Today was one of my favorite days to date! We went to Mahidol University in Bangkok and met Kit (from Knight Rider), who is a pharmacist and also a professor at the University's School of Pharmacy. This University is home to about 700 pharmacy students from all over Thailand. Kit discussed with us the history behind pharmacy in Thailand and some very interesting facts about how pharmacy is very different but also very similar to practicing pharmacy in the US.
Did you know the majority of people from Thailand have access to medications free of cost? Yep! The government covers a large amount of medications, excluding chemotherapy medications, administered to Thai people who are in need. Also prices in medication is also vastly different. If you were to purchase azithromycin in the states it would cost about $20 USD. If you were to buy the same medication in a Thai pharmacy is costs 120 baht, thats about $4 USD! The structure of the pharmacy school itself is the same as the states as it is also a six year program.
Kit did a great job explaining the role of pharmacy in Thailand and how they are not too far behind the US in this department because of how much the US has come to the aid of Thailand. He also showed us all around their school and it is huge!! One of the coolest parts was the machinery they possess to teach students how to manufacture medications such as tablets.
Here is a picture of us trying some tablets that were hot off the press, used for cough suppression!
Raatrie Sawat Krab!
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