Can You Buy Ozempic in Mexico?
The short answer: yes, but is that really the best choice?
While it is possible to find Ozempic in Mexican pharmacies, it’s important to note that this approach carries certain risks and uncertainties which we’ll discuss further below. As a cost effective alternative, we would highly recommend you consider purchasing Ozempic from Canada from reputable sources such as Bisonpharmacy.com where there’s far less risk and uncertainty involved. You can find more information by clicking the button above.
If you’ve been prescribed Ozempic (whose active ingredient is semaglutide) to treat or manage your Type 2 Diabetes, you know that the medication comes with a hefty price tag. Ozempic, an injectable medication that helps lower blood sugar levels, maintain blood sugar control and decreases the risks of major cardiovascular events in patients with Type 2 Diabetes, has an average cost of more than $1,000 per individual pen in the U.S.
Ozempic is injected once per week, and each pen typically contains four doses. Roughly speaking, this means that a patient who is prescribed Ozempic will need to purchase an Ozempic pen at least once a month, which comes to a total cost of more than $12,000 per year.
Even with insurance coverage and/or other subsidies applied, this figure poses a significant financial burden that may put a strain on individuals and families. In many cases, it represents an impossible challenge.
Millions of Americans source prescription medications from outside the U.S. every year to take advantage of cheaper pharmaceutical prices. Online pharmacies offer shipping services from around the globe, but many Americans also opt to visit Canada or Mexico in person to bring prescription medications back across the border themselves.
If you’re considering sourcing Ozempic from outside of the U.S., you may be looking into the viability of using Mexican pharmacies. While many Americans do import prescription drugs from Mexico, there are definitely some things you should be aware of. In this article, we’ll provide an overview of the rules and regulations surrounding the importation of foreign drugs into the U.S. in general. We’ll also shed light on some realities that are more specific to Mexico in particular.
What Is Ozempic?
Ozempic (semaglutide) is a prescription injectable medication that is officially FDA-approved to lower blood sugar levels in adults with Type 2 Diabetes and reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in adults with Type 2 Diabetes and established heart disease. In addition, it is associated with weight loss in combination with lifestyle interventions, including a healthy diet and regular exercise. Ozempic improves blood sugar control by imitating a gut hormone known as glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1). Each semaglutide injection also slows down digestion and can decrease appetite—thus helping patients lose weight.
Unofficially, Ozempic has gained immense popularity as a weight loss drug—even among people without Type 2 Diabetes. However, unlike its sister drug Wevogy (also semaglutide), Ozempic must be prescribed off-label for this purpose. To clarify: An off-label prescription is a prescription written by a doctor for a use other than the one a drug is approved for (in this case, weight loss instead of blood sugar management). According to the FDA, off-label prescribing is a legal practice when performed by a medical professional who judges that “it is medically appropriate for their patient.”
In other words, if you are seeking Ozempic for weight loss rather than blood sugar management, the decision whether or not to write you an off-label prescription for the drug will be at your doctor’s discretion. Also worth noting is that unless you are obese or overweight with at least one weight-related condition, you’ll also require an off-label prescription for Wegovy (the FDA has only officially approved Wegovy for use in patients who meet these specific criteria).
The Costs and Supply of Ozempic
Ozempic is a costly medication, particularly in the U.S., where the average price of the drug without insurance is more than $900 per month. Even with its high price tag, demand for Ozempic has exceeded production at many points in time, causing intermittent shortages and making the drug challenging for many Americans to obtain on demand. Imported drugs offer a potential solution to these problems—though importing prescription drugs from Mexico may come with its own uncertainties.
Though the price may be low, Mexican drugs may come with increased risks. Be aware of this reality and consider extremely carefully before importing Mexican or other medications for Ozempic, a drug that you rely on to maintain your health.
Canada provides another viable alternative to purchasing Ozempic in the U.S. Canadian Ozempic is affordably priced (often as little as one-third of the American price). And, unlike Mexico, Canada has highly regulated pharmacies with safer products available for import.
Medical Tourism and Why People Are Going to Mexico for Ozempic
As outlined above, Ozempic can be expensive and sometimes also challenging to source in the U.S. For these reasons, many Americans leave U.S. soil to engage in medical tourism and access medications like Ozempic and Wegovy more easily and at more affordable prices. Medical tourism may be a particularly appealing option for people living with socioeconomic challenges who are looking for a way to access life-saving medications.
The Rules Surrounding Buying Ozempic in Mexico
Because the price of prescription medications is often dramatically less expensive in Mexico than in the U.S., many Americans seeking savings consider the possibility of sourcing Ozempic from Mexico. But can you buy Ozempic in Mexico? And is this a safe and legal option?
While you can purchase Ozempic in Mexico, at Bisonpharmacy.com we strongly recommend against it. Below, we’ll explore the legality of buying Mexican Ozempic and its associated risks in more detail:
Is Buying Ozempic From Mexico Legal?
It is possible to import drugs from Mexico as long as they don’t fall under the DEA’s Controlled Substances List. Ozempic is not on this list, so you can usually import it as long as you adhere to the following rules:
- The drug is for personal use only (specified in writing).
- You are not importing more than a 3-month supply of the drug.
- You have a prescription for the drug written by an American doctor (necessary if you are transporting more than 50 dosage units but recommended, no matter the quantity, to prove that the drug is for your own use).
- The drug is in its original packaging, and you properly declare it at the border.
Do I Need a Prescription To Buy Ozempic in Mexico?
Ozempic prescriptions may not actually be required to purchase Ozempic in Mexico or from an online Mexican pharmacy, but are strongly recommended (and in some cases necessary) to bring Ozempic back over the border into the U.S. Note that prescriptions from Mexican doctors are no longer accepted by U.S. customs.
How Much Ozempic Am I Allowed To Bring Back to the U.S.?
As with other prescription drugs, you are typically allowed to bring back no more than a 3-month supply of Ozempic from Mexico for personal use.
Can I Bring Back Drugs for Friends and Family?
No. Any prescription drugs you import from outside of the U.S. must be for personal use only. You may not pick up medications for anyone else, as this can be considered drug trafficking.
You Can Buy Ozempic From Mexico BUT…
First off, it’s important to keep in mind the purpose of your purchase. Ozempic has a reputation (with clinical evidence to support it) for aiding in healthy weight loss and treating obesity. However, the FDA has not approved Ozempic as a weight loss drug. Currently, it’s only approved to treat Type 2 Diabetes.
While it may be possible to purchase Ozempic in Mexico without having Type 2 Diabetes, you won’t be allowed to bring it back into the U.S. if you intend to use it for weight loss alone. If you’re looking to source weight loss medication from Mexico, be sure it’s also approved for that purpose in the U.S.
Rules, designations, and border crossings aside let’s have a look at the product itself. While it may be cheap, Mexican Ozempic might not be as safe or effective as American Ozempic. Why not? Let’s take a look:
Mexican Pharmacies Aren’t Well Regulated
In the U.S., pharmaceuticals are highly regulated by the FDA. Likewise, many other countries are widely accepted by American doctors as having well-regulated pharmacies. These countries include Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Turkey, and much of western Europe.
Mexico is not on the list.
This means that when you purchase Ozempic in Mexico, you’re not necessarily receiving a regulated product. Undoubtedly, this is the biggest risk associated with Mexican pharmacies and healthcare providers.
What You Pay for May Not Be What You Get
Because Ozempic is not regulated in Mexico the same way it is in the U.S., you may be receiving a sub-standard or downright dangerous product without even realizing it. The potency, efficacy, and purity of Mexican medications are all uncertain, and there’s really no way to ascertain if you’ve received what you should have.
Though the price may be low, Mexican drugs may come with increased risks. Be aware of this reality and consider extremely carefully before importing Mexican or other medications for Ozempic, a drug that you rely on to maintain your health.
Canada provides another viable alternative to purchasing Ozempic in the U.S. Canadian Ozempic is affordably priced (often as little as one-third of the American price). And, unlike Mexico, Canada has highly regulated pharmacies with safer products available for import.
You Can Potentially Be Denied Entry on Return
While very rare, it’s possible that you can be denied entry back into the U.S. when transporting prescription drugs. In most cases, drugs will simply be confiscated, but there’s also a risk of other penalties. If Customs and Border Protection (CBP) deems that the drug presents an unreasonable risk, you won’t be able to bring it into the country.
Also, be aware that CBP rules and regulations regarding medicines change frequently and are subject to change without warning. If you’re considering sourcing medications abroad (even online), be sure to check the most recent information as often as possible.
Why Should I Buy Ozempic From Canada?
Many patients have concerns about the potential risks of ordering pharmaceuticals from abroad. While scammy and poorly regulated services do exist, reputable distributors like Bisonpharmacy.com source only the highest quality medications from countries with impeccable standards.
Canada is one such country, and there are many reasons why ordering Canadian medications makes good sense:
How Much Does Ozempic Cost in Canada?
At your local pharmacy in the U.S., an individual Ozempic pen can retail for as little as $892, but the average price is $1,027. In Canada, that cost is drastically less. While pricing may vary depending on the dosage, quantity, and retailer, the price of an individual injectable pen ranges from about $320 to about $380.
As a rough estimate, this means that you’ll save approximately two-thirds of the price you would pay in the U.S. when you order Ozempic from Canada. Interested in learning more about Ozempic? Continue reading for more information.
Conclusion
To conclude, buying Ozempic in Mexico is definitely possible, but it’s not always simple, straightforward, or safe.
Importing medications and prescription drugs from Mexico that are readily available in the U.S. is technically illegal but generally doable with proper research, planning, and documentation. Among other things, you’ll need to have an Ozempic prescription from your U.S. doctor as well as attest that the medication is for personal use only (no more than a 90-day supply). You’ll also need to be treating Type 2 Diabetes, as Ozempic is not approved by the FDA as a drug to lose weight or treat obesity.
Mexican pharmaceuticals are not well regulated, and the Ozempic you import may not be pure, effective, or safe. For this reason, it’s recommended to think very carefully before purchasing Ozempic from Mexico.
Ordering Ozempic for weight loss from a Canadian Pharmacy or prescription referral service such as Bisonpharmacy.com may represent a viable, affordable, and better-regulated alternative.
About the Author
Ida Edlweiss Gumpal is a licensed Pharmacist and medical writer. She took her internships at Mercury Drug Corporation, Inc., a Hospital internship at De Vera Medical Center, Inc., and a Manufacturing internship at Philmed Laboratories, Inc. She has plans on attending medical school with the goal of specializing in Neurosurgery or Cardiothoracic surgery.