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Interestingly, in 2010 Brazil introduced legislation severely limiting access to antibiotics for humans. Since then you need to hand in a prescription with each

Interestingly, in 2010 Brazil introduced legislation severely limiting access to antibiotics for humans. Since then you need to hand in a prescription with each purchase -- and it is kept by the pharmacy. Doctors still prescribe antibiotics more or less liberally, so it's not perfect, but most self medicated abuse has been drastically reduced.

majewsky 9y ago
After the first sentence, I expected something much harsher. Handing out antibiotics only to patients with a prescription seems like common sense to me.
- DoreenMichele 9y ago
  My understanding: Brazil was pretty freewheeling for a long time. At one time, I was internet acquainted with someone into alternative remedies who moved there so they could do whatever the heck they wanted without answering to anyone, basically.
  - cassianoleal 9y ago
    That's absolutely not true. Brazil has legislations and regulations for things many countries just use common sense. If by alternative medicine you mean homeopathy, that's highly regulated and you need to be a registered medical doctor to use it. If you mean something else, then that would depend on what remedies (s)he was using.
  - deleted 9y ago
    [deleted]
- woliveirajr 9y ago
  In Brazil you can buy almost any medical drug in a drugstore without a prescription. For some drugs you need different kind of prescriptions: antibiotics just need a regular prescription, some others will need special prescriptions that are only available for doctors who have applied, and so on. So, yes, things were hardned few years ago.
  - copperx 9y ago
    You don't need to go that far from the US. Mexico had the same situation until a couple of years ago. You could buy antibiotics without a prescription, and many US citizens living on border cities made quick trips to Mexico just to do so when sick.
    - mbrumlow 9y ago
      I have been sick over 10 days. I can't get anybody to give me antibiotics. I am going to a new doctor today to see what can be done. But this is not the story I wanted to share. When I was in middle school I had fallen very ill. I was sick for over 30 days. I was also low income and the process of going to the doctor made things worse. I could hardly move or swallow. I was not eating and loads of green stuff. Chills and fever over and over. I had taken everything the local doctors had prescribed. Nothing was working. I was not getting better. My band teacher at the time was very concerned. I had missed over a month of school. So he made trip to visit family in Mexico. He smuggled back a big bottle of amoxicillin. Mother crushed them into honey and after only two doses and one night I was already improving. I was able sit up and eat and things progressed on until I was healthy again. If it were not for my band teacher I am sure I would have died. Thank you Mr. Garcia. It is a real shame that people abuse these powerful tools. That we allow cooperate interest trump that of humanity's.

majewsky 9y ago

After the first sentence, I expected something much harsher. Handing out antibiotics only to patients with a prescription seems like common sense to me.

DoreenMichele 9y ago
My understanding: Brazil was pretty freewheeling for a long time. At one time, I was internet acquainted with someone into alternative remedies who moved there so they could do whatever the heck they wanted without answering to anyone, basically.
- cassianoleal 9y ago
  That's absolutely not true. Brazil has legislations and regulations for things many countries just use common sense. If by alternative medicine you mean homeopathy, that's highly regulated and you need to be a registered medical doctor to use it. If you mean something else, then that would depend on what remedies (s)he was using.
- deleted 9y ago
  [deleted]
woliveirajr 9y ago
In Brazil you can buy almost any medical drug in a drugstore without a prescription. For some drugs you need different kind of prescriptions: antibiotics just need a regular prescription, some others will need special prescriptions that are only available for doctors who have applied, and so on. So, yes, things were hardned few years ago.
- copperx 9y ago
  You don't need to go that far from the US. Mexico had the same situation until a couple of years ago. You could buy antibiotics without a prescription, and many US citizens living on border cities made quick trips to Mexico just to do so when sick.
  - mbrumlow 9y ago
    I have been sick over 10 days. I can't get anybody to give me antibiotics. I am going to a new doctor today to see what can be done. But this is not the story I wanted to share. When I was in middle school I had fallen very ill. I was sick for over 30 days. I was also low income and the process of going to the doctor made things worse. I could hardly move or swallow. I was not eating and loads of green stuff. Chills and fever over and over. I had taken everything the local doctors had prescribed. Nothing was working. I was not getting better. My band teacher at the time was very concerned. I had missed over a month of school. So he made trip to visit family in Mexico. He smuggled back a big bottle of amoxicillin. Mother crushed them into honey and after only two doses and one night I was already improving. I was able sit up and eat and things progressed on until I was healthy again. If it were not for my band teacher I am sure I would have died. Thank you Mr. Garcia. It is a real shame that people abuse these powerful tools. That we allow cooperate interest trump that of humanity's.