Thai hospital banned from offer to sell COVID-19 vaccine

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Thai hospital banned from offer to sell COVID-19 vaccine

 

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - A private Thai hospital was ordered on Sunday to stop advertising COVID-19 vaccinations for sale in advance on the grounds that no vaccine is yet approved in Thailand.

 

Vibhavadi Hospital told Reuters its online offer for 1,000 initial reservations for the two-dose Moderna vaccine had been the result of a misunderstanding. With reservations priced at 4,000 baht, the total cost of getting vaccinated would have been 10,000 baht ($330).

 

As the first governments begin vaccine rollouts around the world, questions have been raised over how the limited supplies are prioritised and whether people will be able to pay to jump the queue.

 

The Ministry of Health said in a statement that no COVID-19 vaccine had been approved for use in Thailand yet and that advertising one violated hospital regulations.

 

"The removal of the advertisement was ordered," it said.

 

Chaisit Kupwiwat, a director at Vibhavadi Hospital, told Reuters: "There was a misunderstanding and so we've stopped the programme... We planned to order the vaccines, but now we've stopped."

 

The hospital had sought reservations by Jan. 31 for vaccinations later in 2021.

 

Moderna did not respond immediately to an emailed request for comment on any such sale.

 

Thailand has signed an advance deal for AstraZeneca’s potential COVID-19 vaccine, but has not set rollout plans for any vaccine yet.

 

Moderna's vaccine this month became the second to get emergency use authorisation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration after the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine.

 

Moderna has said it will deliver approximately 20 million doses to the U.S. government this year and is expected to have between 100 million and 125 million delivered globally in the first quarter of 2021.

 

In August, Moderna said it was pricing its vaccine at $32 to $37 per dose for smaller deals.

 

Thailand is a major hub for medical tourism, drawing patients from Asia, the Middle East and beyond.

 

(Additional reporting by Jiraporn Kuhakan; writing by Matthew Tostevin; editing by Jason Neely)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-12-27

 

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[tgw]

approved or not, the decision of which medicine can be administered to patients should ultimately be the doctor's.

[ThailandRyan]

What a fiasco.  Does this have anything to do with Thailands contract with Astrazenica and the wanting to build there own lab as well to create a vaccine.  If there is a vaccine that works shouldn't everyone have the option to choose,

[oldhippy]

War profiteers.

Disgusting.

[YetAnother]

15 minutes ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

BANGKOK (Reuters) - A private Thai hospital was ordered on Sunday to stop advertising COVID-19 vaccinations for sale in advance on the grounds that no vaccine is yet approved in Thailand.

hahaha;so thai; next step fakes

[oldhippy]

12 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

What a fiasco.  Does this have anything to do with Thailands contract with Astrazenica and the wanting to build there own lab as well to create a vaccine.  If there is a vaccine that works shouldn't everyone have the option to choose,

QUOTE: If there is a vaccine that works shouldn't everyone have the option to choose,

 

Yeah, and not only the rich.

Edited December 27, 2020 by oldhippy
.

[Phuketshrew]

52 minutes ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

With reservations priced at 4,000 baht, the total cost of getting vaccinated would have been 10,000 baht ($330).

They never miss an opportunity to profiteer do they?

The AstraZenica jabs will be 3 quid a pop in the UK.

[NE1]

1 hour ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

There was a misunderstanding and so we've stopped the programme... We planned to order the vaccines, but now we've stopped."

Means we got caught......

[darksidedog]

1 hour ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

August, Moderna said it was pricing its vaccine at $32 to $37 per dose for smaller deals.

Anyone else believe that is just robbery in daylight? Regardless of the hospital mark up?

They will be selling hundreds of millions and that is the best price they can come up with per dose?

Gonna be several billion people a bit short of the payment needed.

This should be free to all, paid for by their governments, especially in those countries dependent on tourism.

With hospitals heavily penalised for further up pricing it in the private sector.

[oldhippy]

In Belgium it will be free for all, Belgians and legal residents (such as my wife, Thai).

 

[Susco]

4 minutes ago, darksidedog said:

1 hour ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

August, Moderna said it was pricing its vaccine at $32 to $37 per dose for smaller deals.

Anyone else believe that is just robbery in daylight?

They will be selling hundreds of millions and that is the best price they can come up with per dose?

Gonna be several billion people a bit short of the payment needed.

This should be free to all, paid for by their governments, especially in those countries dependent on tourism.

 

 

$37 is still a far cry from 10.000 Baht

 

1 hour ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

With reservations priced at 4,000 baht, the total cost of getting vaccinated would have been 10,000 baht ($330).

 

[onebir]

6 minutes ago, darksidedog said:

Anyone else believe that is just robbery in daylight?

Given that Moderna received 2.5bn in government funding, "daylight robbery" seems like a massive understatement. (Unless, possibly, that's offsetting costs incurred maintaining the 'cold chain'?) 

[ukrules]

1 hour ago, tgw said:

approved or not, the decision of which medicine can be administered to patients should ultimately be the doctor's.

As a patient I would disagree, it's ultimately up to me, the patient. If I want an unlicensed vaccine then I will get one, one way or another.

[oldhippy]

12 minutes ago, ukrules said:

As a patient I would disagree, it's ultimately up to me, the patient. If I want an unlicensed vaccine then I will get one, one way or another.

Which raises the question: Should some people be protected against themselves? Particularly, if they may cause damage to not just theirselves, but to others too?

 

[FritsSikkink]

51 minutes ago, Phuketshrew said:

They never miss an opportunity to profiteer do they?

The AstraZenica jabs will be 3 quid a pop in the UK.

They where planning to sell Moderna, which price will be 10 times more when ordering low quantities. So you are talking nonsense.

Edited December 27, 2020 by FritsSikkink

[david555]

33 minutes ago, oldhippy said:

In Belgium it will be free for all, Belgians and legal residents (such as my wife, Thai).

 

unfortunate  we don't have any advantage for it when living in Thailand 

[Seeall]

54 minutes ago, oldhippy said:

In Belgium it will be free for all, Belgians and legal residents (such as my wife, Thai).

 

who cares?

[oldhippy]

14 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

They where planning to sell Moderna, which price will be 10 times more when ordering low quantities. So you are talking nonsense.

You are posting nonsense, nothing unsual about that.

 

Yes, Moderna is 9 X the price of AZ.

Moderna 18 dollar --- AZ 1,78 euro

 

But......

18 dollar is about 600 baht - as compared to the 10.000 baht those  disgusting war profiteers ask.

[oldhippy]

3 minutes ago, Seeall said:

who cares?

Belgians and their Thai wives.

And humanity in general.

[oldhippy]

25 minutes ago, david555 said:

unfortunate  we don't have any advantage for it when living in Thailand 

Correct, the disadvantages of living in a banana republic......

[dcnx]

8 minutes ago, Seeall said:

who cares?

Everyone in Belgium.

 

Also, everyone who can’t afford to pay for a vaccine in Thailand.

[david555]

2 minutes ago, oldhippy said:

Correct, the disadvantages of living in a banana republic......

Is not the fault of the Banana republic ..... as our Embassy could be the one who could arrange vaccinations .... even more the foreign ministry of Belgium ...could remember us , not only for taxation 

As still we are taxable in Belgium ????????

[Meat Pie 47]

1 hour ago, Phuketshrew said:

They never miss an opportunity to profiteer do they?

The AstraZenica jabs will be 3 quid a pop in the UK.

Try Australia it will be free for all

[Meat Pie 47]

1 hour ago, oldhippy said:

In Belgium it will be free for all, Belgians and legal residents (such as my wife, Thai).

 

So it will be in Australia

[oldhippy]

3 minutes ago, david555 said:

Is not the fault of the Banana republic ..... as our Embassy could be the one who could arrange vaccinations .... even more the foreign ministry of Belgium ...could remember us , not only for taxation 

As still we are taxable in Belgium ????????

eeeeuuuuhhhh and the banana republic (oeps, sorry, banana kingdom) will 

arrange vaccinations for my Thai wife in Belgium?

And don't forget, all foreigners pay tax in Thailand..... it is called VAT.

 

[david555]

2 minutes ago, oldhippy said:

eeeeuuuuhhhh and the banana republic (oeps, sorry, banana kingdom) will 

arrange vaccinations for my Thai wife in Belgium?

And don't forget, all foreigners pay tax in Thailand..... it is called VAT.

 

When there is a will there is away i would say ..... i dont know how many they would have to vaccinate  (or compensate Thailand to do it ...)

 

 About the tax ...i only referred to it as they remember us so far away that moment ....????

[oldhippy]

We have drifted away from the OP.......

 

Good on Thailand to forbid the war profiteering by an  hospital.

Bad on Thailand for forbidding it on the grounds that no vaccine has been approved in the banana republic yet. So when vaccines are approved, war profiteering is OK?

 

[david555]

1 minute ago, oldhippy said:

We have drifted away from the OP.......

 

Good on Thailand to forbid the war profiteering by an  hospital.

Bad on Thailand for forbidding it on the grounds that no vaccine has been approved in the banana republic yet. So when vaccines are approved, war profiteering is OK?

 

If one of my choice is available i would take it  anyway , as  before i came Thailand i took 3 shots , each 3 week in between for Twinrix Hepatitis A + b or c (dont know the second one exactly )  own payment 150€ no free shots , same for Pneumovax  (anti pneumonia ) & Tetanus vacc.  all payable by ourselves   

 

It is exceptional now Governments give for free ....as hospitalization would cost them more 

[Don Chance]

In 4-6 weeks clinic in the USA should have Moderna or Pfizer vaccine in stock. That means you can fly to Las Vegas and get a shot for $50. Go down to Mexico for 4 weeks come back and get you last shot.

[Patong2021]

3 hours ago, tgw said:

approved or not, the decision of which medicine can be administered to patients should ultimately be the doctor's.

 

No. Because a  doctor can prescribe a drug for off label use does not make it appropriate for patient. That is why there are regulators. We have opioid crisis in much of the western world because doctor handed out opioids like candy. Countries like Thailand give antibiotic out easy and now we have super infections. If all doctors  were honest and capable we would not have medical errors or wrongful prescriptions.

 

To answer question on Covid19, do not confuse what advanced countries have done with other countries. Advanced countries have pre purchased vaccine , and invested money in R&D. The cost of the vaccine varies by country. It is all based upon the relationship buying group has. Because EU and especially Germany supported Pfizer BionTech, of course it will receive reduced cost, same for for AZ Oxford in UK and USA with Moderna and Johnson.  Thailand did not contribute anything in advance, so it will pay market price.

For reference; cost for 2 doses of popular Covid 19 vaccine;

Moderna, USA $70 / EU  $36

 Pfizer  USA $40 / EU $30

Johnson & Johnson’s  USA $10 / EU $17

AstraZeneca $7 / $2.20

Novavax $32 / N/A

 

If Thailand is to  protect itself it will have to make vaccine free with no profit taking by hospitals. If hospitals use this to make money, the poor people will not be vaccinated. This means that no recovery for tourism, restaurants, factories, and agriculture.  The people who can afford to pay 3,000 baht do not clean toilet at the hotel or grow rice.

Edited December 27, 2020 by Patong2021
EU price from Belgian Minister tweet of Eu price list, USA is published in media already.