Pharmaceutical Society of Singapore - Cheaper Medicine across the Causeway

May 14, 2006, Straits Times, by Nur Dianah Suhaimi

Many drugs cost far less than in pharmacies here so those who need a regular supply go to JB and stock up

ONCE every three months, Madam Zulinah Mooksan nips across the Causeway to visit her nephews and nieces, do a little grocery shopping and make a compulsory stop at the pharmacy.

For Madam Zulinah, who has elderly parents and two asthmatic sons, a single trip to the pharmacy blows a RM600 ($260) hole in her pocket.

But the operations and marketing manager is not complaining, because she saves at least $50 by buying her stock of medicine in Malaysia.

Like Madam Zulinah, many Singaporeans who need medication regularly also prefer to buy across the Causeway - and for good reason.

Retiree Jimmy Goh, 55, goes to Johor Baru to buy his daughter's anticonvulsant pills, which prevent her from having fits, because they are cheaper.

'A box of pills cost me over $300 in Singapore but in Malaysia, I can get the same thing for RM150. That is a lot of savings,' said Mr Goh, whose wife now supports the family by working as a secretary.

To see just how much customers can save, The Sunday Times made a trip to JB to compare the prices of 10 common drugs and health supplements. We found that medicines and supplements are not only significantly cheaper, but many pharmacies do not even require prescriptions.

A single Zantac pill for gastric pain, for example, costs $1.70 in Singapore, but is sold for just $0.87 or RM2 in Malaysia. Even imported supplements, such as the Australian Blackmores brand, can be purchased at a fraction of the price in Malaysia.

Mr Ng Cheng Tiang, president of the Pharmaceutical Society of Singapore, said medicines are more expensive in Singapore because running a business here is costlier than in neighbouring countries. That extra money pays for shop rental, staff salaries and other business costs.

He said that as long as the patient's condition is stable and regularly monitored by a doctor, the patient should be given the freedom to buy medicine wherever he wants. 'This is consumer power. If you can get the medicine cheaper elsewhere, by all means. The patient is not forced to buy his medicine from the doctor. He can ask for a prescription and buy where it's cheaper.'

Madam Zulinah buys at least two months' supply of Ventolin inhalers, eczema cream, Zantac pills and the cholesterol-lowering drug Zocor on an average trip to JB. Since most JB pharmacies do not ask for prescriptions before dispensing medication, Singaporeans can stock up without having to visit their doctor first. Mr Peter Tan makes regular trips to Johor Baru to buy his high blood pressure medication because he gets to bypass the doctor.

'If I buy my medicine in Singapore, I need to see a doctor to get a prescription. This is very troublesome,' the sales representative said. His medicine costs 40 cents a pill here. Over in JB, a pill by the same manufacturer costs a mere 8.3 cents.

To make sure they are getting the real thing, he and other Singaporeans shop only at reputable pharmacies and buy reputable brands. Madam Zulinah, for one, avoids mom-and-pop pharmacy stores and buys only from chains such as Guardian or Apex.

Patients buying medicines overseas should check the expiry date and packing to ensure that the products have not been tampered with, said the Health Sciences Authority, which oversees the quality of medicines in Singapore.

Housewife Azlin Ahmad, who has been buying her asthma inhalers from JB for 10 years, has not had any problem. 'As long as you go for the ones manufactured by international brands, it should be fine,' she said.