Hiv Treatment

[Suzy]

Has anyone any experience on obtaining advanced treatments for HIV in Thailand? I have contacted several hospitals by e-mail and received no replies from anyone. The Red Cross HIV Centre only deals with diagnosis and not treatment.

The governement boldly state that basic medication is available for a mere pittance of something like 12,000 baht a year. A figure I reckon they plucked out of thin air!

The last check I made recently put the cost of my treatment at around 250,000 Baht for 12 months.

[ChrisP]

The governement boldly state that basic medication is available for a mere pittance of something like 12,000 baht a year

Where did you hear/find that, Suzy?

ChrisP

[Guest IT Manager]

Suzy PM me please.

IT

[Suzy]

It was an article in the Bangkok Post late last year, related to claiming HIV treatment on the 30 Baht insurance scheme and how treatment could be covered under the scheme as it did not exceed the government limit for medication of 30,000 Baht per year per person.

[Digger]

Has anyone any experience on obtaining advanced treatments for HIV in Thailand? I have contacted several hospitals by e-mail and received no replies from anyone. The Red Cross HIV Centre only deals with diagnosis and not treatment.

The governement boldly state that basic medication is available for a mere pittance of something like 12,000 baht a year. A figure I reckon they plucked out of thin air!

The last check I made recently put the cost of my treatment at around 250,000 Baht for 12 months.

Suzy - what medication are you on?

Different manufacturers treat Thailand dfferently.

Merck consider it a developing country and thus Stocrin here is very cheap (relatively) at about 6,000 baht per month.

GSK sell things at lower prices than the west but not as cheap as in Africa.

BMS also take a similar view as GSK

Does your combination inlcude kaletra or Nevarapine? Neither of those drugs are cheap here.

In terms of treatment, I am helping a former BG on her medication and she goes to see a doctor at Bumrungrad Hospital and her treatment is 9,000 baht a month for DDI, AZT and Stocrin of which I pay 8,000 and she pays a notional 1,000 baht from her salary as a shop assistant. Bumrungrad has about 6 specialists according to their website but another doctor at a different hospital singled out Dr Mattana as the one for her to see as he had been her student at the medical school. This doctor can issue the Govt prescriptions but she did not recommend it in this case due to problems with some of the components. This Dr is very easy to talk too and my friend is in complete awe of her. Bumrungrad issue the prescriptions on the spot and if the bill is more than 10,000 for medicine you get a 10% discount so she always buys 3 months at a time. Her VL is undetectable and her CD4 count has risen tremendously since starting about a year ago with no complications or problems.

Hope this helps

[Suzy]

I was always led to believe that Bumrungrad was an extremely expensive hospital.

When I do seek advice in BKK I go to Rama IX.

Cocktail currently sonsists of Efavirenz, Tenofovir, Abacavir, and 3TC. However, costs are prohibitive and at the moment have risen to just under 500,000 Baht per year discounting one product not available in Thailand. Of the remaining three only one is sold at a cheap (?) price, that being Stocrin.

It's far cheaper to fly back to UK and stock up. Only problem is that luggage tends to rattle a lot when flying back!!

[Pink Mist]

Suzy if you havn't done so already give IT a PM, he knows a little bit about the subject.

[Digger]

I was always led to believe that Bumrungrad was an extremely expensive hospital.

When I do seek advice in BKK I go to Rama IX.

Cocktail currently sonsists of Efavirenz, Tenofovir, Abacavir, and 3TC. However, costs are prohibitive and at the moment have risen to just under 500,000 Baht per year discounting one product not available in Thailand. Of the remaining three only one is sold at a cheap (?) price, that being Stocrin.

It's far cheaper to fly back to UK and stock up. Only problem is that luggage tends to rattle a lot when flying back!!

The consultation fee for this doctor at Bumrungrad is 500 baht for farang, same as any other doctor there. The medicines are marked up by a very small percentage (first question I asked was can she get them cheaper elsewhere - to which the answer was yes, marginally at the Govt HIV clinic nr the Grand Hyatt) and with the 10% discount, its not too bad. I am sure you could shop around and get them cheaper but I would be concerned about their origins and if they are counterfeit drug copies. Certainly we have had no supply problems what so ever with out of stock medicine at Bumrungrad.

If nothing else, I would suggest that you seriously consider going and making an appointment with this doctor and having a chat with her - she is really good and so ###### smart. She told me she is a teacher in infectious diseases at Chulkakorn university medical school during the day and then works 3 hours at Bumrungrad in the evening Mon thru Friday, which is how we were recommended to her by one of her former students. One word of caution - she is always running late as the patient slots are for 15 minutes but she is talking to the patient for at least 30 minutes every time, so if you go ask for an early appointment otherwise if you have the 8.00PM you wont be out of their until 10.00pm at the earliest. She is also very cost concious and realistic about medicines/costs - she deliberately kept my firend of 3TC becasue she has Hep B as well and she wants to keep that in reserve for her liver has no problems currently which is why she put her on DDI.

Looks like GSk is not doing you any favours on the prices of those medicines. Cant understand why they are not more highly discounted here

Hope this helps

[et33.com]

HIV ?

mm.....

offer yourself as part of their research

you get the drugs for free

they get a human subject to try out their stuff

[craigstroud]

Suzy:

It would seem that we are both on the exact same cocktail... which I find remarkably ironic, as I am considering returning to Thailand to teach once again. In the past this has always failed for me, and nearly cost me my life, because I was trying to keep a flow of meds coming from the US, and ultimately failed.

Have you found a reliable source, and an affordable one?

Would love to know what's available... I'm certainly willing to pay more than 12,000 baht a year, but not 150,000 (that just about what you would pay here in the US).

Thanks!

[b2bme]

Suzy:

It would seem that we are both on the exact same cocktail... which I find remarkably ironic, as I am considering returning to Thailand to teach once again. In the past this has always failed for me, and nearly cost me my life, because I was trying to keep a flow of meds coming from the US, and ultimately failed.

Have you found a reliable source, and an affordable one?

Would love to know what's available... I'm certainly willing to pay more than 12,000 baht a year, but not 150,000 (that just about what you would pay here in the US).

Thanks!

[JohnC]

I could be wrong but I think the lower cost medication is available to Thai Nationals only as part of the medicare system, others pay the full price, I do know that not all medications are subsidised which is why charities like HEARTT 2000 helps the poor with HIV in Pattaya.

[b2bme]

Sorry guys for the finger trouble before. I see from the original post back in Feb 2004 there is a bit of a descrepency.

Quote;

Has anyone any experience on obtaining advanced treatments for HIV in Thailand? I have contacted several hospitals by e-mail and received no replies from anyone. The Red Cross HIV Centre only deals with diagnosis and not treatment.

Note the word advanced. I presume these advanced meds are going to to cost you more than what is mentioned in the next quote which makes reference to basic medication.

Quote;

The governement boldly state that basic medication is available for a mere pittance of something like 12,000 baht a year. A figure I reckon they plucked out of thin air!

Medication for Thai's as referenced in another post with regards to the 30 Baht scheme is almost at no cost. Unfortunately those foreigners in need cannot get the same deal. I know there is a difference in price of meds from private and government hospitals depending on the location and establishment. Bumrungrad is more expensive for meds, but I would recommend them for a visit as they have some highly experienced infectious disease doctors and are of great help and resources.

Government hopsitals out in the provinces from what I have been told by friends in the past with this virus offer the medication at a more reasonable price. Up to half of what you would pay in premium private hospitals in Bangkok. Again though I think it depends on what you are chasing. Meds in the provinces which are as good as free to the Thais may not be the exact medication you are after. Still it might be worth a trip to a provincial hospital or two to find out.

[orchis]

Those numbers are not plucked out of thin air" it is disengenious to suggest that.

The cheap treatments are destined for Thai citizens , under social security when having that or under the 30 thb scheme. Thailand has a good system and it works.

There is a lot of info pinned at the start of this forum.

My costs at Bangkok General 5970 per month, or 71640 per year. Testing twice a year, cheapest is at Red Cross , you can take those results to your doctor at the hospital of your choice. Total not over 80.000 a year and Bangkok general is one of the most expensive hospitals. You can get prescriptions and buy your meds cheaper at GPO pharmacy instead of at the hospital. That takes effort to find out, not whining or false accusations.

BTW my overseas employer provides me with insurance that pays back 80 percent of my costs. I see it as my responsibility to get that insurance so I don't have to burden the Thai health care system. Doing otherwise would qualify as pharmaceutical tourism.

Edited March 4, 2009 by orchis

[RicTraveller]

Just to add to the recent posts and information, I have recently visited a doctor at Bumrungrad and he told me that his proposed drug regimen for me ((Viread+Sustiva+Epivir) would cost about BHT4,000 permonth. I will be changing to BNH (because it is closer to where I live) and will be seeing Dr. Mattana who is there one day a week; so I will see what BNH proposes to charge as well and post the results.

Does anyone know if Emtriva is available in Thailand?

Also, I heard that Truvada will be available soon. Can anyone confirm that and if so when, and what the costs may be?

I read an article (from August last year) that Gilead (++?) had signed an agreement to make available in a list of an additional 12 countries (including Thailand) the 3-in-1 drug Atripla. Has anyone heard if that is the case and when it may be available? And what the costs may be?

Cheers

Ric

[Suzy]

Just to add to the recent posts and information, I have recently visited a doctor at Bumrungrad and he told me that his proposed drug regimen for me ((Viread+Sustiva+Epivir) would cost about BHT4,000 permonth. I will be changing to BNH (because it is closer to where I live) and will be seeing Dr. Mattana who is there one day a week; so I will see what BNH proposes to charge as well and post the results.

Does anyone know if Emtriva is available in Thailand?

Also, I heard that Truvada will be available soon. Can anyone confirm that and if so when, and what the costs may be?

I read an article (from August last year) that Gilead (++?) had signed an agreement to make available in a list of an additional 12 countries (including Thailand) the 3-in-1 drug Atripla. Has anyone heard if that is the case and when it may be available? And what the costs may be?

Cheers

Ric

At the current time Atripla is not available in Thailand. Bumrungrad offer the following cocktail which Atripla replaced in western countries a couple of years ago "Atripla is composed of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate+ efavirenz+ emtricitabine but we have only Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate 300 mg tablet called Viread (67 Baht/tablet) and Efavirenz 200 mg (59 Baht/tablet) and 600 mg (43 Baht/tablet) called Stocrin. And we don’t have Emtricitabine."

[paul1957]

Hi,

I have just made an appointment at Bunmungrad Hospital,

Does anybody know if any information or resuls are confidential or no in this country/hospital

paul 1957

[Sheryl]

Yes, results are confidential. Your hospital records can only be released to you or someone you authorize in writing to receive them.

Indeed if anything I have found it too difficult to get medical records out of Bumrungrad, for instance I once had a situation where a close friend was hospitalized in another hospital for a problem related to something Bumrungrad ha dtreated her for and they would not send the records to the other hospital -- said she had to come, in person, to receive them (which of course she could not do, being ill and hospitalized!). We eventually worked it out with signed authorizations from her and signed copy of her passport etc, but it took days.

I would say no concerns at all re your records being kept confidential, but probably a good idea to get a short medical summary from them to keep yourself in case you very need care elsewhere for a related problem.

There are some very good HIV specialists at Bumrungrad, see the pinned notice for soem recommendations.

[raven10]

Can anyone tell me where I can have blood tests done? I'm HIV+ and working in Asia. I'm from South Africa, but can't go back every year for my yearly checkup and blood tests. The tests I need done are:

CD4 countViral load (HIV PCR)Full blood countAST/ALT (liver enzymes)Cholesterol

[Sheryl]

Complete blood count, AST/ALT and cholesterol = any hospital can do

CD4, viral load = need to see an HIV specialist at a large hospital, see pinned notice with names and some cost info

I beleive the Red Cross clinic also does these tests but would probably need a written request from a doctor

[orchis]

Red Cross Clinic does those tests, also without prescription.

If you're not sure a nurse can talk you through the different tests and possibilities

but there is no doctor at hand.

If you want to buy meds there than you do need a prescription from an outside doctor.