Bahama Pharmacy Laws

[zboss]

Hi,

My wife and I will be starting a cruise in the bahamas in the next year or so. Both of us take some prescription meds. My wife takes blood pressure medication and I take a lipid-lowering pill.

Are drugs like this available over the counter or are they prescription only in the bahamas?

Thanks,

zboss

[bobconnie]

Get you doctor to give ya a 90 day script !! Thats what Connie and I do ! If your gonna be gone longer then that maybe someone knows what ya need in the bahamas to get what ya need

[Vasco]

Take an adequate supply with you.

[GordMay]

Cruisers taking prescription medications should make sure they have enough to last during the trip, and bring a copy of the prescription(s) with you. Always carry medications in their original containers.
You can fill prescriptions (for non-controlled drugs like Enalopril & Rosuvastatin Calcium) at local pharmacies, as long as you have a doctor’s signature. Full-service pharmacies are available throughout New Providence and Grand Bahamas.

See ➥ Bahamas Pharmacy Council

[rover88]

Your doctor can fax a prescription refill to a Bahamian pharmacy, but be prepared to wait a few days for it to be verified. Unlike most Latin countries the Bahamas have strict prescription requirements and prescription / OTC meds are basically the same as in the US. You can also visit a Bahamian doctor for about $20 who can usually write you a prescription for a documented chronic illness. A notarized letter from your home doctor describing your condition and medications might help speed up the process.

[Teknav]

Take with you a 90-day supply with one refill; the most doctors can prescribe you, for non Class II drugs. You need to take with you, the generic name equivalent of your medications, if they are not already listed on your prescription bottles. Newer medications do not have generic equivalent; they maybe substituted, with a few exceptions. Outside the US, you will find generics more so available than name brand drugs. In some countries, pain killer drugs are not available. See if your doctor can give you a week's supply of Vicodin/Hydrocodone or Tylenol 3, to be used in case of an emergency. Mauritz

[zboss]

We will be in the Bahamas more than 90 days so a 90 day prescription would have to be refilled. I actually got the answers I was looking for... thanks!

[Group9]

We found getting any kind of prescription medicine in the Bahamas to be more trouble than it was worth. When my wife's prescription ran out, I actually flew back to Ft. Lauderdate from Staniel Cay on Watermaker airlines to get her perscriptions refilled. Not the most economical way to do it, but almost the easiest.

[S/V_Surya]

Originally Posted by zboss

We will be in the Bahamas more than 90 days so a 90 day prescription would have to be refilled. I actually got the answers I was looking for... thanks!

Care to share ???

[zboss]

Originally Posted by S/V_Surya

Care to share ???

The "plan" is to head down late fall after the boat show">Annapolis boat show and stay until may-ish. However, we are not in a hurry and have a sliding widow.

This will be the shakedown cruise and have us returning to the chesapeake in May 2014 to complete our refit and do whatever else needs doing during the summer and fall of 2014 (maybe selling the house for example ) . We will work over the summer and fall before heading out in ernest when the hurricane season starts to close again.

Other than that... we don't have any solid plans. We will go where we care to go.

We think we can get the doc to write us scripts for double the dosage and then just cut the pills in half. At least, that was another option presented to us.

[Nicholson58]

Originally Posted by zboss

We will be in the Bahamas more than 90 days so a 90 day prescription would have to be refilled. I actually got the answers I was looking for... thanks!

We will be facing the same issues. Our doc will gladly write scrips for more than 90 days. Try asking.

[Teknav]

Cutting the dosage in half is one way of doing it. Another way, is to let someone pick up your prescriptions and ship them (FedEx) to General Delivery post office/hotel address in the Bahamas, for pickup. Only caveat...cannot ship Class II medications (Opiates based pain killers). Mauritz

[Nicholson58]

Originally Posted by Teknav

Cutting the dosage in half is one way of doing it. Another way, is to let someone pick up your prescriptions and ship them (FedEx) to General Delivery post office/hotel address in the Bahamas, for pickup. Only caveat...cannot ship Class II medications (Opiates based pain killers). Mauritz

I don't know why I didn't mention that. My Crestor scrip is 20 but I only take 10. I have a pill splitter so I double my number of days. saves $$ too if your doctor will work with you.

[Teknav]

Technically speaking, a physician is required to prescribe you just the amount needed to get your condition(s) under control; refills at his/her discretion. By prescribing you a double dosage, for your convenience, he/she risks of losing their DEA license. In addition, this amounts to "insurance fraud". In the event that your condition worsens, the labels on the medication bottles will hunt the prescribing physician if the case goes to trial. (Life is complicated, huh!) <Board Certified> Mauritz

[Jentine]

I get a 180 day supply before leaving home.