Online pharmacies?

[cag8f]

Not sure on the legality of this, but do online pharmacies exist in Thailand? I'm just wondering if I can save a bit of money by buying online. Also an online pharmacy might have better inventory, and might be more convenient for me.

Thanks in advance.

[Sheryl]

I am not aware of any. The vast majority of drugs sold OTC in Thailand are by law only allowed to be sold on premises where a grade 1 pharmacist is on duty so would be questionable if they could legally be sold online. (Granted this law is not always strictly followed i.e. there will be a grade 1 pharmacist employed, at least on paper, but often not actually present behind the counter. Still, they are supposed to be and I don't know how given that, online sales would be allowable. The theory is that they would appropriately question./screen the customers before dispending).

Ordering from online pharmacies located outside Thailand risks confiscation by customs since technically an import license from the FDA is required to bring any pharmaceutical into the country.

[cag8f]

Wow thanks for the reply. Everything you said sounds very informative, and is consistent with what I have observed at Thai pharmacies. It is also consistent with the fact that a decent web search for Thai online pharmacies yields nothing.

Definitely not trying to be rude here, but how do you know this? Maybe a better (less personal) question: is this information documented anywhere? Every fiber of my being tells me to believe your answer. But if I give someone else this same information, and they ask from where I received it, I can't say, "Some tabby cat with 13k posts online told me." :-)

>> Ordering from online pharmacies located outside Thailand risks confiscation by customs since technically an import license from the FDA is required to bring any pharmaceutical into the country.

Right. I wouldn't be interested in non-Thai pharmacies for that very reason.

[Sheryl]

The regulation regarding sales only in pharmacies with a grade 1 pharmacist on the premises can be found in mims www.mims.com/thailand (need to register to get into it). There you will see an explanation of the Thai FDA drug categories and also see that the vast majority of drugs are category "D".