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Prescription Drugs / St Maarten

mattbel123

By mattbel123,
in Ask a Cruise Question

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BlueRiband

BlueRiband

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Going on a cruise to St Maarten. I was wondering if there are pharmacies to buy drugs over the counter that require a prescription in the usa? Basically I'm asking is St Maarten similar to Cozumel Mexico where you can buy anything?

 

First post?

 

Why would you want to buy a drug 1) without a prescription, 2) from a questionable source, and 3) heaven knows how it will react with whatever else you might be taking? (Especially the "blue pills".)

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CaveDiving

CaveDiving

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Going on a cruise to St Maarten. I was wondering if there are pharmacies to buy drugs over the counter that require a prescription in the usa?....

 

In most countries of the world other than the USA, virtually any drug (except narcotics) can usually be purchased without a prescription. And generally, they will be less expensive than in the USA. IIRC, St Maarten is one of these countries.

 

It is not unusual for a pharmacist to request you show the bottle from your previous prescription, not because it is legally necessary, but simply so they can determine exactly what drug you desire. However if you have the correct information, they will be happy to sell most any non-narcotic drug to you. Some brand new drugs may not be available in many countries.

 

We have been buying prescription blood pressure, antacid, cholesterol, osteoporosis, antibiotic and thyroid medicine in foreign countries for years and commonly at less cost than the co-payment of our US drug insurance.

 

Scott & Karen

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Keith1010 "Live from...." Rare

Keith1010

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The types of drugs you see in Mexico you do not see blatantly displayed in St. Maarten. I would be very leery of buying these drugs in Mexico because you don't always know what you are getting and if it is precisely what has been described for you by your physician but that is an entirely different story.

 

Keith

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ATC cruiser

ATC cruiser

Posted
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Philippsburg in St. Maarten has an international pharmacy in the center of town. They did not have the over the counter European aspirin that I wanted, but you can try your luck there. I did no see any other pharmacy.

 

 

Just out of curiosity, what is a European aspirin?

 

 

Aft Cabins Rule

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Floridiana

Floridiana

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It was a chewable aspirin produced by Bayer in Germany. I bought a similar one in Australia. I know they have it in France as well, but not in any pharmacy in Pointe-a-Pitre, Guadeloupe. In the USA, chewable aspirins are only sold in baby aspirin sizes.

 

The advantage is that it can be taken without water, it's not bitter and it works fast.

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tercar

tercar

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In the UK you cannot buy most drugs, any prescription drugs prescribed by a doctor can not be bought over the counter. If your 60 years or over all your prescribed drugs are free of charge.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

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sail7seas

sail7seas

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In the UK you cannot buy most drugs, any prescription drugs prescribed by a doctor can not be bought over the counter. If your 60 years or over all your prescribed drugs are free of charge.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

 

There is no free. :) One pays it in taxes or assessments or premiums but the government never provides free. The whole budget comes 'from the people.'

 

Same as a cruise ship...... there is nothing free. You either pay for it included in your fare or you pay for it at the time of use/consumption.

 

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  • 4 months later...
awhcruiser

awhcruiser

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And some of the drugs in Mexico are not manufactured in the USA and are much better. Have you ever been to Mexico?

The types of drugs you see in Mexico you do not see blatantly displayed in St. Maarten. I would be very leery of buying these drugs in Mexico because you don't always know what you are getting and if it is precisely what has been described for you by your physician but that is an entirely different story.

 

Keith

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CPT Trips

CPT Trips

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There is no free. :) One pays it in taxes or assessments or premiums but the government never provides free. The whole budget comes 'from the people.'

 

Same as a cruise ship...... there is nothing free. You either pay for it included in your fare or you pay for it at the time of use/consumption.

 

 

There my be no "free," but a lot of things are available "free of charge," i.e. no payment due. :rolleyes:

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ducklite

ducklite

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It was a chewable aspirin produced by Bayer in Germany. I bought a similar one in Australia. I know they have it in France as well, but not in any pharmacy in Pointe-a-Pitre, Guadeloupe. In the USA, chewable aspirins are only sold in baby aspirin sizes.

 

The advantage is that it can be taken without water, it's not bitter and it works fast.

 

I find it horribly bitter to the point that it makes me wretch.

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  • 2 months later...
calliopecruiser

calliopecruiser

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To all: please stop answering questions with your own question. The OP asked a question and is looking for answers not your opinion. If you can't reply with an answer please don't reply.

 

Why not? Isn't this a discussion forum? Seriously - this is not your mother's house and we are not children told not to say anything if we can't say something nice.

 

Real life conversations and discussions are not a question-and-answer script - they are flowing mix of comments, questions, opinions, answers, and rebuttals.

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calliopecruiser

calliopecruiser

Posted
Posted (edited)
In most countries of the world other than the USA, virtually any drug (except narcotics) can usually be purchased without a prescription.

 

Wow, that so very, very wrong.

 

In many countries in the world other than the US, prescriptions for non-narcotics are still required for many drugs. They may not be the same drugs as in the US, but then, in some places in the world, prescriptions are required for drugs that can be had OTC in the US.

 

(well, wrong from conventional, legal sources.....there's always a black market source somewhere)

Edited by calliopecruiser
black market comment
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navybankerteacher

navybankerteacher

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It was a chewable aspirin produced by Bayer in Germany. I bought a similar one in Australia. I know they have it in France as well, but not in any pharmacy in Pointe-a-Pitre, Guadeloupe. In the USA, chewable aspirins are only sold in baby aspirin sizes.

 

The advantage is that it can be taken without water, it's not bitter and it works fast.

 

Aspergum chewable aspirin is generally available in the US

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sail7seas

sail7seas

Posted
Posted (edited)
Philippsburg in St. Maarten has an international pharmacy in the center of town. They did not have the over the counter European aspirin that I wanted, but you can try your luck there. I did no see any other pharmacy.

 

There my be no "free," but a lot of things are available "free of charge," i.e. no payment due. :rolleyes:

 

Oh yes, there is payment due.

Do you pay taxes, do you have VAT taxes, do you have sales tax, county taxes? Of course, you do. You make your payment through any number of assessments and think you are getting a free prescription...... I am sure we all recognize there is no free. Who do you think is paying for that Rx?

 

Same as on a cruise ship. When someone asks is there free ice cream on the ship. No, there is no free ice cream on any cruise ship. The difference is on some ships it is included in the fare you pay and on others, you pay at the time of consumption or use.

 

As to the question about Pharmacy in St. Maarten. I have been in the pharmacy referenced above in the center of Philipsburg and saw few of the Rx bottles on shelves such as we see in Cozumel. However, it is possible you could purchase by asking. I didn't try and cannot say for sure.

 

 

Edited by sail7seas
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