Availability and price of diabetic medication in China.

Hello!

While living in Hangzhou, I sought help with my issues with getting my medications. My employer (university) had a representative who helped me find an international hospital there which made it easier to give the doctors my list of prescriptions.

My suggestion to you is to, first, bring a supply with you that will last 3 - 6 months. Pharmacies here in the US will give you a 90 day supply IF your doctor and insurance allow. Next, Have your physician write down the pharmaceutical name of the drug, the quantity you are prescribed and the dosage amount you should take daily and how often you should take it daily. Lastly, IF POSSIBLE, get the names of the medicines translated from English to Mandarin. The rep at my school was able to help me with this.

Please note that the hospitals in China are far different that I expected from those here in the US. The international hospitals are more suitable for western cultures but are more expensive that the local hospitals. There is separate a Que or line for everything, and the natives are quite curious and invasive about your treatment. There IS NO PRIVACY!!!

I wish you well and have fun while there!

Thanks for the information! Nothing is certain about me going there because my diabetes kind of seems to freak employers out in China and most seem to back out but I want to prepare as well as I can in case I do get employment.

Were you alright financially with buying medication? As in was it not prohibitively expensive?

TheChefTravels wrote:

Hello!

While living in Hangzhou, I sought help with my issues with getting my medications. My employer (university) had a representative who helped me find an international hospital there which made it easier to give the doctors my list of prescriptions.

My suggestion to you is to, first, bring a supply with you that will last 3 - 6 months. Pharmacies here in the US will give you a 90 day supply IF your doctor and insurance allow. Next, Have your physician write down the pharmaceutical name of the drug, the quantity you are prescribed and the dosage amount you should take daily and how often you should take it daily. Lastly, IF POSSIBLE, get the names of the medicines translated from English to Mandarin. The rep at my school was able to help me with this.

Please note that the hospitals in China are far different that I expected from those here in the US. The international hospitals are more suitable for western cultures but are more expensive that the local hospitals. There is separate a Que or line for everything, and the natives are quite curious and invasive about your treatment. There IS NO PRIVACY!!!

I wish you well and have fun while there!

Also was it diabetic medication you were buying?

Hello,

I'm Lisa, by the way; nice meeting you here!

As far as cost for the medications in China, I found that getting my BP medications from the local pharmacies were a bit costly, depending upon location. I taught in several locations, both in the northern and southern parts of China, so it varied. But I can tell you that getting them from the local hospital pharmacy took more money paying for the check-up, lab work, and medications. However, it also ensured that I was keeping my BP under control. The doctors there changed my meds several times from the ones that were prescribed to me here in the US, They adjusted the dosages and gave me two additional prescriptions to make up for what they did not have there in comparison to what I was taking here. By the time I got back to the US, my doctor told me to "throw them out! Those are not ideal for you and the treatment for hypertension necessary for you" I could immediately tell the difference when I began taking what she prescribed!

Living life overseas means taking chances. We may never get the products and services we are accustomed to back in our hometown, but I definitely spent a considerable amount of funds having things shipped to me my first couple of years there until I found products in places like Metro, Carrefour, Century Mart, and Auchan markets. Getting the meds from the international hospital was out of the question after my first visit there! Although the hospital offered me more of a western culture feel, the cost was through the roof!

Diabetes is very common among Asians so the medicines are available there. Just be sure to ask your students or the International teacher representative at your place of employment to take you to a local hospital, get a check-up and there, they will have your health record on file and will order your insulin and needles or the insulin one dose injectors for you. You can get a 30-day supply or less. Still, be sure to let your doctor at home know what you are planning to do so that they can help get you a supply to take with you.

With regards to the employers shunning you because of your diagnosis, I would avoid sharing too much with them until you're hired. If you do, please get a letter of clearance from your doctor that states that your condition is controlled with meds and your health is good. Most times, Chinese will discriminate or avoid hiring foreigners IF they feel is too much of a risk. Often times, they are just cautious because foreigners get sick there or have a health crisis and there is no insurance to cover them and the insurance that they take out on teachers to cover them is minimal - it covers VERY LITTLE!!!! It would be better to purchase an international medical policy before going.

Okay, enough "chatter!" (smile) I hope this helps you! :-)