A Pharm-Aid Service
International Prescriptions — filled in Florida
If you arrived in Florida with a prescription from your home country, you don't have to start over. We verify and fill prescriptions written by doctors abroad — same active ingredient, FDA-approved equivalent, and the same one-on-one care our community has trusted for years.
What this service is
Most U.S. pharmacies can't (or won't) fill a prescription written by a doctor outside the United States. At Pharm-Aid, this is one of our defining services — we built it because our customers are people who moved here from across Latin America, the Caribbean, and beyond, and they shouldn't have to choose between continuing their treatment and finding a new doctor on day one.
What we do isn't simply dispense the foreign prescription as-is. We verify the prescription is legitimate, identify the FDA-approved equivalent of your medication (active ingredient, dose, form), and fill it at the correct quantity. The medication you go home with is the U.S.-equivalent of what your doctor prescribed — same molecule, same dose, sometimes a different brand name on the bottle.
Quick reality check:
Most everyday medications transfer directly — blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, thyroid, asthma, statins, common antibiotics. Controlled substances (most pain medications, anxiety medications, sleep aids, certain stimulants) cannot be filled from an international prescription. For those, we connect you with a local prescriber.
Countries we fill prescriptions from
We handle international prescriptions every week. The most common origin countries:
- 🇨🇺 Cuba
- 🇻🇪 Venezuela
- 🇨🇴 Colombia
- 🇲🇽 Mexico
- 🇦🇷 Argentina
- 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
- 🇵🇪 Peru
- 🇨🇱 Chile
- 🇪🇨 Ecuador
- 🇺🇾 Uruguay
- 🇧🇷 Brazil (Portuguese prescriptions OK)
- 🇪🇸 Spain
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- 🇫🇷 France
- 🌎 Most other countries — call to confirm
The process — what happens at the counter
- Verification — we confirm the prescribing doctor is registered in their country and that the medication can be filled legally in Florida. For most everyday medications, this takes minutes.
- FDA-equivalent identification — Brand names differ by country. The losartan you take in Colombia may be called Cozaar here; the Adalat in Mexico is nifedipine at most U.S. pharmacies. Our pharmacist confirms the active ingredient and dose match exactly.
- Insurance check — if you have U.S. insurance, we verify coverage in real time and tell you your copay before filling. No surprises.
- Fill + delivery — pick up at the counter or have it delivered free within 5 miles of any of our three locations.
What to bring on your first visit
- The original prescription (not just a phone photo, if possible)
- Photo ID — passport, driver's license, or consular ID
- Insurance card if you have U.S. insurance (we also offer competitive cash pricing)
- The original medication packaging, if you still have it — this helps us confirm the exact dose and active ingredient when brand names differ
Tip:
If your prescription is in Portuguese, French, Italian, or another non-English/non-Spanish language, bring it anyway. Our team is multilingual and we work with non-Spanish prescriptions regularly.
Insurance and pricing
Most major U.S. insurance plans cover the U.S.-equivalent of a medication regardless of where the original prescription was written. We accept:
- Medicare Part D (Aetna SilverScript, Humana, UnitedHealthcare AARP, and others)
- Florida Medicaid and Managed Care plans (Sunshine, Molina, Simply, Humana Healthy Horizons)
- Commercial plans (Aetna, BCBS / Florida Blue, Humana, UnitedHealthcare, AvMed, Cigna)
- Marketplace / ACA plans (Ambetter, Oscar, Florida Blue)
- Full list of carriers and plans →
Without U.S. insurance? We offer competitive cash pricing and accept discount programs like GoodRx and SingleCare. We'll always quote the lower of insurance copay vs. cash discount.
Three convenient Florida locations
All three locations offer the international prescription service:
- Pembroke Pines — flagship, Broward County
- Doral / Sweetwater — Miami-Dade, near MIA
- Orlando / Kissimmee — Osceola County, central Florida
Common questions
Can you fill prescriptions from any country?
Yes, in nearly all cases — as long as the medication is FDA-approved in the U.S. and not a controlled substance. We've filled prescriptions from over 30 countries.
Do I need an appointment?
No — walk in any time during business hours. The first verification is in person; refills can be requested by phone or WhatsApp.
What about controlled substances like Xanax or Adderall?
U.S. law requires controlled substances to be prescribed by a U.S.-licensed clinician. We can't fill those from an international prescription. If you need a controlled medication, we'll help connect you with a local prescriber for evaluation.
My medication isn't available in the U.S. — what now?
If the exact combination or formulation isn't sold in the U.S., we'll identify the closest equivalent (same active ingredient, possibly separate pills instead of a combo) and explain your options before filling anything.
How long does verification take?
Most are same-day. Complex cases — unusual formulations, multiple medications, or insurance prior authorization — may take 24 to 48 hours. We tell you the timeline before you leave.
Is the U.S. version of my medication the same as what I take at home?
In nearly all cases, yes — same active ingredient, same dose, same therapeutic effect. The brand name on the bottle may be different. Our pharmacist will walk you through it.