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Pharmacist charging different prices for the same medication.

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  1. #1

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    Pharmacist charging different prices for the same medication.

    A pharmacist charged me 120 hkd for a bottle of coedine syrup (for my dry cough) whilst for the same stuff, he "sold" it for 108 to my aunt's helper. I don't know whether to give him a gold medal or file a case against him in the Court of Justice.

    Well, crap aside, is this a common practise in HK? I'm not making a fuss in any way. Just wanted to see if others have had a similar experience.


  2. #2

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    If it's a prescription medication being sold without a prescription and no receipt, then my experience has been that the price varies...I stock up every 3 months and pay a different price each time. They don't scan it like a normal product, just give a price...maybe try bargaining down. For me, maybe gweilo tax as well. Since the price here is literally 10 percent of what it costs in the US, I don't complain...I also figure that I am doing something illegal as well so, yeah, another reason it's hard to complain. Unless codeine cough syrup is OTC here, which it isn't in the US...


  3. #3

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    your aunt helper knows how to bargain..... "aiya... reduce abit for me lah, i am only poor helper"
    most of the local shops are willing to take off 10% to 15 % for helpers or anyone who is willing to bargain


  4. #4

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    Quote Originally Posted by MABinPengChau:
    I also figure that I am doing something illegal as well so, yeah, another reason it's hard to complain. Unless codeine cough syrup is OTC here, which it isn't in the US...
    It's available easily OTC here.

  5. #5

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    I just discovered that the car wash charging me $198, charges my wife (who is local) only $100. It's just how it is.

    jack55 likes this.

  6. #6

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    Completely off topic... For a cough try drinking Indian oregano tea or plain fresh thyme tea (which you can buy in supermarkets). Indian oregano grows like a weed here.


  7. #7

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    Price in pharmacy also varies according to expiry date.

    shri likes this.

  8. #8

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    Okay, thanks folks for your input.



    @Elegiaque I'm pretty sure, I've tried every other known alternatives. But only this particular syrup seems to work for me. Anyway, thanks for your suggestion , I shall try them out.


  9. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by hannah01:
    It's available easily OTC here.
    Yeah, we went on a family trip to Ireland and family members found out it's OTC there and were promptly abusing it (if there is an abusable substance, someone in my family is abusing it...). And this is why we can't have nice things in the US...
    HK_Katherine likes this.

  10. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by MABinPengChau:
    Yeah, we went on a family trip to Ireland and family members found out it's OTC there and were promptly abusing it (if there is an abusable substance, someone in my family is abusing it...). And this is why we can't have nice things in the US...
    Same here actually' you will find the empties in the stalls of tsuen wan market toilets : it's used as a chaser by the addicts who get their daily fix from the methadone clinic around the corner '
    MABinPengChau likes this.

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