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Q: How do I transfer my prescritions when I move to China? (Chongqing, specifically)
Hello,
I am moving to China in a matter of weeks to teach ESL for a year in central Chongqing. I am several prescription medications which I will need to continue to obtain (specifically, humalog insulin, as I am a type-1 diabetic, gemfrbrozil, and my birth control pill). What do I need to do or bring with me to make sure I can continue to obtain these (in particular the insulin, without which I would die)? Is there anything in particular I need to prepare for or know? Those of us coming to this school are supposed to have a doctor's appointment soon after arriving in order to obtain our 1-year residency permit as well, so I may be able to just do it all there, but if not I'd like to know the protocol. Thank you!
12 years 17 weeks ago in Health & Safety - Chongqing
The doctor's appointment for your work and residence permit will be to obtain a health certificate, he or she will not attend any private matters, and when I did it, it was all with nurses and technicians, no doctor.
I will assume all your prescriptions will be in English, so here will be just about worthless since not too many clerks at drugstores would be able to read what it says. Besides, the doctor signing prescription will not be register to practice medicine in China.
As an alternative, after arrival you could visit a local doctor and request he will write you a local prescription for the medicines you need if one is required. Show him what you were prescribed back home and tell him to get you the same here.
now, I do have a few suggestions:
1.- Do bring with you a good supply based on expiration dates, that will give you time to become aware of local conditions, get settle in without that worry on your mind.
2.- Many drugs or medicines that for us were prescription, here are OTC. ? I have no idea about birth control pills or insulin since I do not use them,
3.- If you will be here in China for only one year (school term is really 9 to 10 months), I would bring enough for that period if expiration dates allow it, since I do not trust locally made medicines and the propensity to sell you fake ones. But that will be your choice.
Get a letter from a doctor describing your illnesses and treatments, then pay to get it translated, make sure you use a top, reputable translation service that can do medical translations, and do this BEFORE you leave your home nation. Then when you get here, check with your local pharmacy / drugstore, (with a fluent Chinese speaker) as to the availability of your medicines over the counter. (much more is available here OTC than in 'western' nations. The rest you can go to hospital to buy.
That translation probably won't be cheap but I definitely wouldn't trust getting it done in China.
Failing that the idea of brining enough to last is a good idea if possible.
