What do you do if you fall ill while cruising or if you have a pre-existing condition that requires medication? How do you get hold of the drugs you need?
It takes some planning, but don’t worry, it can be done. The key is to start early. Listen in for several strategies that work for us.
Prefer to read? Take a look at Cruising and Prescriptions
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Carolyn Shearlock has lived aboard full-time for 17 years, splitting her time between a Tayana 37 monohull and a Gemini 105 catamaran. She’s cruised over 14,000 miles, from Pacific Mexico and Central America to Florida and the Bahamas, gaining firsthand experience with the joys and challenges of life on the water.
Through The Boat Galley, Carolyn has helped thousands of people explore, prepare for, and enjoy life afloat. She shares her expertise as an instructor at Cruisers University, in leading boating publications, and through her bestselling book, The Boat Galley Cookbook. She is passionate about helping others embark on their liveaboard journey—making life on the water simpler, safer, and more enjoyable.
Penny Lane says
Just spent 6 mo. in Baja, north of Cabo San Lucas. There, most farmacias (pharmacies) have a newly graduated MD for meds that now require a local MD prescription, such as antibiotics. Medico farmacias (pharmacy doctors) charge ~ $3-4 US for a consult. In Tijuana 2 weeks ago, the local farmacias dispense Z-packs without a prescription, for ~ $10 US. Unfortunately, brand name B/P meds are pricey in Baja as may be other name brands from non-Mexican pharmaceutical companies, but biosimilar drugs (those bio-equivalent to brand names) are cheap, as are generics (sold at “Farmacias Similares”). Some farmacias give extra discounts on Mondays and/or with a free card they provide similar to those we have in the US for supermarkets or CVS. The glaucoma drops, Timilol cost only ~ $1.30 bottle! Also, Farmacias Espesialidades often carry hard to find meds. Overall, medications are much cheaper than in the US or Canada. 🙂