My Zydus Sirolimus arrived today after just three weeks in transit! Screenshots below of the tracking info for those who are curious what that looks like. Also the person I ordered from. Cost was $1 per milligram pill. I ordered 40 strips of 6 pills each and got a box of strips. Is this how it arrives for others? I expected it would be in a Zydus box, but I guess that’s not how I ordered it. Next time I guess I’ll order a box. (How many Zydus Sirolimus in a box?)
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It all looks very legit, foil and small print, etc.
As Rapa Admin says, counterfeiters have much higher margin pills to spoof. Since India legitimately produces a lot of quality pharma, it’s easiest for our middlemen to send us the real thing verses making fakes for just a dollar a pill.
That logic makes sense to me.
I checked my blood levels after a dose ( I use Bio Con from India ) and I can assure you that the active ingredient is in there.
As you say, it’s possible there is contamination since we have no proof, but it would be a tiny dose of contamination. What could they have that is so bad, floating around the facility. To be as scary as you make it sound they would have to be trying to kill us.
Also I started out trying to buy Rapa cheap from Canadian Pharmacy and paid nearly $4/mg and got the same Bio con packaging as came from Jagdish.
Just my 2 cents.
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Indeed it wouldn’t seem plausible that they’re taking the measures to a) provide legitimate rapamycin; and b) create 1st world class facilities so that the first world buys more - yet put toxic chemicals in your meds.
India highly values education, especially engineering. I can’t imagine a scenario where a legit facility allows toxic impurities. They have an stock market and a duty to their investors to not f*ck around with the product they create.
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I wouldn’t touch rapa from China with a ten foot pole, much less ingest it. India, from a large and established pharma brand? I’m on board.
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Mike, the above statement is correct but what you seem to be missing is that a huge percentage of the generic drugs used and sold in the USA and elsewhere are made in India with APIs (active pharmaceutical ingredients) from China.
I believe that generic drugs are by volume 80% of the market and india makes 40% of the generics.
And…
India accounts for the lion’s share of the world’s active ingredient manufacturing plants for generic drugs, which account for 90% of the drugs Americans take.Mar 29, 2022
If you visit the Biocon site and explore it a little, perhaps you will have more confidence in them as a supplier. The Biocon/Rapacan sirolimus tablets along with Zydus tablets have been analyzed in the past, albeit not lately.
I have used both the Rapacan and Zydus tablets with no discernable difference.
I think the risk factor for these two products is low. After using both, I have decided not to pursue the more expensive and harder-to-get Zydus.
The fact is Biocon has a presence in many countries including the U.S. and Britain.
Pfizer, who I admit I love to hate for their price gouging, witness their new covid vaccine price hikes and past shady shenanigans, has facilities in India.
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I actually also have some concerns about the general quality of all generics manfactured in India and china because the FDA does not review and monitor the India manufacturer facilities in a rigorous manner as the do in the USA.
But this issue is with all generics coming out of India and not just the ones we purchase from india pharmacies.
See Why and How to Test Your Rapamycin for Purity, Dosage and Contaminants
I still take generic medications from India as i think the risk is relatively low, but i wish there was a better system for getting low cost, guaranteed high quality medicine in the usa.
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I certainly don’t have any particular faith in U.S. pharma.
The FDA is the only thing standing between you and shoddy cost-saving practices by big pharma and the FDA has not proven to be all that reliable.
10 Biggest Pharmaceutical Settlements in History
As for U.S. compound pharmacies, here is a little gem:
New England Compounding Center Meningitis Outbreak – United States (2012)
https://www.topmastersinpublichealth.com/10-biggest-medical-scandals-in-history/
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