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Don't try to look for trade names, try the generic name instead

Google "Methylphenidate china" and you'll pick up a lot of stuff but you MUST contact the Chinese embassy before you make travel plans in order to clear import of any potentially dangerous drug with them.

It appears the drug is available from some larger hospitals but avoid local pharmacies as much of Asia is awash with fake drugs.

"From my research it appears that mailing prescriptions to China is prohibited and also that it's not possible to reliably obtain some US medications there. Is that correct? "

No.

I haven't had any trouble obtaining western medicines in China. Some of the medicines were highly controlled substances in the United States. Some were even not even available in the USA at all. All were available in both a western packaging with western prices, and the local generic Chinese equivalent.

My wife had a brain hemorrhage and almost died. She spent two months in the hospital and went through both Western and Chinese medicine regimes. We had no problem obtaining any medicine. The medicine both local and Western was first rate. The hospital was new and modern. It was a HK/China training hospital, and all the doctors spoke English. This was in Shenzhen.



In China, the idea of medicine is to provide healthful benefits for the Chinese population. In the United States it is a profit mechanism to make a lot of people very, very wealthy.

To give you some idea, the famous Viagra needs a prescription in the USA from a doctor. Then you must buy it with a price of $10 to $20/pill. Here in China you can get the exact same drug, without a prescription for about ten cents. It's just that the drug packaging will be in Chinese, made in China and marketed to the Chinese people.

Now this is what you should do.

Forget any crazy ideas about trying to get a US Doctor to over-prescribe, ship some things to China, or some other complex machination. Life is far too short for such nonsense.


She's going to be in China. Right? She has a medical condition. Right? So...

I would suggest that when your daughter arrives in Shanghai, she go to a local hospital with a Chinese speaking associate. Explain to them her situation. They will run some tests, and prescribe a Chinese equivalent treatment program. It will not be expensive. I would guess that an interview with a doctor might cost you from 15RMB to up to 120 RMB ($2 to $20). Medicines might run you another couple of hundred RMB if you opt for local generic Chinese versions, or the full-price for the real-deal USA brands.

That, by far, is the best solution to your issue.

There are many misconceptions about China. One of which is that everything is cheap, shoddy and dangerous. China is not what is reported on television. To put this in comparison, the average life span for an American male is 81 years. The average life span for a Chinese man is 95 years. That would not be possible with shoddy medicine would it?

Best of luck and best wishes. China is a good place, please don't worry so much. Your daughter will be just fine.