Expensive HIV meds

[Inderpland]

My partner is HIV positive and he is on the following medication:

Truvada 300/200

Norvir 100

Reyataz 300

This medication costs us almost 20000 Baht a month through the private hospital we use so is a serious financial burden for us. Are there any other sources for this medication available?

[AyG]

All three medicines are imported, hence the high cost. You might like to explore whether there are any locally produced medicines which could be used instead.

All three are FDA class S (Special Controlled Drug) meaning that they're prescription only and a first grade pharmacist has to be present when they are sold - not many pharmacies have such a pharmacist. You don't say where you are, but if you can find a suitable pharmacy the drugs should be cheaper than at the hospital pharmacy. You'll then just need to ask the hospital doctor for a prescription.

If you have trouble finding a suitable pharmacy, you could try contacting the importer and asking where they distribute to in your area.

[Sheryl]

Please see this thread. The least expensive source of HIV meds, if your partner is not Thai, is the Thai Red Cross Anonymous Clinic. http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/285198-hiv-testing-and-treatment-in-los-doctors-meds-costs/

If your partner is Thai, then can get at least the first of these meds free at a government hospital (or for 30 baht copay). The brand names will be different as their are locally made generic equivalents.

The particular combo of meds being used is a little unusual, has he been on meds for a long time and not responded to the initial ones used? If not it would be worth getting a consultation with an HIV specialist to review test results and meds and see if he could be switched to a regiment that is available in local generic form. Where do you live?

[Inderpland]

Hi,

We live in Pattaya, and my partner (Thai) has tried two different combos of locally produced drugs before starting on the imported "coctail". The problem with the local meds was that he plateaued on the CD 4 count, but while taking the last one has made good progress. Another problem with the locally produced meds was that it included a drug that was very strong, and made him feel drunk. The doctor said it was like taking Extacy.

He has been on meds for over 7 years and we have tried to deal directly with the biggest pharmacy (Fascino) in town but they said they could only get hold of one of them (and when we went to pick it up they couldn't deliver anyway).

[Sheryl]

Without knowing which meds he was previously on, and the results of any drug snesitivity tests, it is a little hard for me to make sense of this.

I suggest you consult Dr. Philippe Soeur in Pattaya (http://www.heartt2000.org/

to see if this particular regimen is really necessary.

The Truvada is no problem, you can get equivalent at very low price from the Thai Red Cross. There is also a local equivalent which contains ritonavir (Norvir) but only in combo with another HIV med, lopinavir. That is in the same drug class (protease inhibitor) as atazanavir (Reyataz) so it might be possible to substitiute the ritonavir+lopinavir combo for the ritonavir and ataxanavir he currently takes, but need to consult an HIV specialist as to that first. If so then likely you can get the meds at the TRC at much reduced cost.

[thepool]

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Hi,

We live in Pattaya, and my partner (Thai) has tried two different combos of locally produced drugs before starting on the imported "coctail". The problem with the local meds was that he plateaued on the CD 4 count, but while taking the last one has made good progress. Another problem with the locally produced meds was that it included a drug that was very strong, and made him feel drunk. The doctor said it was like taking Extacy.

He has been on meds for over 7 years and we have tried to deal directly with the biggest pharmacy (Fascino) in town but they said they could only get hold of one of them (and when we went to pick it up they couldn't deliver anyway).

It must be realised that HIV medication is (for very good reason) strictly controlled.

For that reason you are unlikely to find a retail pharmacy willing or able to sell these medications.

Sheryl has given good advice.

[liddelljohn]

Contact the cammillian centre ban chang ,rayong they may be able to give you the right help or advice,,

one of my extended familly has HIV and the retro drug cocktail kaletra and Embactra she is on for the last 12 years are not available in Thailand even privately so i have to get them for her in UK and its not easy at all ,,,,also the monitoring for resistance and side effects is not good here even with private hospitals so we send our relative to UK for monitoring a couple of times a year ,,, again expensive but her life is valuable to our family and her kids .

[orchis]

I think Sheryl's advice is excellent, have another infectious disease doctor look

at the medications your partner is taking and if necessary adjust that.

Dr Sueur is a fine and caring doctor but I am not sure if he can help you get the medicine and testing at lower prices..

(I took a friend to see him and he referred us to Bangkok Pattaya Hospital for testing (expensive) and

had meds at his disposal but they were rather first line.)

Anonymous Clinic in Bangkok is the best source for that.

You can ask his advise and have him refer you to Anonymous.

You can get meds for a few months at the time there.

[Inderpland]

Thanks so much for the caring advice!