Prescriptions

[Soidog]

Can they be refilled here or do you have to reinvent the wheel with a new Doc etc? How 'bout when the refils run out? Are they S.A. equivelents or good ole brand name ones?

 

[EvergreenGal]

In our experiences, you can't refill a prescription here from the states....you will need to find a Dr., and go through your medications and find what are the same as what your are currently taking. It is helpful to have the common name of the medication, technical name, and company that manufactured it. Most names of medication are not the same as the U.S., and mg. can be different too.

Prescriptions are only good for 30 days, which is a pain in the rear!!

Since my husband takes Zocor...that is the same name...as most cholesterol medication. Some names are very simlar as what he had in the states, some not.

I do know some medication you don't need a prescription for..like birth control pills..not sure about any other.

 

[nikad]

what do u need to get, i can tell you if it can be bought w/o prescription

 

[2GuysInPM]

I take two prescription medications. When I'm here (in Argentina) and I run out, I simply go to the pharmachy and buy them at full price (which is reasonable). They will not honor my US prescription, but they will still sell me the medication without a prescription. I'm not sure this will work for all medications; but it does for mine which are both prescription "required" here and in the US.

Simply go to your pharmacy and tell them you're a tourist and you ran out. Be sure to bring the bottles, dosage, common name as well as the brand names for them to look it up. I've been doing this for a few years now without issue. The full price I pay here is just a little bit more than my co-pay for them back in the US.

Good luck.

 

[nikad]

this is true, and even if you do not have a prescription almost anything can be bought at full price which is a lot cheaper than in the US

 

[steveinbsas]

this is true, and even if you do not have a prescription almost anything can be bought at full price which is a lot cheaper than in the US

If you talk like a local you can get a 20% discount at some of the small neighborhood pharmacies. It isn't always necessary to pay the full (foreigner) price.

 

[nikad]

If you talk like a local you can get a 20% discount at some of the small neighborhood pharmacies. It isn't always necessary to pay the full (foreigner) price.

hmmm full price is not the same as foreign price.... foreign price is... foreign price! ( generally for this discounts you gotta be paying in cash, so if you get charged in dollars per atm withdrawal you might wanna ponder that as well )

 

[steveinbsas]

Of course the discount is only given if you pay in cash. Regarding drugs in pharmacies, is there really a difference between "full" and "foreign" price? The retail/list price is the full price (isn't it?). I always ask "the price" first and then ask how much it will cost with the discount...as if I expect it. Do you think foreigners are charged even more than the "full" price in the first place?

I get charged in dollars for my ATM withdrawals by my US bank because I have a dollar account there. I don't see what that has got to do with the price of drugs in Argentina. Please explain.

 

[nikad]

Of course the discount is only given if you pay in cash. Regarding drugs in pharmacies, is there really a difference between "full" and "foreign" price? The retail/list price is the full price (isn't it?). I always ask "the price" first and then ask how much it will cost with the discount...as if I expect it. Do you think foreigners are charged even more than the "full" price in the first place?

I get charged in dollars for my ATM withdrawals by my US bank because I have a dollar account there. I don't see what that has got to do with the price of drugs in Argentina. Please explain.

I think the foreign price can often be higher than the full price ( unfortunately ) Regarding atms, if you gotta withdraw money to get a discount on a drug, you have to make sure you won´t be paying more in atm fees than the actual discount you are getting for paying in cash

 

[steveinbsas]

I think the foreign price can often be higher than the full price ( unfortunately ) Regarding atms, if you gotta withdraw money to get a discount on a drug, you have to make sure you won´t be paying more in atm fees than the actual discount you are getting for paying in cash

I don't pay ATM fees now that I have a Charles Schwab account. Even when I was paying the fees they were 3% at the most. Even that is worth paying for a 20% discount.

It's a good idea to ask the price first and then ask for the discount. When I wasn't sure the price was "fair" I simply went to one or two more pharmacies (including Farmacity) and asked. Of course Farmacity doesn't offer a cash discount, but I don't think they will ever quote a higher than "full" price to a foreigner.