Docetaxel Self Prescribed Usage, a family member wants to use it and buy it from India.

[PeterBryndwr]

Hi does any website have any genuine generic Docetaxel? My family member thinks so and is trying to find it online. I tell them that most things on IndiaMart will be fake medicines. Or am I wrong?

[MoonRocket]

This has to.be the most foolish thing I've read on this site. There are so many things that can go wrong I don't know where to start.

[PeterBryndwr in reply to MoonRocket]

I know I keep telling him not to even bother looking.

[WisdomSeeking]

Can't he simply go to MO/hospital where they would safely administrate the drug?

[PeterBryndwr in reply to WisdomSeeking]

He had private health treatment with Docetaxel and was only offered adt by the public healthcare. He went to Turkey for four months and had a kidney removed and chemo. Some cancer is left but it was reduced. Now he wants to find Docetaxel online and says he wants to take it for three years for the hip mets.

[Retireddoc]

I was going to reply but MoonRocket really said it for me. Insane idea.

[PeterBryndwr in reply to Retireddoc]

Yes and I have told him you can't just type Docetaxel into the internet and get genuine meds delivered for ultra cheap prices. The genuine meds cost thousands of dollars.

[jeetu_g27]

hindustantimes.com/cities/d...

Self administrating is dangerous , also please don't buy online from India mart , there is a lot of counterfeiting . You can check the above news

[PeterBryndwr in reply to jeetu_g27]

Thanks for your contribution.

[cigafred in reply to jeetu_g27]

True, but some chemists/drug stores in India are reliable, for example All-Day which I have used for years. But self-treating with docetaxel??? The technical term is "crazy."

[PeterBryndwr in reply to cigafred]

Yeah it's not at all safe thanks for your reply.

[Apisdorsata]

This is a potentially very toxic medication if not used by an experienced expert. Could be lethal, or certainly crippling if not given in proper doses and properly monitored. An appalling idea.

[PeterBryndwr in reply to Apisdorsata]

Yeah I think it could be fatal tbh or very damaging.

[Tamarind5270]

He could try it and if it causes a heart attack he could do open heart surgery on himself.

[Explorer08 in reply to Tamarind5270]

Excellent reply!

[j-o-h-n in reply to Tamarind5270]

Come to think of it, It would be less expensive......

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n

[Sunnysailor]

No it is not safe. There is a reason why they have a doctor, pharmacist, and two RN’s oversee the administration of this. My husband had allergic reaction twice and nearly died due to chemo. It damaged his heart too. This post gives me extreme anxiety and I implore your family member not to do this. I wish you success in talking them out of it.

[PeterBryndwr in reply to Sunnysailor]

Thanks for your reply. I have had chemo years ago, I'm in my 40s now and when I had a bone marrow transplant I developed very severe heart failure due to chemo. Docetaxel isn't as strong but it's still very risky.

[Spinel_Cutter]

Meds from India. The rest of the story:

It’s actually quite an old story. Countries can grant a “compulsory license,” to a manufacturer, literally forcing a drug patent holder to allow its sale in a country, such as India, for a fraction of the price. The basis of compulsory licensing is that any drug should be available at a price (locally) such that most of the folk that need it, get it.

Since we talk cancer here, I’ll use sorafenib (live/renal cancer) as an example, the year was 2012. Sorafenib then cost about US$ 8,000/month. A public interest group in India found that only about 2% of those who needed it could get it. So, the Indian government mandated compulsory licensing, forcing the manufacturer to allow its legal manufacture, and in return getting a royalty (I think it was about 6%).

The process is complex. Brazil was able to force the sale of an early HIV drug because, well, Brazil is big which gave Brazil bargaining power. This has held true also with Thailand and Egypt. Egypt had 9 million people infected with Hepatitis C caused by reusing hypodermics. Early on treatment cost $US 84,000 per person, and did cure the disease. Today, total cost is $336, that’s 1/250th of original cost.

Let me give an example, “closer to home.” Next to me are 3 sealed boxes of Orgovyx. They are called Relugolix in India and made by Cipla, one of the world’s leading drug manufactures. The legal MRP (selling price) is listed on the box as 8900. 8900 Rupees = $US 105.00. I actually paid $120 for each box.

How can this be? Well, the MSRP in USA is $2834 for each month (30 tabs). I was told that I should be happy because my “share,” on Medicare Advantage was a mere $900 per month. My out-of-pocket max on drugs this year is $7.500. I was not happy. And, coincidentally I need to take week long class in Mumbai, India. So, I took my medical records, paid about $50 to see on oncologist who wrote a script, and I bought 3 months of meds. Three months of meds with a doctor script is legal to import back into the US by a citizen. My savings for 3-months = $900 – 105 x 3 = $2385.

My Oncologist here in USA wrote a script and sent it off to the Pharmacy. He does not care where the meds came from. Yet, I was not about to start taking cancer meds without his permission and oversight, which brings us back to OP.

OP’s med is injectable. Can he go to India and buy 3-months’ worth, and return with it, after seeing a doc and getting a prescription? Yes. Yet, my Oncologist doesn’t even care or even know just where my Orgovyx came from—but OP’s med must be injected IV. If OP finds a doc, a PA or APRN who agrees to do the IV and also oversight (for instance, follow-up blood tests) he too could do this, and do it legally, or one might say quasi-legally.

One hears: “OMG, it is probably made in a bucket in India.” Nope, my Orgovxy is every bit as good as Orgovyx sold in the USA for the $900 co-pay. In fact, I daresay that it’s likely that the branded Orgovyx sold in the USA is manufactured by Cipla.

Might OP get some “fake” med, off of IndiaMart? Yes, it’s possible. Buying it mail-order is fraught with issues, including things like was the meds stuck in a container and subjected to high heat or low temperature? Might the seller simply take the money and run?

Caveat emptor.

One last note: I paid $105/month for my Orgovyx. Median monthly income in USA is $4935. Median monthly income in India is 27300INR (US$325). 4935/325 = ~15.

Therefore, if one were to look from the point of view of let’s say, “economic fairness/parity” then if Orgovyx sells for $2834 / 15 = $189, not really that far from reality. Food for thought?

Fairness? "Cancer outcomes are clearly related to where one lives. Patients with breast cancer in the United States have a 5-year overall survival of 84%, whereas, in Gambia, 5-year overall survival is only 12%." (Use the verbiage to find the source).

[PeterBryndwr in reply to Spinel_Cutter]

Thanks so much for your detailed reply. I do in fact source his abiraterone from a pharmacy in India. And I was aware of the law in India regarding access to medicines. Yes I agree some are safe but they must be bought from a pharmacy. The pharmacy I found for my uncle to get abiraterone does not supply Docetaxel and highly recommends to me that I am very careful.

[85745 in reply to Spinel_Cutter]

Where do you go to buy the Orgovyx ? Do they ship to US

[Spinel_Cutter in reply to 85745]

Read a bit closer, please. I traveled to Mumbai to take a required course. While there, I met with a medical oncologist who wrote a prescription, went to a pharmacist, bought my Orgovyx and later, flew back to America. I have no idea who, on Indiamart ships or who is reputable or not.

[85745 in reply to Spinel_Cutter]

Ok thanks

[Maxone73]

I think someone supplying docetaxel to a private citizen who is not at least an MD should end up in jail.

[Teacherdude72]

I will echo several others and say this has to be the most insane and down right stupid idea. Issues beyond a few and downright dangerous.Too bad you can't buy life insurance on him to benefit you 'cause it's a sure bet.