Mi farmaceutica had me read the inserts on a couple of meds the other day. Both of the medications pictured are lyophilates of different bacterial strains.

"Uro-Vaxom" contains e. coli and "Broncho-Vaxom" contains h. flu, d. pneumoniae, k. pneumonia, k. ozaenae, s. areus, s. pyogenes, s. viridans, and n. catarrhalis. At first, I was just happy to recognize the majority of these bugs. I was then more interested in the fact that I don't know of any medications like these in the US. Not quite a probiotic, not quite a vaccine, these are used for recurrent UTI and bronchitis, respectively. For $14 and $40 per cycle (they don't have medication insurance here but the prices are much cheaper), these regimens are purportedly effective at stimulating the immune system so these problems do not recur. Luckily the package inserts were in spanish and english.



Some other things to note from this week's visit to the farmacia:

• While the US is reducing the available forms of acetaminophen (due to liver concerns for opiate addicts), CR has a 750mg tablet
• This location does not have ANY opiates (they are mostly in the govt. pharmacies)
• Erectile dysfunction meds are controlled and require a prescription

Yesterday we went to "La Carpio" which is a Nicaraguan slum. It also happens to be the waste site for all of Costa Rica. We will be most of our charlas (health talks) in this area. I didn't take many pictures, but it is pretty much what you would picture when you think of the third world. The only difference is that I did see satellites and a few flat screens in the shanties.


On the way back, we drove by this cookie factory. It smelled sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo good!!!


Pura Vida
Corey