Today Mrs Stroppy and I learned something useful about purchasing pharmaceuticals in Phnom Penh.

We normally shop at the chemist on the corner of Sihanouk Bvd and 173, across the road from Wat Moha Montrei (or drop this into Google Maps: 11.555609, 104.912305) for the range of products, even though we know it's pricey.

We parked in front of the chemist right next door on 173 and though we'd have a quick look - glad we did. An example, Stilnox (Zolpidem) tablets were $7 cheaper for the same packet of 20 as the place on the corner. Another positive is that their products are priced, so the cost is not calculated by the shade of your skin.

Obviously not earth-shattering news, but someone might find it useful.

Incidentally, anyone know where to get Accuchek Performa test strips at much less than $11 for 25 strips?

Old problem. There are many reasons for different prices (mostly it's "white skin surcharge"). When I am in Phnom Penh, I usually use one of the pharmacies here:

https://www.google.com/maps/@11.5692219 ... a=!3m1!1e3

They don't cheat....but the name of the western product usually doesn't help.....you have to know the name of the substance, and they will provide you with a cheap generic.

https://www.google.com/maps/@11.5691084 ... gRZtFA!2e0

Francis wrote:Old problem. There are many reasons for different prices (mostly it's "white skin surcharge"). When I am in Phnom Penh, I usually use one of the pharmacies here:

https://www.google.com/maps/@11.5692219 ... a=!3m1!1e3

They don't cheat....but the name of the western product usually doesn't help.....you have to know the name of the substance, and they will provide you with a cheap generic.

https://www.google.com/maps/@11.5691084 ... gRZtFA!2e0

Didn't know about that area, will have a look - thanks. We always take the brand and product names with us, and have noticed that Cambodian pharmacies tend to store drugs in English-alphabetical order.

To date I haven't bothered shopping around too much, just been happy to be able to find my specific medication, but now I know I can get it it's time to look harder. Some of the generic products for diabetes cost the same as in Australia, surely there has to be cheaper sources.

Yes, indeed. That area along 136 from Calmette (east side of Tmei) to Norodom must have 8-10 pharmacies. Have shopped at Sokserey most times I'm in PP as well as when a resident. The one on the northwest corner of 136 and 51 is good on price. Of course, if you want a brand name, U-care at the corner of Norodom works, but you do pile up the dollar bills there.

And the money changers are everywhere around there, too.

ExPenhMan wrote:Yes, indeed. That area along 136 from Calmette (east side of Tmei) to Norodom must have 8-10 pharmacies. Have shopped at Sokserey most times I'm in PP as well as when a resident. The one on the northwest corner of 136 and 51 is good on price. Of course, if you want a brand name, U-care at the corner of Norodom works, but you do pile up the dollar bills there.

And the money changers are everywhere around there, too.

Cheers, I'll have a look.

Just give it a try....it's next to the central market......I always called it "pharmacy street". Plenty of pharmacies left and right. They have almost everything (Accuchek Performa test strips probably not - no idea......but I guess there is some substitute for blood sugar tests). As a rule of thumb (unless you got too much money) do not go for registered western products........e.g. ask for "Valium"....surely they have it for the original price....ask for "diazepam" and you get it for a fraction of the price from India and so its almost with everything. And as I have said....they don't cheat (I have never been cheated there for just 1 Riel)


P.S.: you also could try that one:
https://www.google.com/maps/@11.5729262 ... nT0-oA!2e0

It's near the "skunk market" (they call it old market, I guess)..........the stinkiest market in Phnom Penh. That pharmacy is also very fair, and they have helped me a lot when I had a triple foot fracture and a sepsis after an accident. Very nice, honest people.

Username Taken wrote:For years, the pharmacies that could always be trusted were

Le Garre - near the railway station
<name forgotten> - next to Lucky on Sihanouk

Beware of fake pharmaceuticals in this country. Don't let the 'professional' packaging fool you. Hopefully, if you got a wrongun you would quickly know from experience that it ain't the real mccoy.

I actually spotted Le Garre a couple of days ago on the way out to Toul Kork, I'll have a look.

Yeah, permanently aware of the fake drugs, can't afford to be dropping placebos (or worse) in a developing country.

Username Taken wrote: Beware of fake pharmaceuticals in this country.

This is of course absolutely true........but it depends on your location. I wouldn't trust some hawker's trays somewhere in the middle of the Cambodian prairie. In Phnom Penh or other big cities I have never encountered a problem with generics (the opposite is the case......I always got the feeling that the Indian generics sold here are better than the original).

The bad news is my local Pharmacists has just stopped selling Strepsils

They will be sorely missed.