Am I a victim of Medication rip off

[AhFarangJa]

I arrived several months ago on retirement from working in the Middle East. I brought with me a good supply of medications for Hypertension, and High Cholesterol which are now depleted.

Wife and I just went to San Paulo Hospital for a check up. High blood pressure diagnosed, which I already knew.

The point of my post is that I just paid 9,150 Baht for the following :-

Fenofibrate 90 tablets

Norvasc ( Amlodipine ) 90 Tablets

Masapare with Codiene 50 Tablets.

Plus Doctor and hospital charges on top.

This seems a bit excessive to me, but I am not conversant with other drugs, or generic equivalents here. Obviously, I would not want to take a useless fake or copy drug, but, If anyone out there in this fair town has an alternative that is safe and reliable I would appreciate any information you may have.

A.F.J. 

[worgeordie]

I attend a Government hospital,every 2.5 months,for Hypertension,

Diabetes, the tablets,other charges amounts to 690 THB,over time

my blood pressure is now normal,so happy with the service.

9.150 THB for tablets seems excessive,but take the names of tablets

to a Chemist and compare prices.

regards worgeordie

[crystal sauce]

As for Hypertension when I came here last year I had Amlor 10 mg brought it with me from middle east then my doctor prescribed me local medication but I got swollen feet so, I couldn't find Amlor now I use Cozaar 50 mg 30 tablets a month 1000 baht.

[AhFarangJa]

Many Thanks Worgeordie, I will go to a Pharmacy with the packets and do a comparison. Glad to hear your body is under control..

[Jai Dee]

Topic moved to Health Forum.

 

/Moved.

[AhFarangJa]

Thanks Crystal, seems to be about the same cost as I got three month supply. 

Looks like the Middle East is a breeding ground for Hypertension !!!!! Now who would have thought it.....

[AhFarangJa]

Thank you Jai Dee, I always manage to post in the wrong one !!! Actually put it in the Hua Hin Forum !!

[lopburi3]

Many private hospitals will change 1.5 to 4 x what lower priced drug stores do so if for repeated medications almost always best to buy outside hospital.  But that codiene is not a normal over the counter drug (most drugs are) so you would require paperwork to obtain I suspect.

 

I would be careful but normally drugs are real here (except the blue pill types) but best to use a high volume drug store and if possible one located in, or having, full time airconditioning or a local store who know you and willing to order for you when required.

[PETERTHEEATER]

Go to FASCINO drug store ground floor in Market Village , Hua Hin. They usually have a qualified pharmacist on duty (as required by law) . Compare the prices for your medication with the rip-off prices at San Paolo hospital. Fascino will also issue you a loyalty card (it you ask them) which entitles you to a discount on most future purchases. Every little helps

 

As has been stated, private hospitals make big money on the meds they sell and will often prescribe meds in addition to those actually required to treat your condition. Favourite additions are painkiller (typically Paracetamol) anti-histamines and good old anti-biotics.

 

'Why are you prescribing anti-biotics doctor'

 

'For the infection'

 

'But you said I don't have an infection'

 

'Yes, er well. in case you get an infection'

[captainhornblower]

13 minutes ago, PETERTHEEATER said:

Go to FASCINO drug store ground floor in Market Village , Hua Hin. They usually have a qualified pharmacist on duty (as required by law) . Compare the prices for your medication with the rip-off prices at San Paolo hospital. Fascino will also issue you a loyalty card (it you ask them) which entitles you to a discount on most future purchases. Every little helps

 

As has been stated, private hospitals make big money on the meds they sell and will often prescribe meds in addition to those actually required to treat your condition. Favourite additions are painkiller (typically Paracetamol) anti-histamines and good old anti-biotics.

 

'Why are you prescribing anti-biotics doctor'

 

'For the infection'

 

'But you said I don't have an infection'

 

'Yes, er well. in case you get an infection'

Fascino are in many locations throughout Thailand and they supply many of the hospitals in the Kingdom. 

 

They have a website and shows all of their locations.

 

Way, way cheaper than the hospital pharmacies. 

[Sheryl]

There is always a huge markup on drugs at a hospital. They use the most expensive imported brand to begin with and then charge anywhere from 2-5 times the actual cost of that,

 

You should therefiore not buy any medication from a hospital pharmacy except for those not sold over the counter. Among the medications you got, only the Masapara with codeine needed to come from the hospital (controlled drug), the other two can be bought OTC and should be in the future.

 

Don't get Norvasc, get one of the many locally made generic equivalents.

[AhFarangJa]

24 minutes ago, PETERTHEEATER said:

Go to FASCINO drug store ground floor in Market Village , Hua Hin. They usually have a qualified pharmacist on duty (as required by law) . Compare the prices for your medication with the rip-off prices at San Paolo hospital. Fascino will also issue you a loyalty card (it you ask them) which entitles you to a discount on most future purchases. Every little helps

 

As has been stated, private hospitals make big money on the meds they sell and will often prescribe meds in addition to those actually required to treat your condition. Favourite additions are painkiller (typically Paracetamol) anti-histamines and good old anti-biotics.

 

'Why are you prescribing anti-biotics doctor'

 

'For the infection'

 

'But you said I don't have an infection'

 

'Yes, er well. in case you get an infection'

Many Thanks Peter.....

[ujayujay]

I think, not the Tabletcost was relevant. The most expensiv in your case was Doctor and hospital charges. San Paolo Hospital is a Privatclinic. They charge also more on Medicaments, 100% up comp. to Pharmacys. 100 Amlodipine cost in Europe around 12 - 15 Euro. 90 Fenofibrate 55 Euro. The other are in the same Range.

If you go to a Thai Governental Hospital you will pay for the same treatment incl. Tablets less than 2500 Baht.

Amlopine 10 is generic to Norvasc/Amlodipine 10 in Thailand and available by Fascino Pharmacy, 100 Pcs 320 Baht.

Edited May 23, 2017 by ujayujay

[bangkokairportlink]

It's famous that hospital charges 5 times the real cost of pills in drugstores.

 

But maybe it's only famous for people who have internet ?

 

 

[simoh1490]

If you make something of a hobby out of it you will find you can slash the cost of your medication by several hundred percent, it takes time however to find those places and to feel comfortable buying in some of them. I started off, like many foreigners, getting my meds. from a private hospital. I then moved to the chain drug stores and eventually to fasciono's which I thought was cheap. But then I found a one off pharmacy near the hospital whose prices put fasciono's to shame. Then I found an even cheaper place and most recently I discovered a delightful rural pharmacy not far from home that is the cheapest ever. Conservatively speaking I estimate I have reduced my pharmacy costs from around 5k a month to under 2k AND I may yet still be able to go even lower! Examples: Methycobal was 335 baht a box, currently paying 180 baht. Was buying Crestor 10mg, then moved to generic, then moved to a Slovenian generic, then onto 20mg slovenian generic and a pill cutter - huge savings.

[lucjoker]

4 hours ago, lopburi3 said:

Many private hospitals will change 1.5 to 4 x what lower priced drug stores do so if for repeated medications almost always best to buy outside hospital.  But that codiene is not a normal over the counter drug (most drugs are) so you would require paperwork to obtain I suspect.

 

I would be careful but normally drugs are real here (except the blue pill types) but best to use a high volume drug store and if possible one located in, or having, full time airconditioning or a local store who know you and willing to order for you when required.

more than 50 % off all drugs is a copy ,sometimes even working .This reminder hangs out in many hospitals.

[masuk]

One thing watch out for, is that in Chiang Mai, there are not enough qualified pharmacists to be present in all of the pharmacies.  While some assistants will not issue prescribed medicines if the pharmacist is not present, others will issue drugs.

I was prescribed medicine for a heart problem, and was sold an antibiotic.  I didn't discover this for some days, after feeling rather unwell.

It certainly pays to double check what is actually issued.

I don't use the hospitals for the reason already mentioned - they charge up to 300% more than a private pharmacy.

[gamini]

a few years back, I was in this hospital for one night with food poisoning. They gave me BT 15,000 baht worth of medicine to take home. My GP told me to throw it all away it had no relation ship with my medical problem  and the price of the medicine was highly inflated. There has been a lot of  negative posts on this hospital some years back.Some say it has improved in the last few years. There is an excellent government hospital InHua Hin, with very reasonable charges. With. a special facility for foreigners to pay BT 200 and get seen straight away and taken to the top of the queue at the pharmacy and check out. it's radiology department is probably the best equipped in Thailand with the latest MRI imaging and the radiologist is quite the nicest doctor I have ever met anywhere. She speaks perfect English.

[Sheryl]

an off-topic post and replies to it have been removed.  This thread does not concern ED meds.

[Sheryl]

51 minutes ago, lucjoker said:

more than 50 % off all drugs is a copy ,sometimes even working .This reminder hangs out in many hospitals.

 

I am not sure what you mean by :is a copy:. If you mean counterfeit, this is absolutely not true.

 

Counterfeit drugs is a problem almost completely limited to prescription-only meds that are sold  (sometimes very openly, and by street vendors as well as pharmacies) in tourist areas. These (Viagra, Xanax etc) are indeed often fake. But mainstream pharmaceuticals sold in pharmacies, are almost always genuine. There is no profit margin to be had in counterfeiting  generic Thai drugs.

[lensta]

I went to Hua Hin Hospital and was Diagnosed with diabetes. They prescribed medication that they said could only be obtained through the hospital and it cost quite a lot. When I was running low, I went to the local pharmacy and showed them the meds. I asked if they could get them, they had them in stock at about 30 % cheaper than the hospital. Hospitals and clinics her make their money from over charging for meds.

 

[Juan B Tong]

Never get your drugs at a hospital.  Grossly overpriced.  Get a list from the doctor and buy at a pharmacy.  FASCINO if convenient (buy their discount card).  Only get drugs unavailable at pharmacy at hospital.  Thing like morphine and some kids antibiotics.

[vincent13]

I go to my local doctor for hypertension medication. She works at the local hospital during the day then opens a clinic from about 5.30 to 7.30 each evening. She does not charge for the consultation, only the medications that she prescribes and dispenses herself. I take two tablets each day. Cost for 30 days' supply is 300 baht (5 baht per tablet). My blood pressure has never been better!

My wife goes to the Udon Thani Bangkok Hospital every 3 months to have her thyroid checked as she has hyperthyroidism. They used to charge some exorbitant amount for her medication, can't remember how much now. Then we discovered she could buy it over the counter at a pharmacy for 68 baht for a pack of 100 tablets!!

As others have said, the private hospitals grossly overcharge for medication that is often available without prescription from a pharmacy.

[BernieOnTour]

just as a comparison:

Novarsc 5mg, 30 tablets : 750 THB at Fascino Pharmacy

[Krataiboy]

Hypertension is not a disease, despite what many healthcare workers, GPs and the pharmaceutical industry would have us believe. Blood pressure has to fluctuate - and sometimes dramatically - as the heart responds to different levels of activity.

 

But you don't necessarily have to a fortune on hypertension medication, statins, blood thinners etc, to reduce blood pressure that remains too high for too long. A few simple lifestyle adjustments involving a more sensible diet and regular exercise can often do the trick. It worked for me.

 

Try Googling for the latest research on blood pressure and/or browse YouTube for videos by the growing number of healthcare professionals now challenging conventional wisdom on Big Pharma's biggest money-spinner.

[muzmurray]

7 hours ago, lopburi3 said:

Many private hospitals will change 1.5 to 4 x what lower priced drug stores do so if for repeated medications almost always best to buy outside hospital.  But that codiene is not a normal over the counter drug (most drugs are) so you would require paperwork to obtain I suspect.

 

I would be careful but normally drugs are real here (except the blue pill types) but best to use a high volume drug store and if possible one located in, or having, full time airconditioning or a local store who know you and willing to order for you when required.

 

"air conditioning" - go on, enlighten us how air conditioning has anything to do with getting either the correct, real medication or paying a reasonable price for it !

[muzmurray]

5 hours ago, Sheryl said:

There is always a huge markup on drugs at a hospital. They use the most expensive imported brand to begin with and then charge anywhere from 2-5 times the actual cost of that,

 

You should therefiore not buy any medication from a hospital pharmacy except for those not sold over the counter. Among the medications you got, only the Masapara with codeine needed to come from the hospital (controlled drug), the other two can be bought OTC and should be in the future.

 

Don't get Norvasc, get one of the many locally made generic equivalents.

 

While I see, and read your many posts giving good medical advice - is it wise or even correct to tell the OP to change his prescribed medication ?

[IAMHERE]

1 minute ago, muzmurray said:

 

"air conditioning" - go on, enlighten us how air conditioning has anything to do with getting either the correct, real medication or paying a reasonable price for it !

Several of my meds say keep in cool dry storage area. I'd guess some stores could get well over 80 degrees Fahrenhiet without airconditioning. Sort of like storing cheese and butter at room temperature.

[IAMHERE]

1 minute ago, muzmurray said:

 

While I see, and read your many posts giving good medical advice - is it wise or even correct to tell the OP to change his prescribed medication ?

I don't know about Thailand but some doctors in the USA have a tendency to prescribe medications that get them points toward a golf bag/golf weekend/ trip to Hawaii etc....  

[smo]

1 hour ago, gamini said:

There is an excellent government hospital InHua Hin, with very reasonable charges. With. a special facility for foreigners to pay BT 200 and get seen straight away and taken to the top of the queue at the pharmacy and check out. it's radiology department is probably the best equipped in Thailand with the latest MRI imaging and the radiologist is quite the nicest doctor I have ever met anywhere. She speaks perfect English.

Could you give out the name of this hospital? Thanks and much appreciated.