Am I a victim of Medication rip off

[Sheryl]

Hua Hin Hospital.

 

It is the only government hospital there.

 

http://www.huahinhospital.go.th/

 

https://www.google.co.th/maps/place/Hua+Hin+Hospital/@12.6081509,99.9458614,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x30fdaa7d4e721e81:0x6a4c915bc88991fd!8m2!3d12.6081509!4d99.9480447?hl=en

 

 

[Sheryl]

24 minutes 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 am not telling him to change his medication -- just to get a less expensive brand of the exact same thing.

[Khon Kaen Dave]

4 hours ago, ujayujay said:

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.

I can 2nd that. Amlopine 10. 100 tabs 320 baht. I pay the same in KK, so no scam there, i think.

[melvinmelvin]

Agree with what several have said here.

Buy medicine from pharmacies rather that hospitals.

 

The price between pharmacies also varies a lot.

 

In BKK I buy my stuff from one of the several pharmacies across the street from Siriraj hospital,

that is on the western bank of Chao Praya, and the hospital at which king Bumiphol stayed.

As far as I have found these outlets are the cheapest in BKK. And they are quite big.

Not only for medicine but also for all sorts of vitamins and medical aids, plaster- bandages. etc etc.

 

 

(just an example that I happen to remember, one medicine piece which I would normally pay between 400 and 450

 for in a pharmacy on Silom, Sukhumvit or in Nonthaburi I pay 260 for it when I go to Siriraj)

 

[smotherb]

4 hours ago, simoh1490 said:

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.

I'd be leery of advice which suggests slashing prices by several hundred percent.

 

 

[simoh1490]

Just now, smotherb said:

I'd be leery of advice which suggests slashing prices by several hundred percent.

 

 

In this case, you probably don't understand the market in Thailand for Pharmaceuticals.

[smotherb]

Just now, simoh1490 said:

In this case, you probably don't understand the market in Thailand for Pharmaceuticals.

or perhaps you do not understand math

[simoh1490]

Just now, smotherb said:

or perhaps you do not understand math

Well let's see shall we. Crestor 10mg was sold in Thailand for 1,650 for 28, often sold for over 2,000 baht at Boots or similar, as per the following:

Sandoz 20 mg however sells today for 750 for 28, that's a two month supply using a pill cutter.

 

Seems to me that's over 100% cost reduction!

 

 

 

[smotherb]

4 minutes ago, simoh1490 said:

Well let's see shall we. Crestor 10mg was sold in Thailand for 1,650 for 28, often sold for over 2,000 baht at Boots or similar, as per the following:

Sandoz 20 mg however sells today for 750 for 28, that's a two month supply using a pill cutter.

 

Seems to me that's over 100% cost reduction!

 

 

 

Whether you pay one baht or one million baht, if you decrease your price by 100%, your price is zero baht. Therefore, you cannot reduce it more than 100%; for that is all there is. 

[bazza73]

There is a pharmacy in Chiang Mai a few shops up from Thapae Gate on Ratchadamnoen Road. The woman pharmacist there speaks good English, and has a huge range of medications. As other posters have pointed out, hospital pharmacies charge a premium.

If the OP really wants to reduce his cost of medication for high blood pressure, daily cardiovascular exercise and total abstention from alcohol and tobacco will go a long way to achieving that aim.

[smo]

3 hours ago, Sheryl said:

Hua Hin Hospital.

 

It is the only government hospital there.

 

http://www.huahinhospital.go.th/

 

https://www.google.co.th/maps/place/Hua+Hin+Hospital/@12.6081509,99.9458614,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x30fdaa7d4e721e81:0x6a4c915bc88991fd!8m2!3d12.6081509!4d99.9480447?hl=en

 

 

Thanks SheryL for the info and the prompt reply, as always.

I will definitely check it out once I get to Hua Hin (which btw will be first time there for me;-)

[simoh1490]

8 hours ago, smotherb said:

Whether you pay one baht or one million baht, if you decrease your price by 100%, your price is zero baht. Therefore, you cannot reduce it more than 100%; for that is all there is. 

Yes, I accept my terminology was misdirected.

[smotherb]

2 hours ago, simoh1490 said:

Yes, I accept my terminology was misdirected.

No problem, I am sure you were not alone.

[AhFarangJa]

Many thanks to all the posters on this Thread, Especially to Sheryl, who, as always, is willing to share her medical knowledge for the benefit of all.

I have a plethora of info to go through now, and definitely know the way ahead, I also hope it has shed light on the subject for other members in the same boat.....

 

[tutsiwarrior]

I have diabetes and high BP and worked in the middle east a long time...I found that medication for these ailments to be roughly equivalent in price to Thailand: exforge 10/160 for BP and insulin the same and metformin to be cheaper as generics are available in Thailand and not in the ME...BG meter test strips a bit cheaper in the ME...

 

I always go to a local pharmacy in town rather than the district hosp...the exforge I get from the local clinic as the pharmacies don't have them so they're full whack...

 

 

[dddave]

Google your drug name and the words "Thailand equivalent"   You will get several top of the page hits that will give you very comprehensive information about which local medications will do the job.

In tourist cities like Hua Hin, not a bad idea to send a Thai person to the pharmacy as many non-chain stores do add a "farang" surcharge. 

[ItDontMeanAThing]

On 5/23/2017 at 5:46 PM, Sheryl said:

 

I There is no profit margin to be had in counterfeiting  generic Thai drugs.

Sure there is, if you're otherwise a legitimate pharmaceutical company. Make batchs with less, or no active ingredient, then sell for the full price. It's not the profit margin per pill that matters it's that profit times the number of pills sold.

 

Several times I've been sold counterfeit Ranitidine. It's easy to tell they're fake because they have little or no effect on my stomach acid. The ones I get from Boots always work, so I stopped buying it from Fascino.

[metisdead]

Inflammatory posts and replies have been removed.