Best Way To Bring Drugs Into The Country?

[Cecil Fox Palmer]

I'm talking about prescription medication, of course.

I feel a bit dumb for asking, but I've been here for years yet I've never had to receive this sort of thing. USPS has actually not been all that bad, but of course I would not trust them with meds. No one is visiting from my country, and the item needs to be received more or less soon. And of course, I would prefer to have them sent than to try venturing into the pharmacies here without a physical prescription.

So, how's FedEx been? Is DHL better? What would you recommend?

 

[Alicia karr]

I don't think either will send medications. And if they did they would be held up at customs, and either sent back or you would have to retrieve them at great expense I suspect. Don't forget that many drugs that are legal in your home country are not legal here. If that's the case and your parcel gets confiscated could that theoretically make you engaged in a criminal act?
first step:find out if your prescription medicine is legal here. 2nd step then is to find out if they will ship it.

 

[Cecil Fox Palmer]

Well shoot, I hope it's not illegal here. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[nlaruccia]

It's nearly impossible to have medication sent here without a prescription from an Argentine doctor. I had to get a doctor here to write a prescription for vitamins before customs at Ezeiza airport let them be released. Not to mention having to pay taxes on them.

 

[cwo4uscgret]

Gee - a similar topic to a question I asked (and got good answers by the way)!

According to the Argentine Customs Website - supposedly you can bring in enough prescription medication for your length of stay. (of course those intending to overstay may have a problem!)
Two of the meds I take are not legal in Argentina - so I went without one and following the advice I received went to an Argentine Doctor - who took me to another Doctor who could write a scrip for the meds. Thank you Central Military Hospital

 

[nlaruccia]

One thing is bringing medication with you, but the OP asked about shipping it here. I would ask in the forum if anyone knows anyone from your country that could bring it with them.

 

[ajoknoblauch]

Don't forget that many drugs that are legal in your home country are not legal here. If that's the case and your parcel gets confiscated could that theoretically make you engaged in a criminal act?

This is misleading, as some US prescription drugs are available over the counter in Argentina. On occasion, my US doctor has reluctantly prescribed Prednisone (a corticosteroid) for back spasms, and he will only authorize a refill in extreme circumstances. In Argentina, it's an easy purchase at any corner pharmacy. Likewise, ketoconazole shampoo is a prescription-only item there, but cheap and available as Eumicel here.

Admittedly, I am providing only anecdotal evidence here, but the scenario is more complex than simply suggesting that home-country meds may not be available.

 

[Montauk_Project]

The best bet if staying long term is to see a doctor here. It might be available and cheaper. If not, you might be able to get something similar. Adderall is illegal here and opiate based pain killers like Codine are not prescribed like in the US (not sure if illegal or just super hard to get). Sleeping pills and anti-depresents are commonly prescribed and a regular doctor can give you a script, just note that the names are often different (Ambian is called Somit here).

 

[Alicia karr]

The best bet if staying long term is to see a doctor here. It might be available and cheaper. If not, you might be able to get something similar. Adderall is illegal here and opiate based pain killers like Codine are not prescribed like in the US (not sure if illegal or just super hard to get). Sleeping pills and anti-depresents are commonly prescribed and a regular doctor can give you a script, just note that the names are often different (Ambian is called Somit here).

FYI: oxycontin is available here, but requires a triplicate prescription. Also only certain pharmacies are licensed to sell it.

 

[cwo4uscgret]

FYI: oxycontin is available here, but requires a triplicate prescription. Also only certain pharmacies are licensed to sell it.

lacoqueta - exactly my experience. Although I take hydrocodone with acetominaphine that is not available; so at the Central Military Hospital the neurosurgeon I saw took me to see the Director of the Pain Management Clinic who coud write the prescription. That was a lot easier then trying to have meds sent to me from the states.

The prescription medicine issue - and I have to take 9 different meds a day - is a lesson we learned for our next 3-4 month "vacation" OK Snow Bird trip. Bring as much as I can carry to cover my length of trip. In Colombia and Argentina many are available over the counter but not all...