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Beware of Mexican Drugs
More and more we hear individuals expressing excitement over their ability to buy drugs more cheaply in Mexico. However, no consideration is being made to (1) the quality of the drugs purchased, (2) are the purchased drugs labeled correctly, and (3) how well trained are the personnel of the pharmacies.
Before a drug is approved and allowed for sale in this country, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigates to determine whether the drug’s benefits outweigh its negative aspects. However, since even an approved drug may not be totally harmless, and may cause adverse effects or other complications when taken with other medications, a prescription is required. The FDA also regulates whether a particular drug is manufactured according to approved methods to guarantee potency, that there are no contaminants or manufacturing errors in the process and that a particular manufacturing plant is capable of manufacturing the specific drug in question.
Drugs in Mexico are sold only in the manufacturer’s unopened containers with no dosage directions. The drugs and their containers may look the same when, in fact, the label and/or the drugs may be counterfeit. The person in charge of a Mexican pharmacy may be the equivalent of a pharmacy technician or may not even have that much training. Drugs are also not monitored for drug effectiveness, adverse effects or drug interactions. If the patient’s conditions worsen, it cannot be immediately known whether the condition is caused by a disease progression or a problem with the drug. There are good reasons why the FDA regulates drug manufacturing quality standards in the United States. For your own safety, fill your prescriptions at a pharmacy on this side of the border!
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