TUESDAY, MAY 4, 1999

Outlawed drugs found in Mexico

By Manuel Gamiz Jr.

On-Line Forty-Niner

As American tourists cross the border into Tijuana, Mexico, they are confronted with a variety of novelty shops, restaurants and bars aimed towards attracting their business.

Tijuana pharmacies, which use large, colored signs to tout the latest sales, are one of the favorite destinations for many tourists.

John Venegas, 26, said he came to Tijuana during Easter weekend to party with a few friends, but he also wanted to purchase some discount medication.

"I try to come at least once a month to buy medicine for either myself or my family," he said. "I don't mind the drive because I save money by buying it here."

Venegas said he purchased some antibiotics for a family member and the diet pill, Fen-Phen.

Fen-Phen, which is a combination of fenfluramine and dexfenfluramine, was taken off the U.S. market in September 1997 under pressure from the Food and Drug Administration, according to the FDA web site. The action came after research proved that the drug can damage the heart.

However Venegas, who works and lives in Montebello, said he has been going across the border to buy the diet drug for more than one year and has never encountered any problems with law enforcement.

"I first came to purchase diet pills for a friend that didn't know how to speak Spanish," he said. "But, now I started buying a generic version of Fen-Phen for myself."

But, Venegas is not alone. Traveling to Tijuana and other border cities is a trend that has been growing for many years.

The reason is many pharmacies in Tijuana have lower prices and most do not require a U.S. prescription, according to Don Ashton, environmental health officer for the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services.

In a study conducted by Dr. Marvin Shepherd from the University of Texas, U.S. drug prices ranged from 35 to 1,000 percent higher than drug prices in Mexico.

His study also found that 25 percent of U.S. residents who enter Mexico as tourists purchase pharmaceutical products.

Since the demand for prescription medication has gone up, more and more Tijuana pharmacies are popping up in downtown shopping districts.

More than 20 pharmacies can be found in the Viva Tijuana Mall alone. These pharmacies easily outnumber the outdoor restaurants and bars located in the mall.

West Covina resident Diego Navarro said he purchases medication in Tijuana because there are no hassles from Tijuana pharmacists.

On one occasion, when a prescription was required, the 28-year-old truck driver said a pharmacist offered to locate a doctor that would give him a consultation and a prescription.

"Tijuana doctors are always willing to help because they know that Americans tourists will pay them better than most of their regular customers" he said.

Irena Warner, a pharmacist from the Corner Drug Store in Seal Beach, said it is dangerous to buy medication without a prescription or consultation.

"Many people have multiple medications, which may cause dangerous interactions," she said.

Using them without a doctor's supervision can pose dangerous risks, especially to infants, older adults and pregnant women, she said. They can also duplicate or interact with physician-prescribed medications that patients might be taking.

The Spanish name of a prescription drug can differ from the English name, in which case a patient would be unaware that he or she already is taking the same medication.

However, health department officials feel there is an even bigger problem that exists when people bring medication from Mexico.

Many prescription medicines illegally imported from Mexico and other countries are being sold locally in places such as swap meets, grocery stores, meat markets, cosmetic shops and variety stores, said Sharon Wanglin, public information officer for the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services.

"These illegal medicines may bear labels in Spanish stating their contents to be potent drugs such as penicillin, tetracycline and dexamethesone," she said.

Wanglin said some of the drugs are not allowed for use in this country even with a prescription.

However, Warner said she believes if a person gets approval from his or her doctor, purchasing medication in Mexico can have some benefits.

"If people go [to Tijuana] with a prescription from the United States to get a cheaper price, it is their choice," she said. "That is just a matter of economics."