buying meds in Mexico

We have lived the winter months in Mexico for over 20 years. At one time name brand meds were very inexpensive. That has changed. I would guess it is the drug mfrs. raising them to USA prices. Mexico now charges the 16% sales tax on meds. I have watched the Gringos flock to Algadones and return with bags of meds. The signs outside the pharmacies tout popular high priced drugs at bargain basement prices. We went into 2 of the larger pharmacies and asked to see 3 of the advertised drugs. None of them were the brand name. All were generics and either had boxes with no mfr. listed or it was some unheard of lab with no address. They did have the brand name but they were almost USA prices. I suspect that many of these drugs are reboxed from India, etc. They may be OK but do you really want to test them?? There are standards for drugs in Mexico including the packaging. None of the 3 that I inspected met those standards. The are REAL pharmacies in Mexico that sell the genuine product. BTW: OTC meds are often double USA prices including Tylenol, Aspirin and Robutusin. I would never buy from those so called stores in Algadones. Often the drug people ask for is not available in Mexico. The clerk ( they are not pharmacists) will substitute something else. That is a dangerous move.

Moisheh