NEW RULE (LAW) for controlled PAIN MEDS

The Government now requires a patient's CURP number be included on the PRESCRIPTION FORMS for controlled pain medications. This is due to a new computerized system being used to track these scripts.


This may present a problem for patients who only have a TOURIST VISA.

The anesthesiologist who comes to Chapala Med to manage our patients has provided information to SPENCER McMULLEN(attorney at law) to clear up the matter. After speaking with him yesterday, he will be trying to perhaps get an AMPARO so that these patients can get their prescriptions in accordance to the law.

Remember, this law ONLY affects patients who DO NOT have a CURP or who cannot get one such as those who have a TOURIST VISA.

Just got this via another medical facilitator and one of her referring docs in PV.

Es cierto.... para los medicos el permiso y las recetas se volvio mas sencillo, solo un tramite de internet sencillo y en unos dias puede uno comenzar a recetar narcoticos... pero para los pacientes si se volvio mas complicado ya que los extranjeros tienen que tener CURP..., casi todos mis pacientes de prescripcion habitual tienen CURP, solo los turistas van a batallar... Dice la pagina de la secretaria de gobernacion que cualquier turista puede tener CURP.... pero ni en el registro civil saben como..


So, in essence, it will be easier for doctors to be able to prescribe narcotics under the new system. But for patients it has become more complicated, especiallly for foriegners. Almost all my patients whom I regularly write scripts for have a CURP, it's only going to be those with a tourist visa who are going to be having a hard time.

The web page for the SECRETARIA DE GOBERNACION states that ANY tourist can obtain a CURP, but nobody at the CIVIL REGISTRY office knows how to give one to those with tourist visas.




That's all we know for now.

Mexican Government Changes Rules on Controlled Pain Medications

According to yucalandia.com, the Mexican government now requires that every prescription for controlled pain medications (like barbituates and opiates) include the patient’s CURP number.
As has happened with Immigration & visas and Customs & importing vehicles, the Mex. Gob. now tracks prescriptions with a new national computer data-base system.
This presents significant problems for Visitors in Mexico on Visitante / Tourist visas, because they have no CURP number.
CURP numbers are mostly equivalent to having a US Social Security number – so temporary visitors to Mexico do not get CURPs with their visas. Residents, as Residente Temporal and Residente Permanente, do get CURPs as a part of their visa.
Specifically, medical tourists who come to Mexico for economical treatments cannot get controlled pain medications under this new policy.
We will provide updates, if there are changes in the law/rules, or if an amparo is filed.
Source: YucaLandia/Surviving Yucatan.

Hi,

We have verified with COFEPRIS (The Mexican equivalent of the FDA) that the CURP field on the doctors online prescription system is optional and is verifiable on their web page at http://www.cofepris.gob.mx/Paginas/Recetarios%20y%20libros%20electr%C3%B3nicos.aspx and downloading their user manuals for Pharmacies http://www.cofepris.gob.mx/Documents/RecetariosLibros/ManualFarmacias.pdf and looking on page 13 where it says optional fields and one being the CURP number, best for people to print that page to be able to show Pharmacies that the CURP is not a mandatory field.

UPDATE -

I just called :

Farmacia la Paz  
Address: Av España 1803, Moderna, 44190 Guadalajara, Jal.
Phone:01 33 3679 7749

And they will be filling scripts for controlled pain meds without the CURP filled in (at least for the time being) and that it is currently optional.
I am not sure how long it will be this way but I advise my patients to get their documents (VISAs & CURPs) in order to avoid any future unnecessary & undue stress & headaches.