Prescription Drugs From Mexico

Many seniors travel to Mexico for more than a vacation. For many, especially those who live along the southern border a trip to Mexico can mean medication cost savings. Even with the newly enacted Medicare Part D prescription plan many seniors still find medication costs to be a financial burden. They may not yet be old enough to be eligible for Medicare, they may have hit the "doughnut hole" in the Medicare plan and cannot afford to pay full retail price. They may also need medications that are not covered under their Medicare drug plan (some antidepressants are excluded from coverage).

If you decide to travel to Mexico to buy your prescription medications be sure to follow the rules set up for bringing them back and be careful when buying them. Most border towns have many Pharmacies lining their main streets. You will find the prices to be competitive at most of these pharmacies. Experienced travelers will warn you to stay away from those pharmacies that are off the usual tourist paths, especially if the prices seem to be much lower. You may find you are not getting what you are paying for.

A 1998 amendment allows a United States resident to import up to 50 dosage units of a controlled medication without a valid prescription at an international land border. These medications must be declared upon arrival, be for your own personal use and in their original container. However, travelers should be aware that drug products which are not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration may not be acceptable for such importation.

It is against the law not to properly declare imported medications to U.S. Customs.

lt is important to have medications in the originally-dispensed container.

Importation of prescription medications into the United States for distribution and sale is strictly regulated by the FDA. The importation of "unapproved new drugs" is prohibited by the FDA for distribution and sale. Unapproved new drugs are any drugs, including foreign-made versions of U.S. approved drugs, that have not received FDA approval to demonstrate they meet the federal requirements for safety and effectiveness. The FDA does have guidance policies in place for individuals who have bought unapproved new drugs for their own use in foreign countries such as Mexico that do allow some discretion in enforcement of this regulation. The circumstances under which the regulations may be relaxed include:

1. "the intended use [of the drug] is unapproved and for a serious condition for which effective treatment may not be available domestically either through commercial or clinical means;
2. there is no known commercialization or promotion to persons residing in the U.S. by those involved in the distribution of the product at issue;
3. the product is considered not to represent an unreasonable risk;
   and
4. the individual seeking to import the product affirms in writing that it is for the patient's own use (generally not more than a 3 month supply) and provides the name and address of the doctor licensed in the U.S. responsible for his or her treatment with the product, or provides evidence that the product is for the continuation of a treatment begun in a foreign country."

This does not mean that the FDA will always allow individuals to import medications at will. This does however provide seniors who cannot obtain or afford medications in the United States that could improve their health or help treat a condition some options.

No one should self prescribe potentially life threatening drugs and all medication should be taken under the care of a physician.

SOURCES:U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Regulatory Affairs.