Job Discussion Forums

[Mira]

I'm contemplating a move to Peru sometime next year and am wondering about the availability of prescription medication there. What's the process to obtain them, how much does a prescription cost, etc.? I'm hesitant to stock up on meds and try to bring them in with me, for fear of being arrested as a drug runner.

[danielita]

I was travelling in Peru in 2002 and ended up with a nasty gastro which required more than just your regular OTC. I went into a pharmacy in Puno, explained the problem and was sold Cipro right off the shelf. My options were just how many I wanted and it was WAY cheaper and no dispensing fee!! I am not sure if this is the case with most medications that would normlly require a prescription in North America, but that was my experience a pharmacy in Puno.

[Justin Trullinger]

Without wishing to pry, you might get more specific results if we knew what you need. Some drugs, legally available by prescription only, are simply so widespread in their use that you can often by them, prescription and hassle free, all over latin america. My doctor routinely prescribes over the phone- you read him the test results and he tells you what to go get. And even in fairly official seeming pharmacies, they take the fact that you know the drug by name as prescription enough.

At the same time, I know some relatively common (outside of LA) birth control pills are relatively hard to find here. THere's not a huge market, so many pharmacies don't keep them in stock.

So sometimes it's one way, sometimes it's another. If you're on a prescription drug that is important to your long term health and well being, you want to check out it's availability very specifically. I'd call a contact in Peru, tell them what I'm taking, and get them to check specifically how easy it is to find.

If you don't have any contacts in Peru, try to make some. (Naturegirl is remarkably nice...)

Justin

[naturegirl321]

Depends, make sure you bring the generic name. Lots of stuff is available over the counter. Bring meds and then see a doctor, which should run you about 10 dollars, prescriptions, well when I got sick, got about 60 dollars. But it depends.
PM me if you have questions.

[Mira]

Thanks for the good insight. One of the meds I take is for an ulcer (too much stress from working a corporate job) so it sounds like I'll be able to find something to treat it without paying too much. The other prescription may be harder to find so I'll definitely take your advice and start doing some research now. The good news is that I have some time before I move and I'll be visiting Peru in May, so I can check on it then.