Receiving Prescriptions From Abroad

[snooky]

I am here on retirement but because of my age, I cannot get health insurance so must go back to US for my checkups, usually once a year. Between the VA and private doctors, I am taking seven medications daily. I can usually bring six months supply back with me but then the problem is receiving the additional six months (or longer if I do not go back immediately). The USPS says it is illegal for anyone but the vendor to send prescriptions overseas and neither the VA nor my insurance company vendor will send them out of the country except to a military base.

I checked out UPS but their shipping costs are prohibitive - about $98 if they will even take them. Occasionally I have someone coming over who can bring them but not frequently enough.

Anyone have any ideas/suggestions? Not to mention, difficult to get an answer from Thai customs whether or not it is legal to import legitimate prescriptions.

Edited December 18, 2010 by snooky

[Lefty]

I also take 7 medications/day for cholestrol,blood presure,weak heart,high blood/sugar level and blood thinner.No way to import drugs from the U.S. on your own. I buy all my medications locally most are local made and cost about $75/month.All can be brought OTC without perscription.

Lefty

[Sheryl]

It is legal to import medications for personal use unless the drugs in question are banned in Thailand...although I believe the usual rule is just a 30 day supply. Don't know if there is flexibility around that in cases where osmeone has a long term visa. The 30-day bit is I thibnk because that is the usual duration of a tourist stay.

However if any of the meds are controlled substances in Thailand, it would be inadvisable to have them sent to you by mail, prescription or not.

If they are not controlled substances, then the best approach is to have them sent to someone in the US and then have them repackage and mail to you by normal air mail. AVOID courier services like UPS, FedEx etc, they are a sure path to customs problems.

You might also want to look into costs of purchasing your meds here in Thailand. Depending on what they are and whether there are locally made generic equivalents, might be cheaper than the cost of shipping them from the US.

[snooky]

Thanks, guys. Appreciate the input. But as I noted, the USPS really gives my friend a hard time when he tries to mail the Rx's that come every 3 months (with a three month supply of each) -says only the vendor can mail overseas. And since Bush, VA does not mail overseas (Thank you very much). Have been checking on prices locally, two quite expensive (over 40 US a month) - the rest reasonable. (Simvastatin and Diovan). Also somewhat worried about the quality of the heart drugs here. Have had a quadruple by pass and pacemaker so have to make sure I take proper meds. One plus, have a great cardio doc at St Louis Hospital - great background from schooling to teaching in the US at facilities I am very familiar with.

All in all, unless a disaster occurs, probably cheaper to stay here without the expense of the RT to the US plus meds! Now, if I can get some emergency evacuation insurance (at my delicate age - fourscore plus) without all the extras.......................! Hate to lose the open return portion of my ticket but since most, if not all air tickets are not transferable nowadays, I guess i will.

Edited December 19, 2010 by snooky