NEWS ITEM: In 2000, the cost of prescription drugs went up by 17.4 percent.

Lots of people make the trek south of the border to purchase everyday over-the counter drugs. And the biggest reason they go to Baja - or other places in Mexico - is to save money.

Quite often, they find the same drugs in Baja for one-fourth the price (or less) than they paid in the US or Canada.

However, many people have become concerned about doing this, as there have been numerous "scare" programs and articles popping up all over the place, warning them that the medical drugs they're buying are of inferior quality, or badly out of date.

Just how true is all this?

Well, since I've been a resident of Baja, I've been purchasing heart pills for my elderly parents who live in Ohio. In Ohio, those heart pills cost them about $3 each. In Baja, I've been able to buy those same pills for about 60 cents each.

The box is the same, the manufacturer is the same, and these particular pills even have the words in English. And when I checked the expiration date, it had two years to go. Bear in mind, these were not "generic" drugs; these were from a major company.

Pharmacies are very common throughout Mexico, and they cater to tourists who want to save money. When you see a sign that says "DISCOUNT" always ask for the discount options, which range from volume deals, to senior discounts if you're over 55.

Pharmacies are very common throughout Mexico, and they cater to tourists who want to save money. When you see a sign that says "DISCOUNT" always ask for the discount options, which range from volume deals, to senior discounts if you're over 55.

Every once in a while, I have a slight allergy when hay fever season hits. I used to buy allergy tablets at my friendly neighborhood drugstore when living in California. The cost was around four bucks for 24 tablets. In Baja, I buy the exact same tablet made by the same manufacturer for about 80 cents per box.

About two years ago, an excellent article ran in a San Diego newspaper that compared drugs bought in Baja to their counterparts in the States. Their conclusions: No difference in quality. The story underplayed the difference in price, but reading between the lines was not all that hard.

Most of the larger pharmacies are amazingly well-stocked, and if they don't have what you need, they'll send runners out to get it for you.

Most of the larger pharmacies are amazingly well-stocked, and if they don't have what you need, they'll send runners out to get it for you.

Before you head south of the border to load the van up to the roof with cold and flu remedies, there are some things you need to know. And you better make sure that you know the law. A short time ago, an elderly man was thrown in a Tijuana jail for purchasing 800 tablets containing valium. He was released, but spent some shaky days locked up. The man needed the tablets for a medical condition and used a US prescription at several different pharmacies to stock up.

In the process, he never bothered to check the law. And managed to break laws on both sides of the border.

WHAT REQUIRES A PRESCRIPTION?

You absolutely, positively, without doubt must have a prescription when buying any medication listed as a "controlled substance." This means that the following things need a signature from the doc:

Tranquilizers

Pain killers

Diet pills
While your US prescription "might" work at some pharmacies in Mexico, the law actually requires you to have a prescription from a Mexican doctor. You'll find that local doctors are very understanding, and usually for a small fee, will write you a prescription to match the legal one you show them. He'll also stamp it to make it legal. People are big on stamping things down here.

WHAT CAN YOU GET WITHOUT A PRESCRIPTION?

You can get the ordinary everyday things a lot of people use. Without going into a monster item-by-item manual, here's a basic list:

Heart medications

Allergy pills

Birth controls pills

Many (most) antibiotics

Cold remedies

Flu remedies.

Rash and skin medications

Arthritis medications

Anti-inflammatories
Confused? Don't be. All pharmacies have a book right under the counter that tell you what is legal and what isn't. You see that list right above? Well, "technically" you need a prescription for some of these things, but since the average Mexican uses many of these items, the law is not enforced at all. Many basic ailments are handled by poorer Mexicans without going to a doctor.

OK, now that you've decided to save some money and purchase medical drugs in Baja, here are some other things worth knowing.

The person behind the counter at the pharmacy is required by Mexican law to keep the original prescription. You should keep the copy, as you might need it later. Also, most medications can be refilled up to three times on the original prescription that the pharmacy keeps for records.
After the third refill, the pharmacy is required by law to demand a new prescription, but many pharmacies are very flexible on this.
Ideally, you should only buy medical drugs for your personal use, since you'll have to declare them when you cross the border. Border inspectors have a guide book that says three months is the "average" supply for personal use.

IT IS LEGAL to bring (import) foreign medications into the United States. Don't listen to all those people who tell you otherwise. Don't believe it? Check with the FDA regs and it's there in black and white.

Many people buy steroids for all the wrong reasons, mostly so they can look like Schwrazzeneger's bigger brother, but there are many valid medical reasons where steroids work minor miracles. For steroid prescriptions, you absolutely will need a prescription from a US doctor to bring them across the border, even though you might be able to buy them in Mexico without a prescription.

Buy your medication with pesos, rather than dollars. You'll save an additional 4 to 6 percent doing this. You can get a good exchange rate at any local bank, or at one of the many money-changing shops (cambios) that are very common.
Just make sure you use a cambio that does not charge a fee, or a commission for making the peso/dollar swap. Their buy/sell rates are posted on a sign in front of the cambio,.

Discuss This Article on the Baja.net BBS.

BRINGING IT BACK TO THE US

When heading north to the States, some folks simply stash the drugs (legally purchased) in with their dirty clothes and never bother declaring them at the border. This is not such a great idea. Every once in a while, a car gets sent to Secondary Inspection and the US inspectors go through EVERYTHING!

If they find something that you didn't declare, they could - at the minimum - confiscate the medicines. Worse, they could give you a big-time hassle, or even arrest you under extreme circumstances.

Why take the chance? After all, you are allowed to bring (as of this writing) $400 per person in value of item(s) across the border without paying taxes. So, work it like this:

When the US border person asks you if you're bringing back anything from Mexico, say: "Yes. About $100 worth of over the counter medication for personal use." Or whatever the amount was.

Make sure you can show receipts for what you bought. All pharmacies will give you a receipt.

Make sure that if you're bringing in prescription drugs, that the prescription you have is in your name.

If a border inspector tells you that cannot bring a certain medication into the US, politely ask him/her to explain why. IF they cannot, ask to see the regulation that prohibits the item. If they will not or cannot explain to your satisfaction, politely ask to see his superior. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO BRIBE YOUR WAY
ACROSS! That is the biggest no-no you can pull. Once, I had a border inspector tell me I could not bring heart pills across for my parents, and after such polite protesting, I asked to see his boss, the guy just gave up and waved me through.

Some people simply mail small amounts of legal medications across, rather than transport them. It's easier to utilize one of the many postal annex places that deal with Americans. As long as the package is small enough to slip in the letter slot, and has the right postage on it, it'll be taken across for you and stuffed in a US mail box.

GENERAL ADVICE

Don't judge a pharmacy by its looks, or size. You'll often find that some of
the smaller hole-in-the-wall places will give you some excellent prices, especially if you're placing a large order.

One of my favorite pharmacies is very small and has an even smaller inventory, but they'll send someone out to a major wholesaler at the drop of a hat to pick up your order. If the person behind the counter tells you they can have your order ready in an hour, go out and have some lunch and a margarita or two, spend a few bucks shopping, and show up in about two hours. Chances are excellent your order will be ready.

Ask for senior discounts at the larger pharmacies if you're over 55 and can prove it. This can save you and additional 15 to 20 percent.

If you don't want to spent a lot of time shopping around for a fair price (or the best price) simply stop in at one of the larger super markets in any Mexican town or city. In Rosarito (where I live) the large supermarket named Commercial Mexicana has a large pharmacy right in the store and the prices are very competitive.

If you're not sure if the medication you're buying is the same thing you really want, the person behind the counter will invariably whip out that big thick book and cross-reference things for you, right in front of your eyes.

Small neighborhood pharmacies will keep their prices in line with the bigger places. Often, they'll sell toys and gifts along with the medication to make ends meet.

Small neighborhood pharmacies will keep their prices in line with the bigger places. Often, they'll sell toys and gifts along with the medication to make ends meet.

WHY THINGS COST LESS IN MEXICO

Other than the fact that there's a huge markup on over-the-counter and prescription drugs, consider the fact that in the United States, the drug industry spends about $2.5 billion per year in direct consumer advertising. It's obvious that they don't dump that kind of money into advertising in Mexico.

Also, consider the fact that people in the US are law-suit happy. If they take a pill and their stomach gets upset, they run to a lawyer first and think second. There's very little of this sort of activity in Mexico. People in Baja seem to take more responsibility for their actions.

Designer drugs have never caught on in Mexico. Folks seem more than happy with the plain-wrap brands, which, by the way, work the same as the more expensive stuff.

You're also told that the reason drugs are so high, is the cost for research. The hard truth (from a Families USA report) is that much more is spent on marketing, advertising and administering than on research.

So, don't hesitate to take a little vacation south of the border. Heck, what you save on medical drugs just might pay for that vacation!