Tacrolimus (Prograf)

[RickThai]

Hello All,

I plan on moving to Thailand in the next year or so, and I was wondering about the availability Tacrolimus AKA ProGraf for purchase in Thailand. This is an immune-suppressant that I have to take for the rest of my life (I had a liver transplant). If anyone has any first hand knowledge of getting it in Thailand I would appreciate the information. In particular, I am interested in quality (i.e. where is it made; USA, Europe, Japan, India??) and cost.

Thank for any information.

RickThai

[Thanyaburi Mac]

Rick

Prograf is listed as available, "Astellas Pharma" (Diethelm).

http://www.astellas.co.th/index_en.php?lang=en&id=

Mac

[Sheryl]

It's also available here in the sustained release form (Advograft, same manufacturer). Likely to be quite costly though so plan on that.

Your other issue is going to be health care in general since you are not likely to be able to obtain health insurance here (or if you do they will exclude anything related to your liver). Health care costs in Thailand have increased drmataically in the past few years and aren't going anywhere but further up. If you are going tyo be employed here then you can get covered under Thai social security but otherwise you'd best self insurance which means putting aside a in an account not less 1 and preferrably more like 5 million baht to be used in event of hospitalization.

[RickThai]

Thank you both for the information. I had never heard of the sustained release form. I am currently taking 1 1/2 mg BID. I'll check with my Hepatoligists about the sustained release version.

Sheryl:

Once again you have provided me with a valuable service totally free of charge.

I had never reallly considered the health insurance issue before, since I am now in relatively good health.

I had been thinking of getting an TESL certificate in a half-hearted kind of way, but now it seems that getting the certification and going to Thailand to teach English could have another very important benefit.

I had been thinking about teaching in Thailand, primarily because I have a degree in Computer Science, and it would be nice to give something back to Thailand. (Besides I like to talk!).

One of my Thai SILs and my Thai BIL's wife are both high school teachers, it would be nice to work at one of their schools.

Thus getting a TESL and teaching would provide me with both a work visa and health insurance. Although I don't really need the salary, I could use the money to put one of my wife's nephews and one of her cousin's child through college.

That would work out almost too perfect! I can't wait to discuss this with my wife!

Many thanks,

RickThai

[Sheryl]

Rick,

Absolutely, get a work permit & job if you possibly can, it is the best solution for someone in your situation (major prexisting health problem rendering an individual insurance policy impractical).

Once you have enrolled in the Thai Social Security plan, if you later stop working, my understanding is that you maintain your membership by paying a very modest premium. Whatever you do, don't let it lapse!

The big private international hospitals don't participate in the Social Security system and only some smaller private hospitals do, so mostly you'd be getting care at government hospitals but these can provide quite acceptable care, albeit with some inconveniences (long waits etc), especially the university affiliated hospitals. (District hospitals should be avoided. Stick to provincial level or higher. Military hospitals are also an option, I think -- but not totally sure -- that most of them participate in the system. Quality of care in military hospitals is usually excellent.

[RickThai]

Sheryl;

Again thanks for the follow-up advice. My wife seemed pretty positive about the idea of me teaching in Thailand (she has both a Thai ID, and a US Passport).

Sincerely wishing you all the best,

Rick