Getting Minocin from Mexico

[PhilC]

Here’s some info that I hope may be helpful to some of you. Pfizer (formerly Wyeth) makes and sells Minocin in South America. A person on this forum purchased Minocin tablets in Mexico, so they are apparently available for purchase there. The big question is whether they also sell Minocin capsules. I found some indications that they do, but I could not confirm it.

Here is some information that I found on a Peruvian government web site:
Minocin Tabletas
Pfizer S.A.

Phil

"Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth."
- Albert Einstein

[pattylu]

I have been getting both Vibramycin and Minocin ER (Extended Release) from CanadaMeds.com. They have sources from all over the world for their brand antibiotics. I get the Vibramycin from Australia and the Minocin from the UK. The cost is much lower than what I would have to pay in the US. You do need a legitimate US Dr’s prescription, they will call the Dr. to verify the validity. But I paid only $86.70 for 56 capsules 100 mg extended release Minocin. I alternate using Vibramycin and Minocin, monthly. The stuff really works (the generic doxycycline did not work, and only a few generic brands of Minocycline seemed to work, but the pharmacies keep changing their generic brand, so I gave up and decided to go with the BRAND product. Each country may have a different provider for the brand product, licensed to sell that brand. However, the formula is the original. How much does the stuff in Mexico cost, and will they ship to the US?

[Lynne G.SD]

Hi Phil;
I have a friend in Mexico who has SD and uses their mino tablets and is in remission so I guess it’s a good kind.
Lynne

[fastspinW]

Hi,

When I was a photojournalist I traveled a bit in Mexico and lived in two border states, Texas and New Mexico. That said I would urge caution when it comes buying mail order drugs there. Mind you I have no experience with doing so, but knowing the place as I do I would have to say it could be a risky business indeed. Compared to the level of coruption I saw there Washington, DC is a virtual paragon of virtual…ain’t that a scary thought?

I think I’d be more likely to follow up on pattylu’s source in the UK.

All best,
Winston

[PhilC]

I was just researching other countries as possible sources and stumbled upon something that I had not really considered.

This is a quote from another forum:

I believe the Canadian pharmaceuticals are fine, but I always question the drugs from third world countries.

Not only do you have the problem of your prescription being a Grey-market knock-off; you have the concern of storage.

The manufacturer, distributor, and retail pharmacy maintain product between 65-75 degrees F at 25-40% humidity in North America.

Some drugs in third world countries are stored in non-climate controlled garages and makeshift warehouses. Temperatures can exceed 100 degrees F and humidity can approach the same number.

Drugs degrade exponentially at these extended extremes.

So, even if you

"Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth."
- Albert Einstein

[richie]

Excellent point –that problem also exists in the US with probiotics —-there is a strong potential for lack of potency due to poor storage –mishandling etc —
richie

[fastspinW]

The short answer is, to my mind at least, you are more than justified in being concerned about drug quality. I was once an investigative reporter and a few years back I tried my hand at untangling the mess that is the FDA. A few months into the project I threw up my hands and gave up.

Not long after that I was writing a series of articles for a diabetes forum on managing type 1 diabetes. Several of my readers began asking me questions about the accuracy of the blood sugar testing meters we use and I promised to look into the matter. What I found was enough to make a strong man weak in the knees. Once again the infamous +/- 20% standard reared its ugly head and I was off and running…

Not long after this I approached 3 meter manufacturers with a proposal. I asked them to supply me with 3 meters each (randomly selected by me from different area pharmacys) and $500 worth of blood testing strips. This would allow me to conduct a 3 month study during which I would take 8 blood tests a day using all 3 meters each time and then log the results into a computer database for later analysis. All three companies agreed and supplied me with the requested supplies. Pme pf them even went so far as to supply me with sophisticated database software for use in analyzing the data.

I won’t bore you with a blow by blow of what followed, but rather will cut straight to the point. Within just a few weeks I discontinued the study as being a total waste of time. The huge differences between readings taken at the same time from the same blood sample made further investigation unnecessary. Simply put the meters were wildly inaccurate constantly disagreeing not only with each other but with themselves often by more than 30%.

Always a glutton for punishment I followed this up with thorough search of the literature pertaining to meter accuracy and eventually unearthed a study done by a consortium of hospitals. Carefully structured, and utilizing trained nurses and lab personel the study compared patient blood sugars obtained with meters with lab samples drawn at the same time. What they found was essentially the same as what I had discovered myself…meters are whoefully inaccurate!

As I said, I am a glutton for punishment so I followed this up with a check into how exactly the FDA decided whether or not a particular brand of meter met the +/- 20% standard. Short and sweet I was in for yet another shock. To whit as far as I could see the proceedure for submission of a meter for testing was full of holes with all sorts of opportunities for meter manufacturers to less us say tip the scales in their favor. Worse yet once a meter is approved that’s pretty much the end of the dog and pony show. I was unable to find any FDA requirement for further testing….ever. And no periodic survey of meters coming off the assembly line.

I will close by adding that a generic drug manufacturer from India came within a hair’s breath of being prohibited from selling their product in the USA because they had time and again failed to meet FDA standards. Of course they immediately saw the error of their ways and brought all the Kings Horses And All The King’s Men to the rescue. Shortly thereafter the FDA relented and the story ended happily for everyone…except us.

All best,
Winston

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