Epipen - Price And Availability

[Sadako_Sasaki]

Does anyone else here need to carry an Epipen in case of an allergic reaction, and where do you get yours (and for how much)?

I just had to replace mine, as it had expired, and it cost 5,000 baht at one of the big private hospitals. That's about 10 times more than what I used to pay in the UK, but then that was just the prescription charge, so I don't know the true cost of an Epipen.

My insurance will pay, but only if it is on prescription. They wouldn't pay, for example, if I bought it at the chemist. But I'm curious as to what it costs elsewhere, and how widely available it is.

[Sheryl]

It is an import (no locally made version) and so will cost a bot more than it does in Europe.

However the drug mark-up at private hospitals is considerable and you would undoubtedly get it for less if you bought it yourself at a pharmacy. I don't know the exact cost.

it would not be widely available, only large pharmacies would carry it.

[Sadako_Sasaki]

Thanks for the info. We have bought other drugs from the pharmacy in the past, as they were considerably cheaper, but the insurance refused to pay.

So I guess now we'll have to pay the hospital's high mark-up, and let the insurer's worry about the price. From what I can find out on the internet, it IS an expensive medication and I am very thankful that I have insurance. I was also prescribed prednisolone in the past, to take immediately in the event of a reaction, but I cannot take it now as I am pregnant.

Touch wood I seem never to have had an attack in Thailand, but it's hard to avoid the allergen (a preservative) given that food labelling laws here don't yet cover it. Still, at least it isn't peanuts or shrimp!