[schoolornot]

Maybe it's time for the FDA to just do quality checks but otherwise screw off. I'm tired of having to order 100% safe drugs from Indian pharmacies. No question they are colluding with Big Pharma. Is there any reason the "Farmacia" model of Latin American countries, where you go in and pay per-pill for whatever you want wouldn't work here?

[quercusa]

The plant in India’s southern Tamil Nadu state produced eyedrops that have been linked to 68 bacterial infections in the U.S., including three deaths and eight cases of vision loss. Four people have had their eyeballs surgically removed due to infection. The drops were recalled in February by two U.S. distributors, EzriCare and Delsam Phama.

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/fda-finds-sterility-issu...

[macintux]

There have been comments on previous discussions here that indicate the safety culture in Indian drug manufacturing is shockingly bad.

[lotsofpulp]

If you have ever lived in, been to, or even seen videos of life in India, then this would not be shocking.

The people living there, and especially working the low paid jobs in these factories and whatnot, have bigger risks to worry about than safety in drug manufacturing.

[cnelsenmilt]

Regulatory capture is a real problem, but are you suggesting we'd be better off if the same Big Pharma could just market and sell whatever it pleased?

[macNchz]

> Is there any reason the "Farmacia" model of Latin American countries, where you go in and pay per-pill for whatever you want wouldn't work here?

It seems that, at least in Mexico, this model leads to massive overuse of antibiotics as people self medicate colds/flu and other things that don’t need them.*

Facing increased antibiotic resistance, letting people decide for themselves when they need antibiotics seems like a mistake, especially given that many Americans already “shop” between doctors until one will prescribe the antibiotics they think they need (prompted in some cases through the perverse incentives of patient satisfaction surveys).

Never mind the decision making around which specific medication may be most effective for a particular condition in light of potential side effects that the average person may not know much about, for example the potential for long term disabling damage from fluoroquinolones–see people preemptively asking their doctor for a Cipro prescription “just in case” they get diarrhea while traveling.

* https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/mexicos-discount-h...

[sixothree]

Out of curiosity (and ignorance), what kind of things are available in India that are gatekeeped here?

[noodlenotes]

Sunscreen! Korea and Japan have great sunscreens that don't feel oily or icky on your skin because they're able to use more modern ingredients. The FDA hasn't approved new sunscreen ingredients since 1999.

This is important for people (commonly women) who regularly use skincare treatments that make their skin extra sensitive to the sun. They want daily facial sunscreen that doesn't feel greasy. We end up buying it on eBay because it's not allowed to be sold in the US.

[ultrarunner]

For the longest time, something as simple as Voltarin was not available OTC in the US, but could easily be obtained from other countries. It's an anti-inflamatory cream used for joint pain that you don't have to eat, so lower risk of side-effects to stomach, liver, and kidneys.

[mastersummoner]

Modafinil is one.

[101008]

I dont know what "Famarcia" model you refer to, but in Argentina isn't like that, but the contrary. You need a prescription from your doctor to buy most of the meds. Last time I was in NYC, I was surprised by the meds section, a lot of choices without prescription. I wish we had something like that in here, the only thing that doesn't need a prescription is ibuprofen*

[* I am exagerating but you get the point...]

[travisjungroth]

In Mexico, Colombia and Peru I have bought individual pills, exactly as many as needed. I’ve done this for stomach issues and antibiotics (yes, I had a bacterial infection). In Mexico, I saw a doctor in the same building as the pharmacy after a 10 minute wait to get a prescription for something else.