Many private hospitals ready to offer quick Covid-19 jabs - expect to pay 2,000 baht a dose

[Bkk Brian]

56 minutes ago, sandyf said:

Obviously you are free to believe everything you read, the article only referred to "sources".

I doubt if the FDA will approve every vaccine in the world so foreigners can have the vaccine of choice and private hospitals make a killing.

Those sources turn out to be the Public Health Ministry suggesting private companies be allowed to import another 15-20 million doses as the Ministry has not ordered enough.

https://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news/detail/TCATG210306100921910

 

The J&J vaccine application for approval has already been sent to Thailand's FDA, hopefully the others will follow soon.

[impulse]

5 hours ago, KhaoYai said:

11 hours ago, impulse said:

How is that greed?

Do you think its OK that those in Thailand who can pay may be able to jump the queue?  There are people in Thailand that have no choice but to survive on less than the cost of these vaccines every month (and a lot more people than normal at the moment).  Remember that in saying it is OK, you may also be saying that its OK for those people to contract the virus and die. 

 

Who is jumping a queue?   Private hospitals are arranging to import vaccine above, beyond and aside from the vaccines that the gov't is still negotiating.   That's not taking ANYTHING away from people waiting for the gov't to get their act together.

 

In fact, anyone getting their paid jab from a private hospital is freeing up a place in the queue for someone to get their free vaccine.  Win-win.

 

 

Edited March 7, 2021 by impulse

[Tuvoc]

34 minutes ago, impulse said:

In fact, anyone getting their paid jab from a private hospital is freeing up a place in the queue for someone to get their free vaccine.  Win-win.

 

 

That's right, and is also true for the people that choose to pay for private medical insurance in their own countries. 

 

In the UK, my employer paid for BUPA insurance.  I felt fortunate to have that, and when I used it I always felt that it was reducing the pressure on the NHS so everyone would benefit. To have declined to use the private facilities offered by BUPA and instead use the NHS would have been a bit silly.

 

 

[JackGats]

17 hours ago, KhaoYai said:

No vaccine should be available on the open market until all those who can't afford to pay in every country has been vaccinated.

What about the shingles vaccine, 162 dollars per shot, 2 shots needed). Hep B vaccine 90 dollars, 3 shots needed etc. Vaccines are often expensive. 

 

Should healthcare of any kind remain unavailable as long as "all those who can't afford to pay in every country" can get it?

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

17 hours ago, xtrnuno41 said:

Medicines nowadays are mostly made in China , India and are just imported by the many countries.

You "ll have them and you dont even know where they are coming from.

 

That's certainly true in general, in regards to both actual medicines and the ingredients needed to produce them... much to the alarm of some health authorities in the west who are concerned about both Chinese lack of quality control and the ability to use medicines as a political tool.

 

However, in the current instance, I don't believe any of the already approved western CV vaccines -- AZ, Moderna, Pfizer, and J&J -- are being manufactured in China, at least, thus far.

 

Edited March 7, 2021 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[superal]

4000 baht for the 2 jabs is in the main not too much money for most expats , indeed the deal is aimed at expats as most Thais could not afford it for themselves and family . So really it is the principle that is the argument .

 

Now if the jab cost were much higher , say 200,000 baht and Thailand had high covid infections , your expats would probably be complaining and asking for equal rights the same as Thais for inoculations .    As mentioned earlier by another poster ,  I will not be surprised if AZ remove the licence for Thailand to produce the vaccine and make profits as the AZ set up and partnership in Thailand involves no profit , all at cost .

However on the other side of the coin , if there is to be a blanket vaccination in Thailand using the Chinese vaccine which was made mandatory , how would the expats react ?

[Bangkocker]

On 3/5/2021 at 7:00 PM, MadMac said:

You never need to wait long to see the greed popping up in this country. Big money to make easily.

Oh look, lets face it - It's a cheap pri ck and more freedom. You take your <deleted> ooops I mean pick.

[SCOTT FITZGERSLD]

sounds good, but no fakes please !!

 

https://news.yahoo.com/covid-police-break-fake-vaccine-164510169.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9kdWNrZHVja2dvLmNvbS8_cT1jaGluZXNlK2ZhbGUrdmFjY2luZXMrc291dGgrYWZyaWNhJmlhPXdlYiZpYWk9aHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZuZXdzLnlhaG9vLmNvbSUyRmNvdmlkLXBvbGljZS1icmVhay1mYWtlLXZhY2NpbmUtMTY0NTEwMTY5Lmh0bWwmcG49MQ&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAADQKCMMqcWMoMa45Z35GoI8ENcKCS4Pv5n1tbhO14HKVD0WhbUagF9PgASx3M4UAcJwGkhchMTfh6tcA7lXCoYU3H5K4_Gh-npCN6nIht5nQMrfFPuI8GvSZWK26c6mLM_3ya_58JBenXl0cGNGbEJcytO2ycRQ_K_zWtkzryMSW

 

Edited March 7, 2021 by SCOTT FITZGERSLD

[Andy from Kent]

On 3/5/2021 at 3:00 PM, keith101 said:

Instead of giving the hospitals 200% + profit i will wait to get mine thanks , already got an email from a hospital in Bangkok last month asking how many family i wanted to book for and immediately deleted it .

 

 

How much would you consider a fair amount for your life? ????

[Tuvoc]

53 minutes ago, superal said:

However on the other side of the coin , if there is to be a blanket vaccination in Thailand using the Chinese vaccine which was made mandatory , how would the expats react ?

 

I probably wouldn't choose it, but I certainly wouldn't refuse it.

 

There was a point where wildly different effectiveness percentages were being quoted for some of the western vaccines and indeed many were later revised. And how do you define it ? Main point of the vaccine is to prevent you getting seriously ill and requiring hospitalisation. I think all of them are probably very effective for that. I don't get the criticism of the Chinese one,  they are just as capable as anyone else in the world and have world class facilities and unlimited budget no doubt. The west like to bash Russia and China, and now the Russian vaccine has proven to be extremely good after being ridiculed initially. Only problem with the Chinese one from my point of view is if it would be internationally accepted if a certificate became important for travel etc.

[Peter Denis]

12 minutes ago, Tuvoc said:

...

There was a point where wildly different effectiveness percentages were being quoted for some of the western vaccines and indeed many were later revised. And how do you define it ? Main point of the vaccine is to prevent you getting seriously ill and requiring hospitalisation. I think all of them are probably very effective for that. I don't get the criticism of the Chinese one,  they are just as capable as anyone else in the world and have world class facilities and unlimited budget no doubt. The west like to bash Russia and China, and now the Russian vaccine has proven to be extremely good after being ridiculed initially. Only problem with the Chinese one from my point of view is if it would be internationally accepted if a certificate became important for travel etc.

The Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine has been given an “estimated study completion date” of Jan. 31, 2023 (here). For the COVID-19 vaccine created by Moderna, studies are expected to end on Oct. 27, 2022 (here).

Until those dates - and pending approval - those taking them are in effect the Guinea pigs of these not yet approved experimental vaccines.

[Tuvoc]

7 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

The Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine has been given an “estimated study completion date” of Jan. 31, 2023 (here). For the COVID-19 vaccine created by Moderna, studies are expected to end on Oct. 27, 2022 (here).

Until those dates - and pending approval - those taking them are in effect the Guinea pigs of these not yet approved experimental vaccines.

 

That is USA, they have already been approved in other countries.

[Peter Denis]

13 minutes ago, Tuvoc said:

...

That is USA, they have already been approved in other countries.

Approved for emergency use... a subtle but tell-tale difference.

[Seismic]

On 3/5/2021 at 3:21 PM, BritManToo said:

Yet the UK manufacturer is selling the vaccine at $5 a shot (OK $7.50 to South Africa).

Why can't the Thai hospitals buy it at the open market rate?

Some of the vaccines are significantly more expensive than that.

[Seismic]

10 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

Approved for emergency use... a subtle but tell-tale difference.

The Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine completed Phase 3 trial in December. it is standard practice for safety monitoring to continue after a vaccine has been approved for use. As is normal Pfizer will continue  to monitor trial participants to assess long-term protection and safety for an additional two years after their second dose.

Edited March 7, 2021 by Seismic
addition.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

7 hours ago, Peter Denis said:

 

Until those dates - and pending approval - those taking them are in effect the Guinea pigs of these not yet approved experimental vaccines.

 

They have been approved...for experimental use.

 

As opposed to the various others that have NOT been approved even for experimental use, because they haven't completed full-scale clinical trials and had the results made public and independently vetted, as the EUA ones have.

 

[edogthong]

The comments in here really shows that the average age is about 65. Everyone's so eager to inject themselves with this stuff without any scepticism. Just assuming that big pharma and the establishment want what's best for us.

[MaxiMaxi]

On 3/5/2021 at 3:37 PM, AlexRich said:

I would pay to get the vaccine of my choice. I believe the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is only one shot? But I’d probably go for Pfizer as it’s been around longer and appears to be very effective with few if any side effects. 
 

I wouldn’t want the Chinese or Russian vaccines, I just trust western medicines more ... both appear to be safe and work well.

The recent test made by the famous Spallanzani hospital research center in Rome has given the Sputnik as so well effective that has written and suggested the italian Governament to sign a delivery contract right away and quickly import it and compensate the cuts of delivery done by all other suppliers that are probably selling the doses directly to hospitals like here in Thailand or elsewhere.....

I would take the Sputnik if awaylable

[johnch99]

On 3/5/2021 at 8:37 AM, AlexRich said:

I would pay to get the vaccine of my choice. I believe the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is only one shot? But I’d probably go for Pfizer as it’s been around longer and appears to be very effective with few if any side effects. 
 

I wouldn’t want the Chinese or Russian vaccines, I just trust western medicines more ... both appear to be safe and work well.

I don't know who told you that the Pfizer vaccine has few side affects, that is total rubbish many people have become ill after having it

[Bangkok Basha]

On 3/5/2021 at 3:00 PM, keith101 said:

Instead of giving the hospitals 200% + profit i will wait to get mine thanks , already got an email from a hospital in Bangkok last month asking how many family i wanted to book for and immediately deleted it .

May I ask what hospital contacted you?

 

On 3/5/2021 at 3:15 PM, robblok said:

I have no problem paying for this, let them make some profit it gets you in front of the line. I dont think 4000 bt is too much for this.

 

[mtls2005]

10 hours ago, edogthong said:

The comments in here really shows that the average age is about 65. Everyone's so eager to inject themselves with this stuff without any scepticism. Just assuming that big pharma and the establishment want what's best for us.

 

Well I tried the bleach thing. Is that Big Chemical or Little Chemical?

 

And can we just use the word pharma? "Big" pharma doesn't sound any more scary.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 8, 2021 by mtls2005

[JackGats]

1 hour ago, mtls2005 said:

 

Well I tried the bleach thing. Is that Big Chemical or Little Chemical?

 

And can we just use the word pharma? "Big" pharma doesn't sound any more scary.

 

 

 

 

 

It's actually small pharma. The big players (Merck, Glaxo, Sanofi, Novartis, Eilly) have nearly all missed the corona bandwagon. Moderna, Biontech, Janssen, Sinopharm, Curevac, Novavax, Valneva are small companies, albeit often getting support from bigger firms.

[MadMac]

On 3/7/2021 at 12:08 AM, DonnyS said:

It's about your life , Guys . Im at USA . Already being vaccinated (Moderna)  Nonetheless ,  if I would be in Thailand I would pay as much as the market will

bear - to be healthy!!!

 

Absolutely up to you as they say here. There will always be Thailand understanders who are happy to defend rip offs, dual pricing, racism, scams....

Up to you! ????

Edited March 8, 2021 by MadMac

[graym]

6 hours ago, Bangkok Basha said:

May I ask what hospital contacted you?

 

 

Most likely Bumrungrad, a couple of my friends and myselrf got an email from them as well, we all replied...

[KhaoYai]

22 hours ago, Peter Denis said:

Until those dates - and pending approval - those taking them are in effect the Guinea pigs of these not yet approved experimental vaccines

Well I'm quite happy to be a Guinea Pig, I had my Oxford/Astra Zeneca jab yesterday - free and nobody was allowed to pay and jump the queue.

[shy coconut]

On 3/5/2021 at 8:35 AM, keith101 said:

The 2,000 will be for the cheapest (probably Sinovac) and going up from there and from 3,000 + for the rest  but wont tell you that till your getting the jab .

Is that what as stated in the email you received?

[KhaoYai]

On 3/7/2021 at 1:50 AM, robblok said:

If you want to come from the moral high ground then all vaccines should have been distributed equally.

If advocating fairness is taking the 'moral high ground' - guilty as charged.  I had my vaccine yesterday and I'd have happily donated it to someone in Africa for example, if that choice had been offered. I totally agree that all countries should be treated equally in this - hopefully this is now starting to take place through the Covax programme but more needs to be done.

[Bkk Brian]

Looks like the plan for private hospitals to import vaccines may take longer than suggested according to Dr Yong

 

Virologist Dr Yong Poovorawan has stepped in to explain why private companies are not yet allowed to import Covid-19 vaccine to Thailand.

 

He explained that the Thai and other governments around the world had registered Covid-19 vaccines for emergency use. This meant responsibility for any side effects from inoculation lay with the government, not the vaccine producers.

Therefore, Covid-19 vaccine can only be imported under the government’s contract.

Currently, vaccine producers will not negotiate with private purchasers who have no government authorisation.

However, Dr Yong said private companies will be permitted to export shots once Covid-19 vaccines are fully registered, with responsibility for any side effects passed to the producers.

 

https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30403446

[GroveHillWanderer]

14 hours ago, johnch99 said:

I don't know who told you that the Pfizer vaccine has few side affects, that is total rubbish many people have become ill after having it

Do you have any source for that claim?

 

According to everything I can find, when people have suffered side effects from the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, they have been overwhelmingly of the mild variety. There have been a few cases (roughly 1 in 1000,000) of severe allergic reactions - which were promptly and successfully treated by the attending medical staff.

 

For example, according to CDC statistics:

 

Quote

During December 14–23, 2020, monitoring by the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System detected 21 cases of anaphylaxis after administration of a reported 1,893,360 first doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.

[...]

Among 20 persons with follow-up information available, all had recovered or been discharged home. 

 

Out of those 21:

Quote

17 [were] persons with a documented history of allergies or allergic reactions, seven of whom had a history of anaphylaxis.

 

CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report

Edited March 8, 2021 by GroveHillWanderer

[Peter Denis]

3 hours ago, Bkk Brian said:

Looks like the plan for private hospitals to import vaccines may take longer than suggested according to Dr Yong

 

Virologist Dr Yong Poovorawan has stepped in to explain why private companies are not yet allowed to import Covid-19 vaccine to Thailand.

 

He explained that the Thai and other governments around the world had registered Covid-19 vaccines for emergency use. This meant responsibility for any side effects from inoculation lay with the government, not the vaccine producers.

Therefore, Covid-19 vaccine can only be imported under the government’s contract.

Currently, vaccine producers will not negotiate with private purchasers who have no government authorisation.

However, Dr Yong said private companies will be permitted to export shots once Covid-19 vaccines are fully registered, with responsibility for any side effects passed to the producers.

 

https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30403446

It is correct that the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are only approved for Emergency Use.

When stating that private companies will be permitted to export shots once Covid-19 vaccines are fully registered, dr Yong could have mentioned that

the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine has been given an “estimated study completion date” of Jan. 31, 2023 (here). For the COVID-19 vaccine created by Moderna, studies are expected to end on Oct. 27, 2022 (here)

So, it will be a loooooong wait before they are fully approved.

In meantime, when taking those vaccines you are actually a voluntary Guinea pig, as it will be the data collected during the emergency-use period which will determine whether the vaccine will be approved....