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Related articles about health issues : Hospitals in Bangkok | Dental Services | Eye Clinics | Pharmacies (this page) | Shortcomings of Thai Healthcare
Pharmacies, continued :
A pharmacy we can recommend on Sukhumvit Road is South East Pharmacy. It is the largest pharmacy in the stretch of road between Nana intersection and Asoke intersection. It prices are very competitive (they claim to offer the wholesale price). We recall one day buying some medication there at half the price of what we paid before at a Fascino (a pharmacy chain) outlet.
Located on the main road close to soi 15. Closeby (next to Robinson Department Store) is another small pharmacy, named KS Pharmacy, that gives better than average service and is run by pharmacist(s). On the other side of Sukhumvit Road, passing Asoke Road, there is another medium sized pharmacy called Pharmacy 22 (indicating it's location close to Sukhumvit Soi 22, but the pharmacy is located on the main road), where you can find most you may need.
We would advice against using any of the smaller pharmacies that are scattered close to Nana intersection (Nana Plaza) or Soi Cowboy. Quite a few seem to exist just to sell 'stimulants' to the nightlife crowd, and at an inflated price.
Likewise the pharmacies inside Boots' and Watsons' outlet will be more expensive than the pharmacies along the road.
In the Central Business District (Silom Area) we have visited one rather good pharmacy. It is called S.C. Drugstore and is located on Rama IV road. If coming from Silom Road, turn left at Robinson along Rama IV. You have to pass one smaller pharmacy and also the giant Pan Pacific Hotel. The pharmacy is located just past Pan Pacific Hotel. It has a rather small sign in English, the pharmacy is moderately sized, and has a lot of medical equipment (wheelchairs) visible in the left window.
There is occasional talk about 'fake' medicine. We think this is largely overblown, and that medication not obtained in some obscure off the road pharmacy in the middle of nowhere, is reliable.
The way drugs are prescribed and obtained certainly is somewhat questionable in Bangkok and Thailand. The problem can be summarized as follows. When in need of medical treatment, it basically can only be obtained in hospitals. There is no well established primary care system (family doctors) and we never saw any programme or ideas floating around to create one. When going to the hospital one usually gets medication prescribed. You can get your medication at the hospital pharmacy. Drugs obtained at major hospitals are more expensive. [but some hospitals actually give discounts if you spend over a certain amount]
So the many pharmacies outside the hospitals do not see any patients coming to them with descriptions for drugs. So how are they to survive? Well, they can only distribute medication, as freely as they are allowed or feel comfortable with, to anyone who comes in and asks for it.
The way to reform the system would be to force the physicians at major hospitals to prescribe drugs, that can either be obtained at the local hospital pharmacy or outside the hospital. Since this would have the effect of lowering overall prices for drugs, it would reduce medical expenditure in general (for both patients and insurance companies). Of course, hospitals would loose part of their income.
Another interesting issue is the use of generic drugs. These actually are widely available at outside pharmacies at a fraction of the cost of 'brand name' drugs. When going to a hospital however, you invariably will be provided with the expensive variety. We do recall however one day getting some cheap generic paracetamol at a reputable hospital. Just maybe one day, hospital pharmacies could put their heads together and make a list of reliable generic drugs available in Thailand (many actually produced locally) and start using them and having them prescribed by their doctors.
More about Pharmacies : practical tips for buying medication, on drug safety.
Add-On : Drug prices at Hospitals and local Pharmacies.
Add-on : Is the medication you require available in Bangkok (Thailand)?
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Related articles about health issues : Hospitals in Bangkok | Dental Services | Eye Clinics | Pharmacies (this page) | Shortcomings of Thai Healthcare
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