John P Calvillo1, Lincy Lal. 1. College of Pharmacy, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Medications sold only by prescription in the United States are easily obtained in Mexican pharmacies without prescriptions. Few studies have researched the impact of this phenomenon in the United States. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this pilot study was to determine the demographics of Americans traveling to Mexico to purchase medications, their reasons for doing so, and which medications they purchased. METHODS: US residents purchasing medications in Nuevo Progreso, Mexico, were given a voluntary, self-administered questionnaire. Some questions had more than 1 potential answer. RESULTS: A total of 103 pharmacy consumers were approached, of whom 100 agreed to participate; no data were gathered on the 3 pharmacy consumers who declined to participate. The survey results indicated that 60.0% of participants (60 participants) had private insurance, 18.0% (18 participants) had Medicare, 3.0% (3 participants) had some other form of insurance, and 19.0% (19 participants) had no insurance at all. The primary reason cited by participants for traveling to Mexico to purchase medications was lower prices (accounting for 66.7% of all reasons given). Infection was the primary disease treated, accounting for 28.2% of types of conditions cited (42/149), and ampicillin was the drug most frequently purchased, accounting for 16.8% (25/149) of all medication purchases. CONCLUSIONS: This pilot study indicates that US residents travel to Mexico to purchase medications for many reasons and for many different medical conditions, including chronic conditions. The most frequently cited reason for purchasing medications in Mexico was lower prices, even among participants with some form of health insurance. This finding suggests that until drug pricing is further addressed in the United States, residents will continue to seek lower-cost alternatives for purchasing their medications, including travel to Mexico.
BACKGROUND: Medications sold only by prescription in the United States are easily obtained in Mexican pharmacies without prescriptions. Few studies have researched the impact of this phenomenon in the United States. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this pilot study was to determine the demographics of Americans traveling to Mexico to purchase medications, their reasons for doing so, and which medications they purchased. METHODS: US residents purchasing medications in Nuevo Progreso, Mexico, were given a voluntary, self-administered questionnaire. Some questions had more than 1 potential answer. RESULTS: A total of 103 pharmacy consumers were approached, of whom 100 agreed to participate; no data were gathered on the 3 pharmacy consumers who declined to participate. The survey results indicated that 60.0% of participants (60 participants) had private insurance, 18.0% (18 participants) had Medicare, 3.0% (3 participants) had some other form of insurance, and 19.0% (19 participants) had no insurance at all. The primary reason cited by participants for traveling to Mexico to purchase medications was lower prices (accounting for 66.7% of all reasons given). Infection was the primary disease treated, accounting for 28.2% of types of conditions cited (42/149), and ampicillin was the drug most frequently purchased, accounting for 16.8% (25/149) of all medication purchases. CONCLUSIONS: This pilot study indicates that US residents travel to Mexico to purchase medications for many reasons and for many different medical conditions, including chronic conditions. The most frequently cited reason for purchasing medications in Mexico was lower prices, even among participants with some form of health insurance. This finding suggests that until drug pricing is further addressed in the United States, residents will continue to seek lower-cost alternatives for purchasing their medications, including travel to Mexico.