Problems Having Prescription Meds Mailed To Thailand

[VAN2PATTAYA]

I currently take 'ATRIPLA' once a day. I am now staying in Thailand for several months at a time and my Doctors in Canada are okay providing me with a 3-6 month supply which I normally bring with me.

I am however down to only a 2 week supply....(I had originally arranged to have a friend bring these with him but for various reasons that did not happen)

I already arranged with my Doctors in Canada to get a 3 month supply picked up by a friend and he kindly offered to mail them to me.

Unfortunately FEDEX are telling him that he cannot ship them to thailand as he needs some kind of a license eeek!!! He provided the Pills and the prescription to Fedex and they are okay on the Canada end. It is the Thai side of things where they are being sticky.

I am down to only about 2 weeks of pills and need these urgently.

Can you offer any constructive advice as to what I need to do to have these sent to me. As I say this is very URGENT...do I have to arrange to go back to Canada to get these myself

Appreciate your guidance or any referral

[Jingthing]

That is a very expensive medication and this does sound like an urgent situation. Is the med for sale in Thailand or Singapore?

Edited February 19, 2009 by Jingthing

[Sheryl]

Not for sale in Thailand but may be possible to get from a hospital. I have also advised OP to try having it resent regular mail. My experience with Fedex in Thailand is that they ,to put it mildly, inept.

[sabaijai]

I avoid FedEx whenever possible as I, too, find the service in Thailand the worst of any courier. DHL isn't much better, but UPS is not as bad.

I've had far better experiences with regular EMS, the international express mail service provided by post offices in both Thailand and Canada. About half the cost of FedEx or DHL and usually faster than either.

[Soutpeel]

Playing devils advocate here, but if Thailand requires a license for this medication, but posters suggesting you send this medication by regular mail are you advocating an illegal act, which is in contravention of forum rules ??

[Sheryl]

The drug is not a controlled or illegal substance, in fact it is a combination form of 3 drugs that are already licensed for use in Thailand. So I do not think its import for personal use violates any law.

I also suspect, from past experience with them, that Fedex was screwing things up. I once had them tell me that I needed FDA approval to bring in a portable spa (the kind you fill with a garden hose). They were wrong.

They also told me I could not get it out of customs unless I had a work permit, wrong again. Had it been for commercial use, yes, but it was one spa for personal use.

They seem to specialize in botching up discussions with customs and related depatrtments. To put it very, very mildly.

[harrry]

The drug is not a controlled or illegal substance, in fact it is a combination form of 3 drugs that are already licensed for use in Thailand. So I do not think its import for personal use violates any law.

Is the drug subsidised by the Canadian government. I know that bringing medicines from australia that have been bought under the government scheme is ilegal in australia without a permit from the Australian govt.

If you have difficulty obtaining it you may find it at the ChiangMai University hospital pharmacy they seem to have everything.

[BigSnake]

Best bet check with Medical Doctor(Hospital) here (small doctor fee) he/she could evaluate your case and write a prescription here if this drug is available in Thailand(?), my guess IF not there might be one similar under a different brand name. Good Luck enjoy your stay in The Land of Smiles(LOS)

[karenmw460]

It doesn't matter if they are sent normal mail or FEDEX. They will most likely still be stopped by customs or whatever. If the drug is available in Thailand (ie at a hospital ifit is a controlled substance) then you are not allowed to import it without a licence.

I was unaware of this and I found out (to my expense!) a couple of months ago when I ordered some cyclosporine online (for my dog!). When my maid went to collect it at the post office, they said that they could not give it to me unless I had a licence. They will hold the drugs for a couple of months if you want to go down that route, but I imagine it is extremely complicated. I ended up having to leave the tablets with the post office. 6,000 baht down the drain!

[Sheryl]

It doesn't matter if they are sent normal mail or FEDEX. They will most likely still be stopped by customs or whatever. If the drug is available in Thailand (ie at a hospital ifit is a controlled substance) then you are not allowed to import it without a licence.

I was unaware of this and I found out (to my expense!) a couple of months ago when I ordered some cyclosporine online (for my dog!). When my maid went to collect it at the post office, they said that they could not give it to me unless I had a licence. They will hold the drugs for a couple of months if you want to go down that route, but I imagine it is extremely complicated. I ended up having to leave the tablets with the post office. 6,000 baht down the drain!

Karen, this is new and quite important information. Can you clarify:

is the problem only for drugs that are available in Thailand? (which this one is not)?

Is the problem limited to drugs available in Thailand and made in Thailand, i.e. a protection issue, or would it also apply to priducts that are availabe here only as foreign imports?

Do you have any ref for info on this issue?

Thanks

Sheryl

[Sheryl]

No luck so far finding anything on a Thai government website but this is on a Canadian government one (http://geo.international.gc.ca/asia/bangkok/consul/Prescription_Drugs-en.aspx) :

"Bringing Medications into Thailand

According to the Thai Food and Drug Administration, the law states that a maximum 30-day dosage of authorized drugs may be brought into the country without a licence from the Thai FDA. The laws of Thailand, such as the Psychoactive Substances Law, stipulate that the following substances are not allowed into the country:

1. Psychoactive substances in category 1 (example: Calhinone, DET, Etryplamine, Mescaline)

2. Narcotics of any types:

Category 1 : example: Heroin, Amphetamine, Desomorphine

Category 2 : example: Morphine, Cocaine, Codeine, Medicinal opium

Category 3 : example: Codeine cough syrup, anti-diarrhoeal drug with Opium

Category 4 : example: Acetic anhydride, Acetyl chloride

Category 5 : example: Marijuana.

However, psychoactive substances in the following categories may be allowed into Thailand for personal use if the dosage does not exceed 30 days consumption. The following medications must be accompanied by the original medical certificate signed by a physician and the passport of the person to whom the prescription was issued:

Category 2: example: Flurazepam, Mazindol, Nitrazepam, Phentermine

Category 3: example: Amobarbital, Meprobamate, Pentazocine, Pentobarbital

Category 4: example: Chloralhydrate, Chlordiazepoxide, Clobazam, Oxazolam, Clonazepam

It certainly makes more sense as hard to believe that a license is needed to bring in even small amounts of medication for personal use.

[Nowhereman60]

Why not just go to the website of an international hospital where you live and under contact us ask if they have that drug. I done it a few times.

Edited February 23, 2009 by Nowhereman60