Good morning everyone,
Whether it's a simple cold or a chronic illness, medication and medicine use vary from country to country and culture to culture.
When you are used to certain brands or types of drugs, being in a country like Belize with different rules can affect your daily well-being.
Some drugs also differ in name, price, dosage, active molecule, so we would like to hear your opinion on these issues:
Have you ever had difficulties finding familiar or useful medicines for your health in your host country?
Have you ever been faced with a shortage of medicines in Belize?
Would you have said that in Belize drugs are more or less expensive than in your home country? Do you find them more or less effective or of similar quality?
What is the place of alternative medicines in your host country? Have you ever used them?
Thank you in advance for your feedback,
Loïc
Medication in Belize
I found getting medication in Belize to be far easier and less expensive than in the US. Many medications that required prescriptions in the US were available without a prescription and many pharmacies and knowledgeable pharmacists are available in Belize. We never had an issue acquiring medication and our pharmacist was willing to stock or special order items and call us when they arrived (usually within a few days).
Can someone post the pharmacy name that will special order medication? Thanks!
I know that Best Care Pharmacy in Belmopan will order meds on request, but it may depend on your specific requirement, as to their ability to obtain it. 
On one of our earlier trips down to Belize - I checked out a pharmacy in BC just to explore this very issue. A few years ago - I asked about Advair (for asthma) made by Glaxo Smith Kline as this is normally $300-$400 for a 30-day disc in US. It was available across the counter by request for $48!!!! I bought 2 then. The last time I checked was in 2018 and the local pharmacy in Hopkins didn't have it, but said they could get it in a few days if I needed it. 2 of my wife's meds are readily available and less expensive down in Belize.
Advair is down to under $200 now in US - I will check this out on next trip when Virus scare is over.
Fortunately my wife and I do not need any medications. I do know people that do. You cannot count on Belize having them. You need to come here and check before you move here if you must have it. I know a few people that cannot get a generic, or trade name drug here that they must have to live a reasonable life. If you live in a country where you can get a years supply at once then that likely is not an issue. Some countries, or health systems prohibit this. As with each country of the world, different drugs are available in each country.
Therefore if you have drugs you need regularly you must come and check that you can get that drug. If you cannot a local doctor may be able to recommend an alternative that is available. For common problems (i.e. high blood pressure) there are several options.
Do not expect any contraindication checking done when they issue a prescription. The doctors here are not on an EMR that automatically performs this check against all your medications. Remember that thousands of people die each year, and many more thousands end up in hospitals because of prescription medication interaction that are bad (contraindications).
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