard.. live in pattaya....so how much for a box of Lexapro u think?.

[theseveredhead]

try the modern pharmacy, cheapest in town. if they dont have it maybe they will order for you. good people. old man and his cute daughter ;-)

[Pongpat]

Lexapro is an SSRI and has the same active ingrediant as does Cipramil. If Cipramil works for you, Lexapro should also (may even do better, for the reasons Chemist mentioned). Both Cipramil and Lexapro are imported and both are available in Thailand.

Try a Fascino's pharmacy if you live near one. (Have it in Pattya, Bangkok and I think Chiang Mai). Join their membership thing and you may get a discount. BVery reliable pharmacy with competitive prices.

yes allready have the discountcard.. live in pattaya....so how much for a box of Lexapro u think?.

I buy my drugs at Tops Pharmacy in Pattaya opposite the VC Hotel....Found them to be best prices in town and very friendly and helpful.

[oMega69]

try the modern pharmacy, cheapest in town. if they dont have it maybe they will order for you. good people. old man and his cute daughter ;-)

hmm okey...were is it located ?

[Maestro]

...consult MIMS (available in most pharmacies or www.asia. mims.com for online version)...

That link gives me an “under construction” message. I find this link to Thai MIMS helpful.

--------------

Maestro

[jumnien]

While the cost of anti-depressant medications may be depressingly high here in the kingdom, it is still far cheaper to depressed here than back home.

[oMega69]

While the cost of anti-depressant medications may be depressingly high here in the kingdom, it is still far cheaper to depressed here than back home.

well in Sweden is about 5times cheaper then here. . . .

[Ike1]

Regarding drug prices, I have seen boxes of Seroxat (generic name: paroxetine) containing 20 20 mg pills costing 2.700 baht at Boots.

Yikes, that's terrible. I paid 1700 baht for 20 20-mg pills in Chiang Mai at a chain pharmacy next to Fascino on Th Suthep near CMU. (The CMU Pharmacy didn't have it, except for something called Proxetin, and I don't feel that I can trust it unless it's spelled correctly! Is that really the same thing as Paroxetine, or something else entirely? Google doesn't shed much light on this.) Fascino didn't have it in stock, but quoted me a lower price of about 650 baht for 10 pills IIRC. However, I'm a depressed backpacker and I might leave Chiang Mai pretty soon, so I ponied up that terrible price of 1700 baht (850 per 10-pill strip). Ugh. Dang, I only pay about $40 for 30 tablets (generic version, and spelled correctly) in the U.S. and I don't even have health insurance.

I wish I could take fluoxetine but it gives me horrifying nightmares!

Also I just noticed that in another thread, somebody said:

Sorry for lack of detail, but the store was called Pharmway (or similar) and was behind MacDonalds in the wee shopping centre next to the night bazaar, maybe someone can add the name of the centre for me, it was my first night in Chang Mai and a little confused!

Major warning though, the paroxetine was real brand GlaxoRobbinBastards ie. Seroxat and cost me 600baht for a strip of 10 20mg tabs. WOW! I thought the NHS was expensive, but all is forgiven!

Sheesh, that's a better price than I paid! GlaxoRobbinBastards indeed!

[pete66]

Regarding drug prices, I have seen boxes of Seroxat (generic name: paroxetine) containing 20 20 mg pills costing 2.700 baht at Boots.

Yikes, that's terrible. I paid 1700 baht for 20 20-mg pills in Chiang Mai at a chain pharmacy next to Fascino on Th Suthep near CMU. (The CMU Pharmacy didn't have it, except for something called Proxetin, and I don't feel that I can trust it unless it's spelled correctly! Is that really the same thing as Paroxetine, or something else entirely? Google doesn't shed much light on this.) Fascino didn't have it in stock, but quoted me a lower price of about 650 baht for 10 pills IIRC. However, I'm a depressed backpacker and I might leave Chiang Mai pretty soon, so I ponied up that terrible price of 1700 baht (850 per 10-pill strip). Ugh. Dang, I only pay about $40 for 30 tablets (generic version, and spelled correctly) in the U.S. and I don't even have health insurance.

I wish I could take fluoxetine but it gives me horrifying nightmares!

Also I just noticed that in another thread, somebody said:

Sorry for lack of detail, but the store was called Pharmway (or similar) and was behind MacDonalds in the wee shopping centre next to the night bazaar, maybe someone can add the name of the centre for me, it was my first night in Chang Mai and a little confused!

Major warning though, the paroxetine was real brand GlaxoRobbinBastards ie. Seroxat and cost me 600baht for a strip of 10 20mg tabs. WOW! I thought the NHS was expensive, but all is forgiven!

Sheesh, that's a better price than I paid! GlaxoRobbinBastards indeed!

where to get Lexapro in BKK anyone? Do they sell in Nana? if so, expensive? Better off buying near hospital elsewhere?

also, is it ok to speak Thai? Somebody said pharmacies won't sell if you speak Thai? But I would rather speak Thai so as to not get inflated Farang prices? Any advice?

thanks,

Edited September 5, 2009 by pete66

[kab123]

Hi, i'm trying to find cipramil, celexa, cipralex or lexapro in Ayutthaya. Can anyone help?