Medication in Vietnam

Loïc wrote:

Good morning everyone,

Whether it's a simple cold or a chronic illness, medication and medicine use vary from country to country and culture to culture.

When you are used to certain brands or types of drugs, being in a country like Vietnam with different rules can affect your daily well-being.

Some drugs also differ in name, price, dosage, active molecule, so we would like to hear your opinion on these issues:

Have you ever had difficulties finding familiar or useful medicines for your health in your host country?

Have you ever been faced with a shortage of medicines in Vietnam?

Would you have said that in Vietnam drugs are more or less expensive than in your home country? Do you find them more or less effective or of similar quality?

What is the place of alternative medicines in your host country? Have you ever used them?

Thank you in advance for your feedback,

Loïc

I have not had any problem finding the same or similar drugs here, faced no shortages, they were effective, and prices were no higher than in my "mother" country, and often lower.  I have never used alternative medicines.

Depends if you want the brand name product. For example back in the UK I would rarely take anything unless it was essential for a severe migraine and then would chose nurofen which is a brand name for Ibuprofen.

Ibuprofen here is easy to find..

If I have a cold or something wife likes to give me tiffy.. seeks to work

Personally, I haven't  ever had difficulties finding familiar  medicines in Vietnam. My medicines are prescribed by a doctor in Vietnam and I have never not been able to get hold of the medicines that I need, although on occasion I have had to look around a bit for one particular medicine. 

Medicines are generally much cheaper in Vietnam. Although due to the enlightened, but chronically underfunded National Health Service in the UK, all my medicines would be available for one prescription charge of just $15 a month. I did cost one of my heart drugs and in Vietnam it is only 10% of the cost in the USA.

The drugs that I source in Vietnam are effective and of high quality.

There are many places selling alternative medicines in Vietnam - usually based on traditional Chinese medicine. Although I think some alternative medicines may be beneficial for certain illnesses I haven't ever used them.

No problem for most types of discomforts. Ibuprofen, Tylenol, Panadol all easily available.
Cough mixtures like Prospan okay but Robitussin harder to get which I get from my home country on ocassions. Prices here more reasonable and drugs which require prescriptions back home more readily available here.

Conventional medicine and common brands do seem easy enough to locate. As for the practices used by the pharmacists themselves when they send people away with little bags of variously coloured pills and creams as a cure for whatever I am not so sure, but when asking for a specific drug the quality seems very good.
I have tried some traditional medicines mainly due to the insistence of the wife but they have never worked and seem as effective as dancing around rattling a bag of bones.
I guess some have a scientific base but am afraid not for me. Tried acupuncture once as well. Some sadistic woman with a pin fetish recommended by the wife's father used me as a dart board for a couple of hours with no effect other than being $20 worse off.
I reckon half the successfulness of the cure depends on whether you believe in it.

Local doctors in Vietnam seem inclined to prescribe more different medicines for a single complaint than do doctors in Europe.  My Vietnamese wife went to a clinic with a stomach complaint and came away with 7 different types of tablet: 1 was simply a vitamin pill, which she certainly didn't need, another was merely a cheap form of paracetamol, which seems to be a mandatory prescription whatever your ailment; and 2 of the others, according to the internet, should never be used together!
On other, separate, occasions she and our baby son have been prescribed a wide mixture of pills including anti-allergenics when I could see little possibility that their problems were caused by an allergy.  Did this happen because the doctors weren't sure what was wrong and so were covering all bases, or do they have some kind of incentive to prescribe more tablets than might be strictly necessary?
I was prescribed with a penicillin-related antibiotic by a doctor who didn't ask if I have any allergies, and I am allergic to penicillin: I found out only when I got home and checked the internet that it could have been very bad for me (in fact, as far as I could tell with my limited understanding of Vietnamese, that doctor didn't ask my wife anything about me before going for the prescription pad - not even my age).
The international clinics are very expensive but seem to give much more accurate treatment, so my advice would be always to use them.

I bring a year's supply of my meds from US. when I do go to the clinic I make sure it is an international clinic...like Family Medical Practice.

Hi Roic

①When purchasing the same medicine as in Japan, it is difficult to find anything other than eye drops.
  ② There are few kinds of medicines.
  ③ Eye drops are 3-4 times the price

my experience.
Murasaki(Japanese)

I make sure I stay reasonably fit that I do not need to go to a Doctor here, whether local or otherwise. The FV clinic charges an arm and leg for curing simple types of disorders. And yes the local ones will just prescribe paracetamol and vitamin C which we can buy ourselves at most pharmacies. Common disorders are just slight occasional fevers, sore throat, diarrhoea from food poisoning, and constipation (cured by having more fibres and fruits). Otherwise, all else is fine.

When you are visiting here for long time it is always advisable the following points:

1. Bring your medicines with you as much as possible because if similar formulation of medicine is not there and it is not from branded MNC company then chances of suicidal attempt will be more 
2. Keep an option to get by courier from your country in case of shortage and avoid local treatment except small injury and external problem.
3. Better get insured before arrival or patient will be robbed for small treatment
4. Local doctors do speak only Vietnamese language, hence understanding the correct problem and symptoms is a big question.
5. Some big foreign hospitals are there where English language will not be a problem but it will be a big jolt to the pocket
6. Control your diet, food habits, drinks etc as much as possible because nobody will take care here if you fall sick.

after my bypass operation I get at lot of medicine for blood and heart. In Saigon I can get exactly what the doctor prescribes however, living in Central Vietnam, I can normally only get half of the medicine and have to import from Saigon. There is 2 types made in Vietnam, which is not recommended by the Vietnamese doctor, so these are also obtained from Saigon.

Hello Murasaki: 2 types of Japanese medicine I like : one translated called ' Dragon Horn Powder' good for coughs and Mopiko cream good for stop skin itch, mosquito bites etc. All not available in HCM, sadly.

I haven't had any problems get medication in Vietnam.  It is easier to get meds over the counter than in America. But you can't ask for brand names like advil or Benadryl.  You have to research the ingredients.  Like ask for ibuprofen not advil.  What's great is the name is the same. Pharmacy know what it is. I also try to use named Pharmacy. The ones with fixed prices like Walmart.  Or an actual store. You can tell which ones a good stores. I have used small Pharmacy but they will try to over charge you. Not all of them but once you learn the prices. Stand your ground. The medicine is cheaper in Vietnam than America.  You can get ANYTHING you need without a prescription.  I love it.

NEVER had any problems at all procuring any of the medications that I've ever needed while living in Viet Nam.
Found an excellent chemist / pharmical provider on this website, way back in 2012.
ONLY problem in VN, for myself, has been the cost of hospital procedures !
Being a disabled, army combat veteran'-  the government of my country of origin pays 100% of ALL my medical, dental, etc. needs - but only if I go back there to be treated.   
For most surgical work it has proved a LOT cheaper to catch flight back to my country of origin and have the work done there - then return to VN. 
On the down side -= it usually means that my wife and I are forced to be apart at these times. 
Luckily, she is an 'old school' perfect VN Buddhist LADY and 100% patient, loving and understanding !!!

I had to change brand of one of my meds, but essentially it's the same drug, only it comes from France, not the U.S. I did have one run out for a while, 1 year. Luckily I could survive OK without it by adjusting the dose of the other.
I'm Australian and the medications here are not only cheaper over the counter, but the fact I don't need a script for a med I've taken all my life saves me a lot of time and money also.

No problem to get any medication in Vietnam. I found same medications like the one I have in California. They can be in different name but same ingredients.
1. In VN is cheaper, I mean much cheaper than in the US. It's about 1/3 cheaper
2. In VN same med but produced by different price. Like from Germany cost more then from India or Isarael, etc. (Same ingredients)
3. Only be careful and don't buy fake med. And there is plenty of them.
4. Buying med, they never ask for prescription from your Dr. You can buy anything you want.
I buy my med at one pharmacy that I can trust.

Medicine here is much cheaper than home.

Larger pharmacies have everything I need.
Usually generic brands which I would also go for back home.

LSP123 wrote:

2 types of Japanese medicine I like : one translated called Dragon Horn Powder good for coughs and Mopiko cream good for stop skin itch, mosquito bites etc. All not available in HCM, sadly.

Mopiko is available through shoppee.vn for 130k.

Dragon Horn Powder is called Bột Sừng Rồng in Vietnamese and available at almost all privately import shops (Hàng Sách Tay) all over Saigon. You can also order online (same type of shops):

Bột Sừng Rồng
Bột Sừng Rồng 350k/16 packets

Ciambella wrote:

LSP123 wrote:

2 types of Japanese medicine I like : one translated called Dragon Horn Powder good for coughs and Mopiko cream good for stop skin itch, mosquito bites etc. All not available in HCM, sadly.

Mopiko is available through shoppee.vn for 130k.

Dragon Horn Powder is called Bột Sừng Rồng in Vietnamese and available at almost all privately import shops (Hàng Sách Tay) all over Saigon. You can also order online (same type of shops):

Bột Sừng Rồng
Bột Sừng Rồng 350k/16 packets

Well I Hope thats not real Dragons Horn ground into a powder!

goodolboy wrote:

Well I Hope thats not real Dragons Horn ground into a powder!

Are dragons real or mythical creatures?

Anyway, the ingredients are the simple stuff you can find in many gardens, the woods, or your neighbourhood Asian apothecary:

- Campanulaceae (bellflower): anti-inflammatory, treats coughs, bronchitis, tonsillitis, asthma, and helps blood circulation to the throat and chest.
- Licorice: antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, stimulates secretions in the pharynx and trachea, dilutes phlegm.
- Almonds: remedy for asthma and colds, also a laxative.
- Eucalyptus: eliminates phlegm and detoxify.

goodolboy wrote:

Ciambella wrote:

LSP123 wrote:

2 types of Japanese medicine I like : one translated called Dragon Horn Powder good for coughs and Mopiko cream good for stop skin itch, mosquito bites etc. All not available in HCM, sadly.

Mopiko is available through shoppee.vn for 130k.

Dragon Horn Powder is called Bột Sừng Rồng in Vietnamese and available at almost all privately import shops (Hàng Sách Tay) all over Saigon. You can also order online (same type of shops):

Bột Sừng Rồng
Bột Sừng Rồng 350k/16 packets

Well I Hope thats not real Dragons Horn ground into a powder!

If you need to be a real dragon first...

Hi Ciambella
This is another instance why this forum is so effective and helpful for expats.
You get solutions and answers to problems faced and some kind soul comes to the rescue.
Much appreciation and best wishes..

kimono dragon.....

lord enki wrote:

kimono dragon.....

A real horny one?

Wonder which bit they call "horn" 😜

long in the tooth.....

Haven't had a problem &, fortunately, one can buy a large number of prescription drugs here OTC the exception being opioids. Most of the meds come from France, Germany, Switzerland, Canada & Thailand & the formulations are the same or similar but go by different names. A quick search on WebMD.com can inform you about a wide variety of meds. Meds here are MUCH cheaper than in the US, where I'm from, & where Big Pharma has a stranglehold on the price structure.

You must be paying out of pocket because you can't get prescriptions through insurance companies in the US for one year and have that one year filled somewhere.

You can buy anything you want. Nope. You cannot buy opioids or anti-depressants OTC.

Other medicines I love, with some oriental origins are: Nin Jiom PeibPa Koa (good for coughs and sore throats) and Po Chai Pills (stomach upsets, overeating, hangovers), both are from Hong Kong and renown over decades.. Wonder whether possible to get here?

LSP123 wrote:

Other medicines I love, with some oriental origins are: Nin Jiom PeibPa Koa (good for coughs and sore throats) and Po Chai Pills (stomach upsets, overeating, hangovers), both are from Hong Kong and renown over decades.. Wonder whether possible to get here?

Both of them (actually, 3 of them, as there are 2 versions of Nin Jiom Pei Pa Koa: sirup and pastilles) are sold on Lazada, Shopee, FB, or at those Hàng Xách Tay shops all over Saigon.

Here's one of the many FB vendors: Pei Pa Koa

COD within Saigon is either free or 25k flat rate.  Make sure to tell the vendor that you need to examine the goods before paying so s/he can put that on the label.  Most vendors don't have any problem communicating in English when using Messenger.

Thanks again , much obliged.