Pharmacies Abroad

[boscobeans]

We have done several TA, Med, and Mexico cruises and it ceases to amaze us the amount of passengers that make a beeline to the nearest pharmacy once they're in port. Just curious why? Are you able to buy certain meds without a Rx, if so what are the common ones that would drive these folks to pharmacies, ie: ED, Diabetes, Inhalers etc etc ?? Just curious, we enjoy the local sights and attractions before going anywhere else.

 

 

Belize... Pretty much ANYTHING you want and can pay for..

 

OMO

bosco

[Bizmark'sMom]

Even though I have prescription coverage, I buy asthma inhalers when I'm abroad. My preventative costs $250 per month here in the States. It costs about $35 elsewhere. Same medication, same manufacturer. I know plenty of people who buy migraine medication in Mexico. They save $100s.

 

You might get hassled if you were bringing all sorts of narcotics back across the border. Nobody's going to stop you for asthma inhalers, allergy meds, or migraine meds.

[navybankerteacher]

You have just as much of a chance of getting counterfeit meds at home as you do out of the US.

 

 

Do you really think that there is as much likelihood of a US pharmacy selling counterfeit meds as one in, say, Mazatlan?

 

Do you really??????????

[calliopecruiser]

I do think there's as much chance in the US as abroad. In one particular city, no the odds aren't the same, but that wasn't what was said, nor what the response said. Do you think the odds of getting counterfeit drugs are greater in Lisbon than in Miami? I don't think so.

 

 

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[KittyKat13]

Just so you know....my heart patient husband hits the "donut hole" with our drug coverage quickly because of expensive drugs. We order meds from Canada and purchase when cruising. You just have to check manufacturers as they are USUALLY from the US in the exact packaging. Some of them come through Canada but arrive from say INDIA. They are US manufacturers and work beautifully. When you can purchase 4 months internationally for the price of 1 month at a local pharmacy....what would you do!

[cruising cockroach]

A lo of generics are being made in India but there has been a problem with QC (or rather, lack thereof). One outfit was simply getting its QC people to reboot analytical machines until they got the results desired.

 

As far as reducing costs in the U.S., ask for generics if possible. If available go to Costco (don't need a membership for the pharmacy, reportedly) and get it filled there vs a local pharmacy. Savings can be substantial.

 

Also ask a pharmacist how much your prescription costs if you pay yourself rather than co-pay through a benefits administrator. There's reportedly a law forbidding your pharmacy from offering the information unless you ask.

 

As for direct importation (usually from Canada), the U.S Senate voted to defeat Bernie Sanders' bill permitting such.

 

On another forum, someone needs a DIabetes Type II medication which isn't available as a generic. As he isn't covered whole year by the medication, his last quarter of pills will run USD 450. In Canada, the same drug is available at 1/2 as much (possibly half as much in CAD).

[sanger727]

 

Also ask a pharmacist how much your prescription costs if you pay yourself rather than co-pay through a benefits administrator. There's reportedly a law forbidding your pharmacy from offering the information unless you ask.

 

).

 

 

I'm not sure what you are implying but have certainly paid less than our copay when the cost of the med is less than our copay. No questions required.

 

 

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[Talex831]

Telling you that you were wrong is not condescending. Just accept your error, learn something new, and move on.......

 

 

 

I guess you're just the type who cannot state things in a kind manner like the other poster who pointed out my information was incorrect without stating I was VERY wrong. Again, your superior attitude is telling.

 

 

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[Talex831]

That's not the case. Big Pharma has different prices in every country, with the prices in the US often being much higher than anywhere else.

 

Bloomberg article specific to Epipen. $600 in the US, $69 in the UK.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-09-29/epipen-s-69-cost-in-britain-shows-other-extreme-of-drug-pricing-itnvgvam

 

According to this article, though, Epipen is not available in Mexico and its ingredient, epinephrine, is only available at hospitals, clinics and specialists.

 

http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/news/valley/article_e5e24d34-7233-11e6-9409-6f17db7e5912.html

 

 

 

That's really crazy! Somebody's making a whole lot of money!

 

 

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[Talex831]

I have prescription drug coverage so there's no need to shop pharmacies abroad.

 

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We have Rx coverage too, but nothing kicks in until we meet our $4600 annual deductible. We've met it once in the past 4 years! Ugh! Love that we're paying for premiums we never get to use! At least we're covered in the event we need it.

 

 

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[zqvol]

Do you really think that there is as much likelihood of a US pharmacy selling counterfeit meds as one in, say, Mazatlan?

 

Do you really??????????

 

 

Yes, I think you have just as much of a chance of getting counterfeit meds in this country as you do in Mexico. The problems occur higher up the supply chain, not at the store level, and it is just as likely to happen in the US as anywhere else. I can't understand why people think that the drug supply is any more tainted outside of this country than it is in this country. Large numbers of drugs sold in the US are not even manufactured in the US.

[calliopecruiser]

I guess you're just the type who cannot state things in a kind manner like the other poster who pointed out my information was incorrect without stating I was VERY wrong. Again, your superior attitude is telling.

 

 

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Not superior, just pragmatic. I don't mind being told I'm wrong when I'm wrong. Being wrong is the one of the common ways to get to being right.

[calliopecruiser]

That's really crazy! Somebody's making a whole lot of money!

 

 

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Probably the insurance companies ;)

[cruising cockroach]

I'm not sure what you are implying but have certainly paid less than our copay when the cost of the med is less than our copay. No questions required.

 

 

I am mistaken. Under contractual agreements, pharmacists are not allowed to initiate an offer for you to pay for your own drugs if it is cheaper than co-pay through a benefits manager.

 

 

 

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-02-24/sworn-to-secrecy-drugstores-stay-silent-as-customers-overpay

[cruising cockroach]

Probably the insurance companies ;)

 

 

Mylan's investors, which my include insurance companies. Price was $100 per 2-pack in 2008 and at $600 per 2-pack last year. The CEO's pay went up 7x to $19m a year.

 

Lots of people like Heather Bresch and Martin Shkreli.

 

Good news though. CVS is selling a generic:

 

http://www.webmd.com/allergies/news/20170112/cvs-price-epipen-generic

[KittyKat13]

Hi Crusin Cockroach....what your reply said is what we do...we refuse insurance on RX that are cheaper if we purchase as cash re:our SAMs club card. COstco is not in our area and would be over an hour and half from us. If you are Medicare....just so you are aware (I was not until this past year). As you pay for prescriptions, what YOU pay and what your insurance company pays is ADDED TOGETHER and goes toward your donut hole. That is $3,300 and then you get the HONOR of paying MORE for each drug until you hit over $5,000 in drug expense....then your drug insurance kicks back in again. My husband has THREE drugs after his heart surgery that are new and there is no generic. Most of them are close to $1,000 EACH for a 30 or 60 day supply. This destroys your insurance possibility in about 60 days...but you still get to pay your premiums with no drug assistance for costs. So that is why we buy drugs from Canada and abroad. THEY ARE THE SAME CALIBRE THAT ARE AVAILABLE IN THE US plus they are usually the EXACT same packaging from the US. Other countries can purchase our drugs LESS THAN WE CAN PURCHASE THEM IN THE US.

[thinfool]

Hi Crusin Cockroach....what your reply said is what we do...we refuse insurance on RX that are cheaper if we purchase as cash re:our SAMs club card. COstco is not in our area and would be over an hour and half from us. If you are Medicare....just so you are aware (I was not until this past year). As you pay for prescriptions, what YOU pay and what your insurance company pays is ADDED TOGETHER and goes toward your donut hole. That is $3,300 and then you get the HONOR of paying MORE for each drug until you hit over $5,000 in drug expense....then your drug insurance kicks back in again. My husband has THREE drugs after his heart surgery that are new and there is no generic. Most of them are close to $1,000 EACH for a 30 or 60 day supply. This destroys your insurance possibility in about 60 days...but you still get to pay your premiums with no drug assistance for costs. So that is why we buy drugs from Canada and abroad. THEY ARE THE SAME CALIBRE THAT ARE AVAILABLE IN THE US plus they are usually the EXACT same packaging from the US. Other countries can purchase our drugs LESS THAN WE CAN PURCHASE THEM IN THE US.

 

Yep, when they set up Part D, one of the stipulations was that Medicare could not negotiate pricing. Basically it has to pay the rack rate.

Allowing the fox to be in the hen house when you set up a prescription drug program is wonderful....no?

[cruising cockroach]

Yep, when they set up Part D, one of the stipulations was that Medicare could not negotiate pricing. Basically it has to pay the rack rate.

Allowing the fox to be in the hen house when you set up a prescription drug program is wonderful....no?

 

 

Hey, have to pay off all the pharmaceutical lobbyists and political donours? Wasn't this law with the famous donut enacted by one of the Bushes?

[sanger727]

I am mistaken. Under contractual agreements, pharmacists are not allowed to initiate an offer for you to pay for your own drugs if it is cheaper than co-pay through a benefits manager.

 

 

 

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-02-24/sworn-to-secrecy-drugstores-stay-silent-as-customers-overpay

 

 

Yeah, not sure how accurate or widespread it is. We don't use any of the health care plans listed in that article but I do primarily use optumrx. My copay for a 3 month generic is $20, but over the last couple years they have only been charging me $7 something... so assuming that is the actual cost. We have had the same experience at Walgreens so it may depend on the insurance provider.

 

 

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[electro]

What about ( Epipen ) in 2013 it cost me $300.00 for 2 I didn't use it,

now it is 600.00, Should I get them while I'm there ? Thanks for the suggestion.

 

 

 

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they are 20 euros in Italy. Not sure if you need a prescription.

[sail7seas]

Just so you know....my heart patient husband hits the "donut hole" with our drug coverage quickly because of expensive drugs. We order meds from Canada and purchase when cruising. You just have to check manufacturers as they are USUALLY from the US in the exact packaging. Some of them come through Canada but arrive from say INDIA. They are US manufacturers and work beautifully. When you can purchase 4 months internationally for the price of 1 month at a local pharmacy....what would you do!

 

Very helpful post.

Does your Dh;s doctor write a new rx for you to send to Canada to get his heart meds ? Or do you just order what \y ou know to be the generic (name for the med) in his prescrbed dose

Edited February 28, 2017 by sail7seas

[VTX-AL]

In Canada you can buy many codeine products over the counter for headaches (think Tylenol 3) for backaches try Robaxacet 8, cough medicines. However, don't try buying Neosporin over the counter in Canada, that requires a prescription. The price is much cheaper too.

 

This is COMPLETELY incorrect . Here in British Columbia, Tylenol 3 and all other products containing codeine require a prescription and Neosporin is over the counter. I use both of those products, especially T3 on a regular basis for arthritis.:(

 

...VTX-Al

[sail7seas]

This is COMPLETELY incorrect . Here in British Columbia, Tylenol 3 and all other products containing codeine require a prescription and Neosporin is over the counter. I use both of those products, especially T3 on a regular basis for arthritis.:(

 

...VTX-Al

 

 

 

 

Some friends b ought T3 in Quebec City without a prescription. She simply wnrt to the pharmac y counter, asked for the nuumb er ofttablets she wanted and bought them.

[sail7seas]

This is COMPLETELY incorrect . Here in British Columbia, Tylenol 3 and all other products containing codeine require a prescription and Neosporin is over the counter. I use both of those products, especially T3 on a regular basis for arthritis.:(

 

...VTX-Al

 

 

 

 

No, it is not completely i ncorrect for Eastern Canada .Some friends b ought T3 in Quebec City without a prescription. She simply went to the pharmac y counter, asked for the nuum er ttablets she wanted and bought them.

[jocap]

they are 20 euros in Italy. Not sure if you need a prescription.

They're about ?40 in the UK, but you have to have an EU prescription.

We were able to buy a similar product, Jext- which is another brand offered in the UK along with Epipen- for around ?30 in Spain last year without a prescription.

Edited February 28, 2017 by jocap
Pound and euro signs came out as question marks ? ?