Today (May 16) I sent an email to the ’distributor’ whose card the doctor gave me. The email bounced back.
This was worrying. I checked that I had spelt the email address correctly and I had. It seemed strange to me that a pharmaceutical distributor’s email address on his card would be wrong. It’s worrying but I will phone him on the phone number on the card tomorrow and see what happens. Perhaps there is a simple explanation? Everything is done differently in India and people seem to use their mobile phones rather than email.
But, as B asked, why was I buying the Sofosbuvir off a distributor and not from the pharmacy?
Distributors
Because I have put this little diary out on the Internet I have been getting a few emails, mainly from people who found out about my journey from the Hep forums.
Some of these folk have asked me questions and some have offered me detailed advice about prices of the various generic brands of Sofosbuvir and other stuff.
One very kind Indian gentleman also emailed me with an excellent explanation of how the distribution system of some types of drugs in India works. Now there are pharmacies in India, I have seen them, but there also distributors from whom one can buy direct; if one has a prescription. This Indian gentleman suggested that to get the best price for my Sofosbuvir I should Google the Chennai distributors of Cipla, Natco, Mylan, Zydus and Cadila and then call them and tell them my situation and then ask for prices. Good advice, which I will follow up on Monday.
Another email I received regarding prices:
..... Chennai is bit more expensive than other Indian cities. You will see- the printed price on the bottle will be 19900 INR (apprx 330 USD) a bottle. the lowest you can go is 12000 INR (apprx 193 USD) a bottle. If you cannot get that low the highest you would pay is 16000 INR a bottle (apprx 250 USD) a bottle. This is because the MRP printed is inclusive of all profits for stockiest, distributor and retailer. You will be buying from the company guys so that’s why you will pay cheaper. Have a good evening.
That was really helpful and the first time I have been given a clear explanation of why there is such a wide range of prices mentioned in the various forums etc I have read.
Of course I have to test all this out on Monday. I really do hope it’s all correct and that I will have a three months supply of some form of Sofosbuvir in my hot little hands by Monday evening.
Goodnight!
This entry was originally published on My Hep C Diary. Reprinted with permission.
