Farmacia Pricing

S

SKY

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Apr 11, 2004
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This morning I go to the Farmacia at the Punta Cana Clinic in Furisa. The large one. I have a script for Arcoxia pain pills. I need 6. They tell me they only sell a box of 14 for 3,200 rd. I pass, and go on the other side of the Hwy to a place across from the Texaco station and a bit left.

They tell me the same, have to get the box of 14. I ask the price, 1,700 rd. Of course I take it.

But this shows that one place 2 minutes from another could charge almost double the price for the same thing.

Live and learn in the DR.
 
J

jd426

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Dec 12, 2009
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How is this diff from the USA ?
i could pay $11, $17 or $58 for the same med I take .. depending which Pharm I go to... same drug ..
I would say the DR is even more stable than the USA with respect to Pharm pricing ..
as to the quantity required in a package , not sure how that works..
But most Pharms I thought in the DR sell " LOOSE Pills, any count " of most anything..
 
S

SKY

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This is the first time I had any Farmacia that would not sell loose pills. But both would not.
 
J

jd426

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SKY said:
This is the first time I had any Farmacia that would not sell loose pills. But both would not.
Click to expand...

The Manufacturer must have " Incentivized" them REAL good , to honor that one ...
is it one of those "full regimen" or could may not work at all , type packs ?
 
D

Derfish

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Jan 7, 2016
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jd426 said:
How is this diff from the USA ?
i could pay $11, $17 or $58 for the same med I take .. depending which Pharm I go to... same drug ..
I would say the DR is even more stable than the USA with respect to Pharm pricing ..
as to the quantity required in a package , not sure how that works..
But most Pharms I thought in the DR sell " LOOSE Pills, any count " of most anything..
Click to expand...

Right. I could give a dozen examples off the top of my head where one pharmacy in the USA sells for one price and another for a totally different price. Insulin syringes for example. I pay $12.95 for 100 at Walgreens and stopped at a local drug store and and asked. They said $4.95 for 10. I asked if the price was less each if I bought 100 and she said no. But the biggest differences in price in the DR I see is between one brand and another for the same medicine.
Der Fish
 
D

dv8

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some more pricey meds are sold by box only. it's a fairly common practice. also depends on the lab and the distributor. some medicine that is close to or past the expiry date (again, depends on the dealer) is exchanged by the distributor. some of them do not accept open boxes so the practice would be not to sell such product by the unit.

i have not seen this much of a difference in a price of the same medicine between the pharmacies. normally prices may vary slightly depending on the size of the establishment and discounts/offers by the distributor. are you sure you got the price of exactly the same pill (they come in different number of mg)?
 
S

SKY

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dv8 said:
some more pricey meds are sold by box only. it's a fairly common practice. also depends on the lab and the distributor. some medicine that is close to or past the expiry date (again, depends on the dealer) is exchanged by the distributor. some of them do not accept open boxes so the practice would be not to sell such product by the unit.

i have not seen this much of a difference in a price of the same medicine between the pharmacies. normally prices may vary slightly depending on the size of the establishment and discounts/offers by the distributor. are you sure you got the price of exactly the same pill (they come in different number of mg)?
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I am positive they were the same. I looked at the first one, brand and mg. They were exactly the same.
 
M

Mauricio

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Nov 18, 2002
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Sometimes farmacias here have big offers and the clerks are to lazy to tell you and just charge the reduced price. For example I regularly buy singular for one of our children. 3000 pesos per box. Then at once they charged me 1500. I asked why it was so much cheaper, oh we have a 'two for one' this month.
 
U

USA DOC

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Feb 20, 2016
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... the bigger problem can be not the price.... but if the medication is real.....bought 10 pills in that little mall at playa Dorado, next to the hotels...of course they charged me about double, they looked right , were totally fake, did nothing, then you ask yourself what is really in them......Doc.....
 
franco1111

franco1111

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There can be significant differences in prices for medications between for example, Farmax versus the Iberia farmacia. Both in the Bavaro area. Farmax at Plaza San Juan and the Iberia in Friusa.
 
D

dv8

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farmax has many locations all over DR. they must be buying in bulk and thus get different deals from distributing centres.
 
S

SKY

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franco1111 said:
There can be significant differences in prices for medications between for example, Farmax versus the Iberia farmacia. Both in the Bavaro area. Farmax at Plaza San Juan and the Iberia in Friusa.
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Which one has better prices?
 
franco1111

franco1111

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SKY said:
Which one has better prices?
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Iberia has better prices. Farmax appears more professional for whatever that's worth. As dv8 says they have stores many places in DR. Jumbo in La Romana has a farmacia inside that has competitive prices, but I don't see one in the Jumbo at Plaza San Juan. Maybe there is. Super Pola does not have a farmacia either. That farmacia in Friusa across from the bomba (Texaco) has decent prices too. But, short on inventory sometimes.
 
Z

ZC1

Member
Dec 8, 2013
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SKY said:
This morning I go to the Farmacia at the Punta Cana Clinic in Furisa. The large one. I have a script for Arcoxia pain pills. I need 6. They tell me they only sell a box of 14 for 3,200 rd. I pass, and go on the other side of the Hwy to a place across from the Texaco station and a bit left.

They tell me the same, have to get the box of 14. I ask the price, 1,700 rd. Of course I take it.

But this shows that one place 2 minutes from another could charge almost double the price for the same thing.

Live and learn in the DR.
Click to expand...

Did you check the expiration date of the medicine? Is the Farmacia you purchased from storing meds at the correct temperature? Also, be careful as to whom you purchase from. As for disparity in prices, same thing in the USA.
 
J

judypdr

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Jul 23, 2011
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Most pharmacies in the DR will offer you a 10% discount for paying cash if the medicine is something they stock. My pharmacy recently started stocking my medications for Parkinson's so I automatically pay 10% less than I did previously.
 
JD Jones

JD Jones

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judypdr said:
Most pharmacies in the DR will offer you a 10% discount for paying cash if the medicine is something they stock. My pharmacy recently started stocking my medications for Parkinson's so I automatically pay 10% less than I did previously.
Click to expand...

I've found that to be true with any pharmacy that is not a "Chain" like Farmax or Carol.

Any time you purchase from a pharmacy here, you need to ask for your discount. If they won't give you one, go someplace else.
 
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