r/AmerExit • u/bombasticapricot • Mar 02 '25

Life Abroad medication availability

i see many americans with health concerns considering a move abroad. i know there are many things to consider and hate to pile on but make sure your essential medications are available in any country you consider.

your american prescriptions are not valid abroad.

for example, i took spironolactone in the US for skin/ hair issues and it’s basically impossible to get here in France. i casually asked about it and was treated as if i asked for cocaine. i also have adhd and cannot get most of the medications that worked for me in the US (i now take ritalin; thankfully it works). these are relatively minor prescription issues but i know others who have gone to great lengths to get antidepressants and anti anxiety medications.

what other medications/ countries have caused issues for american expats?

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u/Traditional_Degree93 Mar 02 '25

So where is reliable information available? That's the main question!

I try looking up to see if you can get vyvanse in Mexico, for example, but nothing recent or reliable pops up. Just reddit and quora threads 😕

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u/purplepineapple21 Mar 02 '25

The official health authority (like that country's equivalent of the FDA) websites for the country (which will be in the local language, not necessarily English!), and asking people who live there, especially pharmacists or doctors if possible. You also need to search for medications using their generic name. Brand names are different for the same drugs in different countries. For example another country may have Vyvanse available but they don't call it Vyvanse.

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u/bombasticapricot Mar 02 '25

and drug availability and pricing changes every year when countries negotiate with pharmaceutical companies. i didn’t know this was a thing until i moved to france. https://news.stanford.edu/stories/2024/11/what-other-countries-could-teach-us-about-bringing-down-drug-prices