Testing on an Adderall capsule from Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, got here again optimistic on Jan. 27, 2023. Pharmacies there are promoting counterfeit prescription drugs laced with illicit substances and passing them off as legit prescription drugs.
Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Instances through Getty Pictures
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Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Instances through Getty Pictures
Testing on an Adderall capsule from Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, got here again optimistic on Jan. 27, 2023. Pharmacies there are promoting counterfeit prescription drugs laced with illicit substances and passing them off as legit prescription drugs.
Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Instances through Getty Pictures
Mexican pharmacies that cater to U.S. vacationers are promoting drugs that seem secure however are incessantly laced with lethal fentanyl and methamphetamine.
That is the conclusion of new analysis that examined drugs bought legally in 4 cities in northern Mexico the place vacationers from the U.S. usually search low-cost well being care and prescription drugs.
“For drugs bought as oxycodone, we examined 27 and located 10 or 11 of them contained both fentanyl or heroin,” stated Chelsea Shover, a researcher on the UCLA College of Drugs.
She stated the habits by retail pharmacies in Mexico places unsuspecting individuals at excessive threat of overdose and loss of life.
“After I see there are fentanyl drugs someplace that appear like [prescription drugs], I do know there need to have been individuals who’ve died from that,” Shover stated.
Her workforce additionally discovered drugs bought at Mexican pharmacies laced with methamphetamines.
Whereas these drug shops promote drugs to Mexican customers, Shover says their fundamental prospects look like Individuals.
“Comparable merchandise can be found at a a lot lower cost in Mexico, so Individuals do journey to save cash.”
Two Democratic lawmakers despatched a letter to the U.S. State Division calling for a journey advisory to warn Individuals of the hazard of buying drugs in Mexico.
“We must be completely very involved,” stated Rep. David Trone (D-Md.), one of many authors of the letter. “We have now virtually 12 million Individuals visiting Mexico yearly.”
In response to Trone, pharmacies boosting income with the high-risk observe are situated in communities the place Individuals journey in search of reduction from high-cost prescription drugs bought within the U.S.
“There’s actually a pharmacy on each nook, they’re in all places down there, as a result of the worth of medicine is cheaper.”
On Saturday, the Los Angeles Instances reported State Division officers apparently knew in regards to the hazard posed by Mexican pharmacies as way back as 2019 however did not difficulty a high-profile alert to vacationers.
In response to the newspaper’s investigation, at the very least one U.S. traveler is understood to have overdosed and died after taking drugs bought at a drug retailer in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, in 2019.
Rep. Trone stated if U.S. officers knew about unsafe drugs being bought at authorized shops in Mexico, they need to have warned vacationers sooner.
“We have heard nothing again [from the State Department] and it’s totally irritating,” he added.
The State Division despatched a press release to NPR saying it would not touch upon the letter from lawmakers.
On background, an official pointed to an advisory included within the State Division’s customary on-line details about Mexico that urges vacationers to “train warning when buying drugs abroad.”
“Counterfeit treatment is frequent and will show to be ineffective, the incorrect energy, or comprise harmful components,” the advisory reads.
There is no reference, nonetheless, to the precise dangers of harmful medication laced with fentanyl bought at authorized pharmacies.
Throughout a press briefing Monday, spokesman Ned Value stated American officers continually replace security advisories issued for Mexico.
“We’re at all times info to find out whether or not it’s essential to maneuver our journey warnings in a single course or one other,” he stated.
Earlier this month, 4 Individuals had been kidnapped by gunmen whereas touring to Mexico to hunt low-cost medical care. Two of them had been killed.
That case had already raised issues in regards to the security of medical tourism within the nation.
