Is Prescribed medication in thailand available and affordable to a farang?

[muffinzman]

I would like to retire in thailand in the next 3 years but i have chrones disease and take alot of medication and im wondering if anyone knows how much medication like Mesalazine (pentasa ) esomeprazole ( nexium ) and Azathioprine ( imuran ) are and if they would be available to a foreigner?

Thank you

[Soutpeel]

if you mean for free ?... no why should they ?..... no NHS in Thailand dear boy.

but the meds you mention are availible in Thailand

[lopburi3]

The same medications are available to a foreigner as to a Thai. You can check if medication is allowed for use in Thailand at the http://www.mims.com/thailand web site (but that will not provide the price).

[muffinzman]

I dont think i mentioned the word free, im asking if they are available and how much would they cost, roughly. Nothing is free in life my dear boy.

[muffinzman]

thanks lopburi3

[seajae]

once you can show the pharmacy what you want you wont even need a prescription to get it. You will also find that the shop that supplies the pharmacies will also sell to you for wholesale, I cannot get everything I was prescribed in Australia as they do not have them all in Thailand but I can get the main ones I need at pretty good prices.

[Jingthing]

I might depend what country you are coming from.

Coming from the U.S. the retail prices for meds are quite often much much lower here.

But you really need to check on your specific meds. That's something I did actively before moving here.

Brand names are often different here (same chemicals).

Not all generics offered in other countries are offered here.

An example is a basic branded asthma inhaler might be under 200 baht here.

I think some meds are actually more expensive here.

[silomplaya]

good meds are rare in south east asia.

[mrtoad]

good meds are rare in south east asia.

What do you mean by "good meds", ones that are widely abused in the US that are not thankfully licensed in this country?

[arthurwait]

Cost and availability can only be told by those who buy them.

Meds are cheaper from wholesalers, but many are cheap anyway.

Foreign brand names are expensive, but there are usually a Thai brand much much cheaper, but side effects can be strong depending on the pill. The difference can be from around 1 baht for a Thai pill or several hundred for the known foreign pill per pill.

[inbangkok]

Nexium is very expensive here. You can use a generic version of Prilosec instead or something similar.

[Sheryl]

I think what is confusing people (myself included) is the "available to a foreigner" part of the question.

Obviously, all drugs available here are available to all, though only Thais are eligible to receive them free (or at a nominal charge) under the government's universal health care scheme. Farang have to pay the full retail cost unless they are employed and covered under the Social Security system for workers.

Mesalazine is available over the counter under 3 brand names:

Salofalk - European import and thus expensive

Pentasa - ditto

Mesacol - Indian made and therefore will cost less than Salofalk or Pentasa, but exactly how much I do not know. Perhaps others who take it could advise, or you might try contacting the distributor, Pharmaland: Tel: (+66) 2330 8550 Email: [email protected]

Esomeprazole is available only as Nexium, an expensive import. If you can switch to omeprazole (taking Mg supplements if needed), that is available in many locally made generics and inexpensive.

Azathioprine is available under several different brand names:

- Imuran: South African import, epxensive

-Proghraf: Japanese import, expensive

-Azadus - import but of Indian manufacturer so will be the least expensive option. For cost, contact distributor Kaspa Pharma Tel (+66) 2411 6114/7 Email sa,[email protected]

Imuprin - ditto, Indian import. Distributor is Pharmadica Tel: (+66) 2748 1213 -4, Email: [email protected]

Please do not think solely in terms of paying for the medications you currently need. Need to consider how you will pay for all health care costs, including possibility or very costly hospitalization for injuries from a major accident or treatment of an catastrophic illness - heart attack, stroke etc. It is difficult to get health insurance locally once past a certain age, and even harder when one has pre-existing conditions. Or for that matter, complications of your Crohn's requiring immediate surgical treatment.

[JDGRUEN]

I dont think i mentioned the word free, im asking if they are available and how much would they cost, roughly. Nothing is free in life my dear boy.

I think you have just found out that there are insensitive Di_K Heads running amok on Thavisa Forum ... but there are others who will kindly work with you to find answers -- please do not get discouraged ...

If good answers do not come up ... I know a great, educated, informed and cooperative Thai pharmacist who will get me the answers... I will just have to take the name of your prescription medications to her and ask... and get the price.

One thing about medications in Thailand - only the most controlled medications have to have a prescription ... It would seem that since yours are not extremely common that they would ... But rest assured many many drugs that you would think would be by prescription only are available OTC in Thailand...

If you do not get sufficient answers via your post -- then send me a Private Message PM here on Thaivisa forum... I will work to get an answer for you...

[noahvail]

It should be mentioned that not every med that's available in the West is available in Thailand, whether you're a Thai or a foreigner. Also hospitals and pharmacy chains like Booths tend to be much more expensive than the local mom & pop pharmacy. And international hospitals are worst of all, in terms of price. Our dear Sheryl, font of knowledge that she is, has given you some excellent information and advice.

[muffinzman]

Thank you so much guys for your very informed replies now i have something to go by.

[impulse]

Generic Omeprazole, OTC: 60-90 baht for 14 each, 20mg. Every pharmacy I've ever been to has it, even in small Thai towns. I've paid as little as 35 baht for the same, but that seemed a fluke.

Don't know about the other meds.

Edited September 21, 2014 by impulse

[bkkgooner]

Mesalazine usually the Salofalk brand is available in the larger pharmacies in Bangkok, make sure you get a good price for them though. Don't go near Boots or any international hospitals to get your medication.

[NancyL]

Sheryl gave good advice. If you haven't already, you need to understand why all your meds have been prescribed, their generic name and what other meds could deliver the same results. That's what I did before I retired here -- sat down with my cardiologist and really developed an understanding of WHY he'd prescribed all the meds and what else would work. We'd already done a reconnaissance mission to Thailand and I'd connected with a cardiologist at Bumrungrad. Once I shared print-outs of email exchanges with my "new Thai cardiologist" with my U.S. cardiologsit-- all the sudden he was willing to share his top-secret email address and encouraged me to contact him from Thailand with questions about local generics and substitutes.

We didn't have drug insurance in the U.S. and we're spending a fraction of what we did there for my meds here.

Edited September 23, 2014 by NancyL

[CaptHaddock]

Fewer medications required prescriptions in Thailand, than in the US. For example, you won't need a prescription for anti-biotics. But for those medications that do, there is a hidden cost: Thai hospitals, which are the only source of the most controlled prescription drugs, do not provide refillable prescriptions. For example, in the US the doctor would give me a refillable prescription for six months of ambien. In Thailand only a hospital can dispense zolpidem, the generic equivalent, but you won't get a prescription for more than one month's supply. So, if you had to have the same six month's supply you would have to pay for six doctor's visits in addition to the actual medication, if the doctor were willing to provide so many.

I no longer take ambien myself or any drug other than vitamins. I don't know whether drugs like insulin also require a doctor's visit for each prescription, but I gather that they do.

[billd766]

good meds are rare in south east asia.

I have had no problems in the 8 years I have been taking 4 meds a day for my heart problems.

Your quote is just a generalisation with nothing to back it up.

[meatboy]

Generic Omeprazole, OTC: 60-90 baht for 14 each, 20mg. Every pharmacy I've ever been to has it, even in small Thai towns. I've paid as little as 35 baht for the same, but that seemed a fluke.

Don't know about the other meds.

i pay 45bht.x 14x 20mg. [korat] brand miracid.

[Benowa]

can i direct this question to you Sheryl. I am an Australian living here for past 4 months. My supply of Australian prescribed SOMAC 40 mg (pantoprazole) will soon run out. I have an app. that tells me SOMAC is not available in Thailand but other brand names for pantoprazole are available. Question: are there "more reliable" pharmacies in Bangkok to get this, or do I need to see a hospital pharmacy?

[Sheryl]

Plenty of reliable pharmacies in Bkk and no need to go to a hospital for this med (though whether it is a good idea to keep taking this for so long is another matter..).

Pantoprazole is available in Thailand under brand names:

Controloc (Japanese import)

Pantocid (Indian made)

Pantoprol (local brand)

Stripole (Indian made)

and Pantoprazole Sandoz (expensive Western import)

Pantoprol likely the least expensive, and should be fine.

Any pharmacy should have. Of course, stick to good sized ones with a/c.

[siam2007]

Plenty of reliable pharmacies in Bkk and no need to go to a hospital for this med (though whether it is a good idea to keep taking this for so long is another matter..).

Pantoprazole is available in Thailand under brand names:

Controloc (Japanese import)

Pantocid (Indian made)

Pantoprol (local brand)

Stripole (Indian made)

and Pantoprazole Sandoz (expensive Western import)

Pantoprol likely the least expensive, and should be fine.

Any pharmacy should have. Of course, stick to good sized ones with a/c.

I was asking my (excellent!) Doctor from an international hospital here in BKK for a generic version of NEXIUM to lower cost and he advised me to buy MIRACID instead. Though I wonder as this has not been mentioned in this topic by anyone. Nobody ever used this ?

[Sheryl]

Miracid is omeprazole. Same family of drugs, much cheaper than nexium. Omeprazole also comes in various other local brands but Miracid seems the best known here.

Allegedly there are some small advantages to nexium over omeprazole but I am not fully convinced. Whenever a drug goes off patent, as omeprazole did, the company rushes in with a newer patented drug which is just a , slightly tweaked version of the other.

Omeprazole works fine for most people.

[wprime]

Yes but you need to see a doctor, same as your home country.

Some of it might be expensive, particularly new drugs. E.g. Lyrica costs me 500 baht/month in Australia or 3000 baht/month in Thailand.

[speedtripler]

Fewer medications required prescriptions in Thailand, than in the US. For example, you won't need a prescription for anti-biotics. But for those medications that do, there is a hidden cost: Thai hospitals, which are the only source of the most controlled prescription drugs, do not provide refillable prescriptions. For example, in the US the doctor would give me a refillable prescription for six months of ambien. In Thailand only a hospital can dispense zolpidem, the generic equivalent, but you won't get a prescription for more than one month's supply. So, if you had to have the same six month's supply you would have to pay for six doctor's visits in addition to the actual medication, if the doctor were willing to provide so many.

I no longer take ambien myself or any drug other than vitamins. I don't know whether drugs like insulin also require a doctor's visit for each prescription, but I gather that they do.

you can get 2 months if you want ,maybe even 3 but thai doctors are aware of addictive medicines and they will try to reduce your dosage if they think you are taking too much

the doctor i saw used to give me benzodiazepines like valium and clonazepam for 2 months at a time because i told her it was a lot of effort to come in every 7 or 14 days

medicines that have no potential for addiction or abuse should be easier to get perscribed for but benzos are very addictive