Buy Meds in Foreign Ports?

[Repositioner]

Most Caribbean ports now have numerous drug stores which claim to sell antibiotics, steroids, and other meds obtainable only by prescription in the US. Does anyone have first-hand experience with these?

Planning to visit Jamaica, Gd. Cayman, and Mexico next month.

Thanks!

[Dayenu]

When we stopped in Ensenada (Pacific side of Mexico) we docked, I walked off the ship... into pharmacy!

 

I didn't buy anything, just want to say, they know people want medications, and make it easy for us to buy.

[Cru1s1ng2009]

this is a great question. cant wait to see the responses. it may be a good idea to get some things not easily accessible here. i remember going to canada and getting 222's. i dont even remember what was in them but they were great pain meds. this was 20 years ago tho.

[dolittle]

I have also wondered about this, we went into a drug store somewhere in the Carb. and it was packed with people from the ship. Inside in english was a sign that listed hundreds of meds. it would say e.g. saloneex= percoset or other controled drugs in the U.S. I dont know if it is the same drug or a scam but they had everything and I mean ''everthing'' not allowed in the U.S.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I would never buy any medications from a foreign country. You have no idea were the medication was actually made -- or if it meets the quality control that we are used to in the states.

[Taxguy77]

I would never buy any medications from a foreign country. You have no idea were the medication was actually made -- or if it meets the quality control that we are used to in the states.

 

Some popular meds you buy in the U.S. are actually made in Mexico. Counterfeit drugs get into the supply chain in the U.S. as well as other countries. In Mexico, the generic version of popular brands should cost about one-third as much as the brand labled drug. If it's very cheap it may not be the same drug.

Walmart has lowered prices on so many things so much, or pharmacist in Mexico has told us we can buy certain drugs there (and other stores) cheaper than he can sell them. We used to buy 4 RX in Mexico; one has gone off patent and prices on the others have gone down so we only buy one there now.

[Midway Moo]

222's had codeine & aspirin.

[Cru1s1ng2009]

222's had codeine & aspirin.

no wonder I liked them, LOL.

[d_fargro]

It's probably safe to buy drugs in such pharmacies, but why would you buy prescription medicine duting a cruise? I'd say you should never go to another country without securing things like medicine.

[griffy116]

We bought antibiotics and retinol in Mexico. Reason for buying the antibiotics for "just in case" is a long story. An RN on our cruise had a spiral notebook with her list of meds for family/friends. She knew which were mfg in Mexico, sold in U.S. for 3X price, (i.e. just as safe as what we buy in the U.S.) The pharmacy was packed and must have made a fortune at the end of the day.

[Hlitner]

We live in Mexico for part of the year and there are some specific issues about buying durgs here without a prescription. Pharmacies are not permitted to sell any narcotic drugs (codene, hydrocodone, oxycodone, percocet, etc) without a valid prescription from a Mexican physician. There is also a new law (took effect last year) which severely restricts the ability to get anti-biotics without a valid script. This is a new law (apparently it did not apply to current inventory) but is now making it difficult to impossible to buy popular antibiotics without a script. The other issue has to do with cost. Most popular drugs that are still on patent are not really cheaper in Mexico and can even cost more. For example, Cipro will usually cost more here. Even popular drugs like ****** are quite costly here. And there is also the issue of counterfeit drugs (which may not even have the active ingredient) which is a bigger problem here then in the states. So it is important to deal with reputable pharmacies. There is a risk that the drugs you buy are not even what they say.....which can cause some major health problems. You might want to keep in mind that very popular retailers such as Walmart do have in-store pharmacies here.

 

Hank