Hi all,
Anyone know if Valtrex (herpes medication) is sold over-the-counter without a prescription in Taiwan? I know all pharmacies in the mainland sell it without a prescription. Wondering if it’s the same for Taiwan.
Thanks in advance!
On this page, the entry for Valtrex reads “須由醫師處方使用” or “must be prescribed by a doctor.” That’s becoming less flexible here; in my memory it was like you describe China maybe ten years ago but things are changing.
It may Depend on the pharmacy and your relationship with the pharmacist. There are plenty of time I skip the doctor because I know what I need and just got the pharmacist to order it for me even if a prescription is needed.
But if you’re not a local or ABC, they probably won’t.
That’s debatable 
Though maybe you know something I don’t.
Your newer-looking, professionally staffed pharmacy seems likely to demand a prescription these days.
I think it depends on the culture of the pharmacy as a whole. I’ve met ones that don’t care at all and are eager to get you anything that isn’t tightly checked. Others, they will ask for a prescription. From what I understand from a pharmacist is that they get checked from time to time. But the person that comes to check really only check on things like opiates or benzodiazepines, drugs with recreational use and can be resold and smuggled for profit. But they can still get in trouble for giving you something that needed a prescription. So they might not feel comfortable if you’re a foreigner with not much Chinese skills.
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I prescribe zovirax to my patients suffering from herpes simplex . Zovirax is Acyclovir. Valtrex is Valaciclovir (Acyclovir + Valine). Both work well for for herpes simplex and herpes zoster. I am located in Taipei. Happy to prescribe and dispense this to you. It costs only NT$10 per pill. Patients typically take one pill every 4 hours (6 pills per day) I usually prescribe a 5-7 day course of treatment.
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Thank you Lotus425, good to know! I currently take 500mg Valtrex daily (suppression therapy), one pill a day. Do you have this as well? From what I understand, Acyclovir doesn’t have this daily suppression therapy option, is that correct?
I only prescribe to treat herpes breakout. Don’t put patient on this drug long term due to possible of kidney problems. If you want to be on this drug for long periods of time. Lab work consisting of serum BUN/Creatinine and ASL/ALT must be done monthly. I am just more cautious than most colleagues. Don’t always believe 100% what big pharma tells me
Most pharmacies will sell you whatever you are willing to buy, a few say no and you just go next door lol
Mind you I’m out in the sticks, Taipei pharmacies likely won’t. Plus I don’t recommend that to others considering how cheap registration fees are for doctors.
Do you always tell a girl you have it?
Kind of a tricky situation if you pass it on to someone else…
Which pharmacy are you at in Taipei?
My dad asks me to buy meds for his prostate issues, and these are clearly prescription only. I live in Taipei, where I have walked into 4 different pharmacies without a scrip and, after I tell them what I need, the only thing I am ever asked is “50mg or 150mg?”
Similarly, when I have run out of my own daily meds before I make it to my next doctor’s visit, I have made a trip to a pharmacy to buy some to hold me over. I do bring along my previous prescriptions, in case I need to re-assure the pharmacist. No questions asked.
I barely speak Mandarin, so it’s very obvious to them I am not from here. But I do know precisely what I need and why, and what I need are maintenance meds for chronic issues.
I appreciate their pragmatism. I suppose if I seemed unsure of what I wanted or if I was asking for drugs that are typically abused, their reactions would differ. And they know that we have a strong cost incentive to use the insurance system for prescription medications – when I have bought my meds without a scrip, the sticker shock always gets me.
Are you referring to Anastrozole?
No script needed for it.
There is a local and imported(more expensive) version.
Hey, I’m from Seattle and I just came across your comment on here while doing some research on where to get hsv-2 outbreak medication. I landed in Taipei (staying with family near 士林two days ago, and yesterday I just had an outbreak. Unfortunately I had completely forgotten to pack my Valtrex with me.
I’m currently experiencing an extremely painful breakout and I’m staying with my moms side of family, so don’t feel too comfortable making a doctors appointment while staying with them(they’ll ask me why I’m going… and will assume the worst).
Could I possibly buy some from you without a prescription? What store are you located at?
I am a doctor working at a community hospital near the Taipei Dome area (Song Shan District). The law requires prescription and medical charting to dispense medication. Healthcare is cheap in Taiwan. I can help you Monday morning and get you the meds if you can come in to see me.
line id: wang_kenneth
Hey lotus 425. Are you still out there? My girlfriend has shingles (zoster) on her abdomen. It’s quite painful. It’s been less than 72h since onset. Any chance you could help her with a script for famciclovir or similar. No drug allergies. Line ID: Jules Taipei
Most pharmacies here sell prescription drugs without a prescription, I gotten my blood pressure pills this way. They also sell viagra without prescription but neither drugs are abuse prone. I imagine benzo is different