Having someone ship my prescription medicine?

[galady]

I left the US on a one-way ticket to Indonesia, not realizing I had left my prescription bottle- 3-moths supply of Seroquel (Bi-polar/anti-psychotic med). I was shocked to find out that a 1-mo supply cost $600 at a local pharmacy...... (I paid US $60 for 3-mo. !!)
My med is not listed under Appendix A- Controlled Substance, btw.
As for documentations, I don't have the original written prescription, but I do have the followings:
1. record copies of each prescription refills
2. List of medications ever prescribed to me
3. Medical Documentation of last 2- physical examinations
4. Drug profile, dosage, and usage

My concern is that I'm going to have this shipped to me, instead of personally bringing it with me. Given my situation, can anyone advise what I should do? Can this be done at all?
Many thank's in advance

[ksl]

I left the US on a one-way ticket to Indonesia, not realizing I had left my prescription bottle- 3-moths supply of Seroquel (Bi-polar/anti-psychotic med). I was shocked to find out that a 1-mo supply cost $600 at a local pharmacy...... (I paid US $60 for 3-mo. !!)
My med is not listed under Appendix A- Controlled Substance, btw.
As for documentations, I don't have the original written prescription, but I do have the followings:
1. record copies of each prescription refills
2. List of medications ever prescribed to me
3. Medical Documentation of last 2- physical examinations
4. Drug profile, dosage, and usage

My concern is that I'm going to have this shipped to me, instead of personally bringing it with me. Given my situation, can anyone advise what I should do? Can this be done at all?
Many thank's in advance

If the medication is prescribed to you, you should be fine! I have also had my medication sent from UK with no problems once, though you need to phone your doctor and ask for a repeat prescription and have a family member collect and send it on to you....It must be in your name, otherwise you may be liable for the illegal import of medicine, people cannot just send for medicine without an import licence and paying duties. If it is prescribed to you for illness that is for personal use and maybe accepted depending on the medicine in question.

Obviously if high profits can be made, it will be a controlled medicine. there is also the question of where you are normally resident, it maybe wise to ring customs & excise up and ask for relevant information, explain your situation.

[Splatted]

worth a check with Health Sciences Authority.

Some medicines are higher restrictions than others. Not sure how yours will be treated, but best to get the OK first.

Also, as a rule if you are bringing in over 3 months supply of medications, you need written approval from HSA anyway.

[galady]

Thank you for the quick responses.
I think I'd better contact HSA as advised. Better safe than sorry..I supposed.
Will keep all up to date, in case someone else happens to be in the same predicament

[beppi]

If everything else fails, or turns out too complicated:
You can get almost any medicine in Indonesia over the counter at relatively low prices (even compared to the West in most cases). They don't ask for prescriptions etc.

[ksl]

If everything else fails, or turns out too complicated:
You can get almost any medicine in Indonesia over the counter at relatively low prices (even compared to the West in most cases). They don't ask for prescriptions etc.

Placebo maybe That's handy to know, I'm paying 600$ a quarter!

[galady]

If everything else fails, or turns out too complicated:
You can get almost any medicine in Indonesia over the counter at relatively low prices (even compared to the West in most cases). They don't ask for prescriptions etc.

Like ksl, the same meds (chemical compound) would cost me $600/ month in Indonesia. So, I'm thinking the cheaper, made-in-Indo meds might be placebo of unknown chemical compound.

At any rate, here's the response I got from HSA:

Thank you for query on authorisation to send personal medications for yourself who is already in Singapore. In general, we do not advise mailing / shipping of personal medications. You should see a local medical physician to obtain the drugs through prescription.

Unless these medications are not available in Singapore, you are allowed to ship them into Singapore for your own personal use. For such purposes, quantities shipped should not exceed 3 months supply.

Please email us the following details:
(1) A copy of your passport
(2) Contact details (address, contact numbers, email, fax)
(3) Names and quantities of each type of medications
(4) A doctor's letter certifying the medical conditions for which the medications are prescribed.
(5) Tracking number of the parcel
(6) Intended length of stay in Singapore

Your application would be processed after receiving the above information. Upon approval, an authorization letter will be sent to you through email/fax in due course.

Should you have any further enquiries, or if you need any help, please feel free to contact me.

Thank you.


Regards,

Dr Chan Wai Yee
Health Products Regulation Group
Health Sciences Authority
Singapore

[bluenose]

We were told by the authorities here it is illegal to ship any drugs what ever they are, you have to buy them here.
We tried to get cancer drugs here and they were extortionate, but free in the UK....Singapore authorities said no!!!
You can bring with you enough supply for limited period, after that you must buy here....
Sorry to frighten you but this is exactly what they told me and I went to see them!

[Splatted]

We were told by the authorities here it is illegal to ship any drugs what ever they are, you have to buy them here.
We tried to get cancer drugs here and they were extortionate, but free in the UK....Singapore authorities said no!!!
You can bring with you enough supply for limited period, after that you must buy here....
Sorry to frighten you but this is exactly what they told me and I went to see them!

You're not wrong about the extortionate prices. We've been shopping around recently hospital to hospital, and the price can differ by a few thousand dollars for select drugs between the hospitals.

It's only when we mentioned to the 2nd hospital that we can get the medicine cheaper elsewhere they made a few calls and dropped the price by $2k

[taxico]

My concern is that I'm going to have this shipped to me, instead of personally bringing it with me. Given my situation, can anyone advise what I should do?

i've sent you a PM, please read it...

but please note the following comment:

We were told by the authorities here it is illegal to ship any drugs what ever they are, you have to buy them here.

also note you will need your boarding pass, flight details, passport and be physically present to fill out a foreign/emergency prescription...!

[taxico]

You're not wrong about the extortionate prices. We've been shopping around recently hospital to hospital...

It's only when we mentioned to the 2nd hospital that we can get the medicine cheaper elsewhere they made a few calls and dropped the price by $2k

you're shopping at the wrong hospital, probably... 2000 clams is a lot to discount me thinks!

you can ALSO try approaching a GP and ask if he/she can order the meds for you at a lower price (a profit is still a profit, no matter how small).

medicine prices at "guardian" pharmacies (and the like) are generally NEVER lower than public hospitals, but you can try shopping for prices just to be sure.

if you need a list of phone numbers to public hospitals' pharmacies, just holler.

[Splatted]

You're not wrong about the extortionate prices. We've been shopping around recently hospital to hospital...

It's only when we mentioned to the 2nd hospital that we can get the medicine cheaper elsewhere they made a few calls and dropped the price by $2k

you're shopping at the wrong hospital, probably... 2000 clams is a lot to discount me thinks!

you can ALSO try approaching a GP and ask if he/she can order the meds for you at a lower price (a profit is still a profit, no matter how small).

medicine prices at "guardian" pharmacies (and the like) are generally NEVER lower than public hospitals, but you can try shopping for prices just to be sure.

if you need a list of phone numbers to public hospitals' pharmacies, just holler.

bluenose and I were talking about chemotherapy drugs. I doubt any of the private GP's in Singapore are able to order these.

[taxico]

You're not wrong about the extortionate prices. We've been shopping around recently hospital to hospital...

It's only when we mentioned to the 2nd hospital that we can get the medicine cheaper elsewhere they made a few calls and dropped the price by $2k

you're shopping at the wrong hospital, probably... 2000 clams is a lot to discount me thinks!

you can ALSO try approaching a GP and ask if he/she can order the meds for you at a lower price (a profit is still a profit, no matter how small).

medicine prices at "guardian" pharmacies (and the like) are generally NEVER lower than public hospitals, but you can try shopping for prices just to be sure.

if you need a list of phone numbers to public hospitals' pharmacies, just holler.

bluenose and I were talking about chemotherapy drugs. I doubt any of the private GP's in Singapore are able to order these.

some qualified GPs are able to, but assuming none of them can,
you can also ask for an actual prescription and buy them from a public hospital. be prepared for a bit of a long wait...

also, your doctor probably won't like it.

[galady]

My concern is that I'm going to have this shipped to me, instead of personally bringing it with me. Given my situation, can anyone advise what I should do?

i've sent you a PM, please read it...

Got your PM, but couldn't respond (not enough posts yet)...thank you
I took a chance and had my ex sent everything and few of my personal items (hair pins, elect. toothbrush,etc). Let's say Customs decide to hold my stuff, can I choose to abandon my stuff?

[EADG]

Before you do so, be sure to give the maid leave and pay forward on your rent and utilities bills.

You will have to go down to sign for it, then they will place you into custody until your spouse, the accomplice, is extradited from your country of origin so that you can both face charges.