(Video) Can You Trust the Generic Drugs in Mexico? [] Two Expats in Mexico [] Qroo Blog

Published October 3, 2021

Video Transcript

Hey everybody. Qroo Paul here. Welcome to the channel. A few years ago when I was a blogger, I wrote an article about how Linda and I save money by going to a popular pharmacy chain in Mexico called farmacias similares on Mondays because everything is 25% off. They have a large line of generic drugs there.

Almost immediately, readers started posting comments with warnings that the products sold by Farmacias Similares were inferior and that the strength of the medications were lower. One reader said that’s why they use the word “similar” or similar in the name. Well, the negative comments prompted me to temporarily pull the article while I investigated the matter further.

After some extensive research, I learned that there was some validity to their concerns — at least prior to 2010. That year, everything changed.

Prior to 2010 there were actually three classifications of drugs: de patente – patent or name brand version; 2) generíco intercambiable – generic but tested to be 100% interchangeable with the name brand version; and 3) similares -drug containing the same ingredients as the patent version but lacking the testing for bioequivalence.

Many of the drugs sold by the pharmaceutical chain Farmacias Similares prior to the change fell into the third category. That’s the primary reason why some people were critical of the quality of their products.

In 2004, there was a significant reform to the health law (Ley General de Salud) requiring all of the medications sold in Mexico to pass rigorous testing for bioequivalence beginning in 2010. In layman’s terms, they were eliminating the third category. This was great news for the consumer and it greatly increased people’s trust in generic medications.

To comply with the new law, Farmacias Similares conducted testing on all of their medications at a cost of between $50,000 – $90,000 USD each. The generic medications that the chain now sells have been tested and approved for quality, dosage and bioequivalence.

The government agency that oversees the medication registry and maintains compliance is the Comisíon Federal para la Protección Contra Riesgos Sanitarios (COFEPRIS). I contacted them directly to confirm all of this information that I am telling you now.

I spoke with a very friendly and helpful representative who confirmed that all of the generic medications sold in Mexico have been thoroughly tested to ensure that they are the equivalent of the name brand version.

She added that it doesn’t matter if I buy the generic made by Farmacias Similares, Farmacias del Ahorro or ay other pharmacy chain, it’s going to be the same in terms of ingredients and effectiveness. She said that the only difference will be in appearance (i.e. color, shape and packaging).

I commend Mexico for creating both the legislation and the governmental infrastructure necessary to ensure that people can trust the generic drugs sold in Mexico. In doing so, they’ve found a way to reduce the cost of health care for their citizens, as well as any expats who call this home.

If you have any additional questions about medications sold in Mexico, you should contact COFEPRIS.

I hope you enjoyed the video, until next time. hasta luego.

I’m Qroo Paul and the lovely woman in the photo is my wife of over 20 years, Linda. In case you’re wondering, my nickname come from the abbreviation for the Mexican state where we live, Quintana Roo, and my first name. A little background about us. Linda and I are from Florida where I worked as a deputy sheriff and she worked as a director for a children’s advocacy center handling child abuse cases. In August of 2015, I retired at the rank of lieutenant after 25 years of service. Linda wasn’t eligible for retirement, but we decided to move to the Riviera Maya in Mexico anyway. Once we were in Mexico, we knew right away that we had made the right choice. Our enthusiasm for Mexico and the lifestyle here was evident in our frequent Facebook posts. We shared our adventures as well as countless pictures of beautiful beaches and awesome beach bars. Some of our friends jokingly threatened to unfriend us, while others started asking serious questions about living here. I found myself answering dozens of private messages about the cost of living here, healthcare, banking, immigration etc. I decided it would be easier to create a site where I could post all of the information in one place, and the blog was born. Even though the blog was only intended to be read by friends and family members, other people have managed to find it. To date, our articles have been viewed over four million times and many of them have appeared in various newspapers across Mexico. We’re not really sure why our little hobby blog has gotten so much attention. It certainly isn’t for my writing ability. Perhaps people just enjoy looking at our photos. Anyway, you’re welcome to check it out. If you like what you see, feel free to share our articles with your friends.