Having Children's Tylenol and Motrin shipped

MilliVanilli

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Is it possible for my mom to ship us some children's Tylenol and Motrin in light of the medicine issue that popped up recently here in Indonesia. It would obviously be brand new in an unopened box shipped UPS. I just want to make sure that they wouldn't confiscate it and customs. If this seems like something that wouldn't work, what is the best way to go about getting reliable oral suspension medication for children under the age of five. We have half a bottle of Motrin right now, but I just worry because in the event of a high fever, you need both Tylenol and Motrin to fight it.

I tried Google and couldn't get a clean answer.
 
Is it possible for my mom to ship us some children's Tylenol and Motrin in light of the medicine issue that popped up recently here in Indonesia. It would obviously be brand new in an unopened box shipped UPS. I just want to make sure that they wouldn't confiscate it and customs. If this seems like something that wouldn't work, what is the best way to go about getting reliable oral suspension medication for children under the age of five. We have half a bottle of Motrin right now, but I just worry because in the event of a high fever, you need both Tylenol and Motrin to fight it.

I tried Google and couldn't get a clean answer.
Well...Motrin is ibuprofen...which if you're not too attached to the brand, you can get Ibuprofen in Indonesia (Jakarta) under the brand Prioris (it's 200mg/capsule). IF you must get those specific brands...you can try tokopedia (pretty much Indonesia's biggest and most complete online store or Shoppee) but two things: It's in Indonesian and....if you didn't have headaches before, wait until you see some of the prices on them (the sellers know some of us are pretty US brand fanatics...). I actually brought back a couple small boxes of Alka Seltzer with me from my June trip.
 
Is it possible for my mom to ship us some children's Tylenol and Motrin in light of the medicine issue that popped up recently here in Indonesia. It would obviously be brand new in an unopened box shipped UPS. I just want to make sure that they wouldn't confiscate it and customs. If this seems like something that wouldn't work, what is the best way to go about getting reliable oral suspension medication for children under the age of five. We have half a bottle of Motrin right now, but I just worry because in the event of a high fever, you need both Tylenol and Motrin to fight it.

I tried Google and couldn't get a clean answer.
I have spoken to some people in the pharma industry about this issue and they suspect the companies were using cheaper industrial-grade (not pharma-grade) ingredients.
If you stick with the bigger pharmaceutical companies you will likely not have to be worried as I imagine it was cheaper/ smaller companies making very cheap local products that caused this horrific issue.

The top 10 pharma manufacturers are (taken from a website so i don't know how accurate this is but seems right):
  • Dexa Medica 6.1%
  • Sanbe Farma 5.4%
  • Kalbe Farma 5.3%
  • Kimia Farma (including Phapros) 3.9%
  • Biopharma 3.8%
  • Novartis 2.9%
  • Novell Pharmaceutical Laboratories 2.9%
  • Lapi 2%
  • Interbat 2.0%
  • Ferron Pharmaceutical 1.9%

These were the products that the FDA (BPOM) have withdrawn from the market:
  1. Termorex Syrup (fever medicine), produced by PT Konimex with distribution license number DBL7813003537A1, box packaging, plastic bottle @60 ml.
  2. Flurine DMP Syrup (cough and flu medicine), produced by PT Yarindo Farmatama with distribution permit number DTL0332708637A1, box packaging, plastic bottle @60 ml.
  3. Unibebi Cough Syrup (cough and flu medicine), produced by Universal Pharmaceutical Industries with distribution license number DTL7226303037A1, Box packaging, Plastic Bottle @ 60 ml.
  4. Unibebi Fever Syrup (fever medicine), produced by Universal Pharmaceutical Industries with distribution license number DBL8726301237A1, Box packaging, Bottle @ 60 ml.
  5. Unibebi Fever Drops (fever medicine), produced by Universal Pharmaceutical Industries with distribution license number DBL1926303336A1, Box packaging, Bottle @ 15 ml.
You'll notice they aren't any of the big local companies - so I honestly believe you will be fine to stick with the local bigger companies. I actually work with a few of the ones on the list and have found them to be very trustworthy (but I'm not in pharma - I am in cosmetics).

It's hard to import anything here - at the very least you'll need to pay tax on the shipment (and admin charges too) - at worst they won't allow it to enter Indonesia due to it being a medicine that isn't registered here. It's easier to get things through when they come directly from a company (including invoices etc.) when I get anything delivered from an individual (e.g. my sister sent me tea bags and chocolate once) you need to send lots of info into the customs people yourself to get the release so I don't recommend doing it that way.
 
The best, and cheapest way to get foreign OTC meds is for someone to pack them in their bags and bring that way. Any foreign medication, be it OTC or prescription type is supposed to be accompanied by a pre aporoval document from BPOM and would be check with any carrier bringing it in, even for your personal use.

I would check with the larger Apotiks in your area to see if they carry an equivalent item. You could also search Mims to see what is compatable. Many OTC meds in other nations require a perscription from a doctor here. Many Apotiks ignore that unless it is a narcotic or a very specialized medication. I am pretty sure you can find what you need here.
 
Not allowed to ship cosmetics or pharmaceuticals
And anyway for this common over the counter things, they stock in Indonesia but maybe under a different name
Any good pharmacy will sell it, they have a thesaurus of drugs / names etc
Or even google / wiki will give you the alternative name

Common trade names in English-speaking markets are Tylenol and Panadol.

Paracetamol, also known as acetaminophen, or APAP, chemically named N-acetyl-p-aminophenol, is a widely used over-the-counter analgesic and antipyretic. Acetaminophen is the name adopted for this pharmacologic agent in the U.S. and Japan; paracetamol is approved in a variety of international venues. Common trade names in English-speaking markets are Tylenol and Panadol. Paracetamol is classified as a mild analgesic. It is commonly used for the relief of headaches and other minor aches and pains and is a major ingredient in numerous cold and flu remedies. In combination with opioid analgesics, paracetamol can also be used in the management of more severe pain such as post-surgical pain and providing palliative care in advanced cancer patients. Though paracetamol is used to treat inflammatory pain, it is not generally classified as an NSAID because it exhibits only weak anti-inflammatory activity. While generally safe for use at recommended doses, even small overdoses can be fatal. Compared to other over-the-counter pain relievers, paracetamol is significantly more toxic in overdose but may be less toxic when used chronically at recommended doses
 
Honestly if you go to any half decent pharmacy in a mall and ask the doc there for Tylenol she will say oh we don't have it but we have xyz brand or panadol etc
And it will be some ridiculously low price that you think is per tablet but is really for a strip of 10 or something
Even online you can get it, check Tokopedia etc or k24klik.com very good
 
It is impossible to send medicines from abroad. They will say you need the products to be tested and to receive a certificate from the ministry of health. They even said that to me when I was trying to send something that is already on sale here. So they just kept it, and probably sold it on shopee.
 
Even if they allowed it (which I doubt) you would get hit with a 30% import tax. Add in the crazy shipping costs and you would likely have the most expensive OTC medicine in Indonesia. Just don't buy syrups in the mean time. Crush a tablet and chase it with water if you have trouble with pills.
 
Well...Motrin is ibuprofen...which if you're not too attached to the brand, you can get Ibuprofen in Indonesia (Jakarta) under the brand Prioris (it's 200mg/capsule). IF you must get those specific brands...you can try tokopedia (pretty much Indonesia's biggest and most complete online store or Shoppee) but two things: It's in Indonesian and....if you didn't have headaches before, wait until you see some of the prices on them (the sellers know some of us are pretty US brand fanatics...). I actually brought back a couple small boxes of Alka Seltzer with me from my June trip.
This is definitely why I wanted to know, haha. I saw some Tylenol for like over 500000 and was like, nooooo. I don't even usually buy the brand name, I got the equate brand in America, so I'm just looking for something comparable. I'm worried about doing tablets because I'd hate to do too high a dose, but a friend is coming soon and I may get him to bring some.
 
I have spoken to some people in the pharma industry about this issue and they suspect the companies were using cheaper industrial-grade (not pharma-grade) ingredients.
If you stick with the bigger pharmaceutical companies you will likely not have to be worried as I imagine it was cheaper/ smaller companies making very cheap local products that caused this horrific issue.

The top 10 pharma manufacturers are (taken from a website so i don't know how accurate this is but seems right):
  • Dexa Medica 6.1%
  • Sanbe Farma 5.4%
  • Kalbe Farma 5.3%
  • Kimia Farma (including Phapros) 3.9%
  • Biopharma 3.8%
  • Novartis 2.9%
  • Novell Pharmaceutical Laboratories 2.9%
  • Lapi 2%
  • Interbat 2.0%
  • Ferron Pharmaceutical 1.9%

These were the products that the FDA (BPOM) have withdrawn from the market:
  1. Termorex Syrup (fever medicine), produced by PT Konimex with distribution license number DBL7813003537A1, box packaging, plastic bottle @60 ml.
  2. Flurine DMP Syrup (cough and flu medicine), produced by PT Yarindo Farmatama with distribution permit number DTL0332708637A1, box packaging, plastic bottle @60 ml.
  3. Unibebi Cough Syrup (cough and flu medicine), produced by Universal Pharmaceutical Industries with distribution license number DTL7226303037A1, Box packaging, Plastic Bottle @ 60 ml.
  4. Unibebi Fever Syrup (fever medicine), produced by Universal Pharmaceutical Industries with distribution license number DBL8726301237A1, Box packaging, Bottle @ 60 ml.
  5. Unibebi Fever Drops (fever medicine), produced by Universal Pharmaceutical Industries with distribution license number DBL1926303336A1, Box packaging, Bottle @ 15 ml.
You'll notice they aren't any of the big local companies - so I honestly believe you will be fine to stick with the local bigger companies. I actually work with a few of the ones on the list and have found them to be very trustworthy (but I'm not in pharma - I am in cosmetics).

It's hard to import anything here - at the very least you'll need to pay tax on the shipment (and admin charges too) - at worst they won't allow it to enter Indonesia due to it being a medicine that isn't registered here. It's easier to get things through when they come directly from a company (including invoices etc.) when I get anything delivered from an individual (e.g. my sister sent me tea bags and chocolate once) you need to send lots of info into the customs people yourself to get the release so I don't recommend doing it that way.
Thanks so much for this answer. This is definitely the one I needed. I will look into these others and perhaps when a friend comes to town we'll have them bring some.
 
It is impossible to send medicines from abroad. They will say you need the products to be tested and to receive a certificate from the ministry of health. They even said that to me when I was trying to send something that is already on sale here. So they just kept it, and probably sold it on shopee.
That's probably how the stuff I saw on Shoppee got there.
 
Thanks everyone for these responses. It's really helpful to know this stuff, especially BEFORE my kiddo gets sick. Nothing worse than trying to find all this out when shit had already hit the fan.
 
I prefer aspirin (not a trade mark in USA) and was unpleasantly surprised when it started to be very hard to find, not only here in Indonesia, but all over SE Asia. I searched in many drug stores before a helpful apothecary finally told me acetylsalicylic acid, ie aspirin, is cheap and easy to find here under the trade name Naspro - 4X300mg tablets for Rp1500, price printed right on the foil wrapper!
 
Is it possible for my mom to ship us some children's Tylenol and Motrin in light of the medicine issue that popped up recently here in Indonesia. It would obviously be brand new in an unopened box shipped UPS. I just want to make sure that they wouldn't confiscate it and customs. If this seems like something that wouldn't work, what is the best way to go about getting reliable oral suspension medication for children under the age of five. We have half a bottle of Motrin right now, but I just worry because in the event of a high fever, you need both Tylenol and Motrin to fight it.

I tried Google and couldn't get a clean answer.

You will not be able to import food, cosmetics, or medicine via cargo. If you want to bring stuff from abroad, you can carry it on your person or have someone bring it for you.
 
I bring bottles of Ibuprofen, Acetaminophen and similar in my luggage when flying back. I have chronic knee and back pain. 1000 pills for $8-10 USD.
 
Tylenol is paracetamol. To reduce fever for children, you can use Tempra (also paracetamol). They have different strengths for different ages and it comes in tasty liquid form. Easy to find in any pharmacy or alfamart/indomaret.

You do not need to combine both paracetamol and ibuprofen at the same time.

@gemima is right, stick to the main brands/manufacturers and you'll be fine.
 
Unless stated by the doctor, for antipyretic, analgesic there is no need for a branded item. This medications are very common and could easily be found anywhere.
 
Being sent by special delivery, Fedex or whatever, will almost assuredly see them confiscated.
 

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