Job Discussion Forums

[SimonH]

Hi all.

I am an Insulin dependant diabetic who will probably soon be working in China.

I wonder if anyone had any information regarding the availability of Insulin - is it available over the conter or by prescription only?
If its available over the conter I would like to know how expensive it is.

Does anyone know the general peception of diabetes in China as I have not yet informed my potential emloyers over my condition. The reason for this is that I don't want to scupper my chances of getting a job over a knee-jerk reaction.

Is there any reason why I should (or should not) inform my them?

For those with any knowledge on the subject I can say that i am highly controlled - keeping my blood sugars within limits all the time.

Many thanks in advance for any advice given.

Simon.

[klasies]

SimonH

Hi there, good question, unfortunately I can't give any advice, but I noticed you are new to the forum, so welcome brother and I hope someone can give you some solid advice! Suffice to say I don't think it will be a problem, maybe it will be good to get a postion in a big city though, some small places such as where I am, may not have what you need.

Cheers
Andre

[ESL Guru]

We have an American diabetic working at a sister uni across town. PM me and I will give you his email address.

[chinasyndrome]

Hi Simon!

Welcome to our nightmare!

Andre, who swiped my avatar and now keeps whining about mine, is on the money for a change. Big cities may offer a bit more safety. Some repeat some smaller cities can be a bit dodgey on required medicines, and others can be outright deadly. 18 months ago I got a Hep booster that turned out to be saline. It was a stinger going in and fortunately I have a doctor friend here (I originally went to a private clinic) who tested their brew. Of course, it wasn't their mistake. Yeah, right. I can metabolize Hep shots into salt. Careful, brother.

[MyTurnNow]

I am not diabetic myself but I've managed teachers who were.

My info suggests that insulin is pretty widely available here, but sometimes finding or matching Western types can be very difficult. If you can use an older tried-and-true formulation then you will probably be fine; if you must have the latest and greatest then you may not be able to find it.

One of my current teachers is dating a Chinese doctor; if you want to inquire about a specific formulation feel free to PM me and I'll see what I can find out for you.

Please be aware that medical practice here is usually pretty brutal and a bit primitive compared to that of the West. So is quality control in many retail establishments of all kinds. If you require close attention or frequent medical interaction you may want to reconsider coming here.

There is also currently another factor...due to SARS fears those Chinese friends who are normally very willing to help you do things may be completely unwilling to come within 5 nautical miles of a hospital...and that's where the doctors and clinics are here. How's your medical Chinese?

MT

[SimonH]

Thanks for the info folks.

I have researched the general insulin availability of my particular type. It's available over there so I'm not going to need anything thats not already on the market (so to speak).
What I really want to know is whether its over the counter or prescription and its cost.

My decision to tell my employers about my diabetes before I reach China is still pending....

[ESL Guru]

Chinese people do not generally like surprises, particularly sick foreigners showing up on their doorstep. With SARS, which they originally claimed was brought to China by an American, tell your employer up front. It may lose you a job but save you a whole lot of other problems.