Unbelievable!!!

Kitty · 08-06-2002, 09:29 AM

I wasn't sure whether to post this, but have to because it just blew me away.

First off, I'm an American living in China right now. I'm been on Met for about 8 months (started it while still living in the US) and I'm very happy with the results.

Anyway, I brought about 6 months' worth of Met with me, but I wanted to see if I could buy it here. Turns out, it's a very commonly prescribed drug in China for diabetics. So I went to the drugstore to buy some.

I purchased a bottle of 100 Metformin HCL 250mg tablets for the quivalent of US $1.50! I can't even believe how cheap it is here, or how amazingly expensive it is back home. I'm going to check with my own doc just to make sure it's safe. I'm sure it is though because it's the same formula, they have similar standards and I bought it from a reputable hospital pharmacy.

Basically, a month's supply of Met will cost me about FIVE BUCKS. Grrr.....and tell me US drug companies aren't ripping us off.

margaret1523 · 08-06-2002, 09:33 AM

I agree.I'm from Australia and I pay about $25.00 for 150 tablets I don't know why they like to rip us off so much

Bee · 08-06-2002, 08:27 PM

I'm American living in Finland

Metformin here costs about $8 for 100 500mg tablets.

One time I had an ear infection, I got Amoxicillin for about $40 for 20 tablets! So if one drug is inexpensive, they will just make up for it somewhere else.

I think in some countries, they lower drugs that have a high demand. I believe I heard China has a high population of diabetics, so that could be why it's so cheap there.

Bee

Kitty · 08-08-2002, 01:05 AM

Bee,

I think you're exactly right. I've found that medication common for Chinese people is super-cheap, but the meds that foriegners might take are really expensive. For example, Tylenol is more expensive than Met!!

K

ssivakami · 08-08-2002, 06:10 AM

Yes, its very cheap here (in India) too .
And is regularly prescribed for Diabetes.

- Sivakami.