Prozac in Mexico: Brands, Very Cheap Generics and How to Get It Legally
A practical guide for San Diego and California patients, written by a board-certified psychiatrist in Tijuana, 15 minutes from the San Ysidro border crossing.
The short answer
Prozac (fluoxetine) is sold in Mexico under the same name by Eli Lilly, and generic fluoxetine costs as little as $99 pesos, about $5 USD, for 28 capsules, but a Mexican pharmacy legally needs a prescription from a Mexican-licensed doctor, and you can usually bring up to a 90-day supply back to the US.
- Name: ask for fluoxetina (floo-ox-eh-TEE-nah). Mexican brands include Fluoxac, Farmaxetina and F-Exetina.
- Price: brand Prozac costs about $111 for 28 capsules in Mexico when in stock, versus a US list price of about $438 for 30.
- Prescription: required, but fluoxetine isn't controlled in Mexico. The pharmacy doesn't keep your prescription.
- Bringing it home: keep the original box, carry the prescription, declare it to CBP and stay within 90 days.
Prozac in Mexico at a glance
- Generic name
- Fluoxetine (fluoxetine hydrochloride)
- Brands in Mexico
- Prozac (Eli Lilly México), Fluoxac (Psicofarma), Farmaxetina (Investigación Farmacéutica), F-Exetina (Novag), generics
- Strength
- 20 mg capsules or tablets
- Usual dose (label)
- 20 mg in the morning, up to 80 mg; your doctor sets it
- Mexican prescription
- Required, refillable, not retained (Article 226, section IV)
- US status
- Prescription only, not a controlled substance
01 · The name
What is Prozac called in Mexico?
Prozac is called Prozac in Mexico too. Eli Lilly y Compañía de México sells the original brand, and pharmacies stock generic fluoxetina plus Mexican brands such as Fluoxac, Farmaxetina and F-Exetina.2
Fluoxetine is an SSRI antidepressant (a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, which leaves more serotonin available between nerve cells). The FDA approves Prozac for depression, OCD, bulimia nervosa and panic disorder.1 ClinCalc ranked fluoxetine the 18th most prescribed US drug in 2023, with about 27.5 million prescriptions.5 In a 2018 Lancet review of 522 trials, fluoxetine was one of only two antidepressants that people stopped less often than placebo.4
| Name on the box | Maker | Form and box size |
|---|---|---|
| Prozac | Eli Lilly México (original brand) | 20 mg capsules, boxes of 7, 14 or 28 |
| Fluoxac | Psicofarma | 20 mg tablets, box of 20 |
| Farmaxetina | Investigación Farmacéutica | 20 mg tablets, box of 28 |
| F-Exetina | Novag | 20 mg capsules, box of 14 |
| Fluoxetina (generic) | Farmacias Similares and other chains | 20 mg capsules, box of 28 |
"Fluoxetina de 20 miligramos, caja de 28, por favor. Aquí está mi receta." (Fluoxetine, 20 milligrams, box of 28, please. Here is my prescription.) Capsule or tablet, 20 mg is 20 mg.
02 · Price
How much does Prozac cost in Mexico vs. the US?
Generic fluoxetine is cheap in both countries, about $5 USD a box in Mexico and $3 to $10 with a coupon in the US. The savings are on brand Prozac, about $111 in Mexico versus a US list price of about $438, and on the psychiatrist's fee.
| Item | In Mexico | In the US |
|---|---|---|
| Generic fluoxetine 20 mg | About $5 for 28 capsules (Similares, $99 MXN) | About $3 to $10 with a coupon; about $20 average cash |
| Mexican brands 20 mg | About $20 to $31 for Farmaxetina (28) and $23 for Fluoxac (20) | Not sold in the US |
| Prozac 20 mg | About $111 for 28 capsules ($2,083 MXN), often out of stock | About $438 list price for 30 (Lilly, 2024) |
| First psychiatrist visit | $125 with me | $250 to $300 typical |
| Follow-up visit | $105 with me | $100 to $200 typical |
Sources: Similares, Benavides and WeCare,6 Banxico,7 GoodRx and Drugs.com,8 Eli Lilly9 and GoodRx Health.10 Prices change often.
At one 20 mg dose a day, 3 boxes of 28 cover 84 days and 4 boxes of Fluoxac (20 tablets) cover 80, both inside the 90-day rule of thumb. If your dose is 40 mg, halve those days.
03 · Prescriptions
Do you need a prescription for Prozac in Mexico?
Yes. Fluoxetine falls under section IV (fracción IV) of Article 226 of Mexico's General Health Law, so it needs a Mexican prescription, but it is not a controlled drug.3
- The pharmacy asks for it but doesn't keep it, and you can refill it as many times as your doctor writes.
- A US prescription isn't valid in Mexico. You need one showing a Mexican cédula profesional (license number).
- Any Mexican physician with a cédula can prescribe fluoxetine, including a general practitioner.
- Some pharmacies don't ask. Buying that way skips the screening for bipolar disorder and interactions, which matter more with fluoxetine than with most SSRIs.
04 · Bringing it back
Can you bring Prozac from Mexico to the US?
Usually yes. Fluoxetine is not a US controlled substance, so you can bring up to about a 90-day personal supply if you declare it to CBP, keep the original box and carry your prescription.1112
- Keep the original box with the name and strength printed on it.
- Carry a copy of your Mexican prescription. CBP says a valid prescription or doctor's note is required on all medication entering the US.
- Declare it at San Ysidro or Otay Mesa as personal medication.
- Stay within 90 days: 3 boxes of 28 at 20 mg a day.
- Carry it yourself. Don't mail or ship it.
The DEA's 50-dosage-unit limit (21 CFR 1301.26) applies only to controlled drugs such as clonazepam, not to fluoxetine.13 Read my full guide to bringing medication from Mexico, and see whether a Mexican prescription works in the US.
05 · Safety
Is fluoxetine from a Mexican pharmacy safe?
Fluoxetine bought with a prescription at an established Mexican chain is the safest way to buy it in Mexico. I found no Cofepris (Mexico's drug regulator) alert about counterfeit fluoxetine as of November 1, 2026.
Still, a UCLA-led study published in February 2023 found counterfeit pills, mostly fake opioids and "Adderall," at 11 of 40 pharmacies in northern Mexico, and 68% sold controlled drugs without a prescription.14
- Buy at established chains such as Farmacias del Ahorro, Benavides, Farmacias Guadalajara, Similares or Costco.
- Check the seal, lot number and expiration date, and keep your receipt.
- Tell every doctor you take fluoxetine. The FDA label bars pimozide and thioridazine with it, and an MAO inhibitor needs a 5-week wait after stopping it.1
06 · Switching
Can you switch from Prozac to a Mexican generic?
Yes, usually at the same dose. Prozac, Fluoxac, Farmaxetina, F-Exetina and generic fluoxetina share the same active ingredient at 20 mg, whether the box holds capsules or tablets.
Fluoxetine stays in the body for weeks, so a short refill gap is less abrupt than with other SSRIs, but interactions persist after you stop.
Fluoxetine has an "elimination half-life of 1 to 3 days after acute administration and 4 to 6 days after chronic administration," and its active metabolite, norfluoxetine, 4 to 16 days.
US Food and Drug Administration, Prozac prescribing information
- Once a brand works, stick with it.
- Don't stop on your own. The FDA label still advises a gradual reduction when possible.1
"Fluoxetine is one of the easiest antidepressants to keep affordable in Mexico. Its long half-life forgives a late dose, but I still want you on a steady plan, not on whatever box was in stock."Dr. B. Ernesto Cedillo Ramírez, psychiatrist in Tijuana
If you have thoughts of harming yourself, call or text 988 in the US, or call Línea de la Vida at 800 911 2000 or 911 in Mexico. The FDA warns these thoughts can increase early in treatment in people under 25.
07 · Care with me
Can you see a psychiatrist in Tijuana for Prozac if you live in San Diego?
Yes. A Mexican-licensed psychiatrist can evaluate you in person in Tijuana and prescribe fluoxetine to fill in Mexico. That prescription can't be filled at a California pharmacy.
In my practice, the first visit is a full evaluation, not a refill stop. With fluoxetine I review every medication you take, because its interactions matter, and I screen for bipolar disorder. If you're stable, a general practitioner can renew it; for mild symptoms, psychotherapy is often the right first step.
- First visit, in person, 60 minutes, $125, in English or Spanish.
- A plan with what's sold in Mexico, brand or generic, with your budget in mind.
- Follow-up, 60 minutes, $105, in person or by video if you're physically in Mexico.
- A superbill on request (an itemized receipt with ICD-10 and CPT codes) for out-of-network reimbursement. I don't accept insurance.
Dr. B. Ernesto Cedillo Ramírez, psychiatrist in Tijuana: New City Medical Plaza, P.º del Centenario 9580, Suite 24, 25th floor, Zona Urbana Río Tijuana, 22010 Tijuana, B.C., 15 minutes from the San Ysidro border crossing. WhatsApp +52 664 484 2218. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 10:00 to 18:30; Saturday 10:00 to 15:00.
Key terms
- SSRI
- An SSRI is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, the antidepressant class of fluoxetine, sertraline and escitalopram.
- Half-life
- A half-life is the time the body takes to clear half of a drug; fluoxetine's is measured in days, not hours.
- Section IV prescription
- A section IV prescription is a Mexican prescription the pharmacy reviews but doesn't keep, refillable as the doctor indicates.
- CBP
- CBP is US Customs and Border Protection, the agency that inspects travelers at San Ysidro, Otay Mesa and airports.
08 · FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Prozac in Mexico
What is Prozac called in Mexico?
Prozac is sold in Mexico under the same name by Eli Lilly y Compañía de México, though it's often out of stock. Pharmacies also carry generic fluoxetina and brands such as Fluoxac by Psicofarma, Farmaxetina by Investigación Farmacéutica and F-Exetina by Novag, all at 20 mg.
Can you buy Prozac in Mexico without a prescription?
Legally, no. Fluoxetine requires a prescription from a Mexican-licensed doctor under Article 226 of Mexico's General Health Law. It isn't controlled, so the pharmacy doesn't keep the prescription and you can refill it. A US prescription isn't valid at a Mexican pharmacy.
How much is fluoxetine in Mexico?
Generic fluoxetine 20 mg costs about $99 pesos, roughly $5 USD, for 28 capsules at Farmacias Similares as of November 2026. Mexican brands cost about $20 to $31 USD, and brand Prozac about $2,083 pesos, roughly $111 USD, for 28 capsules when available.
Can I bring Prozac from Mexico to the US?
Usually yes. Fluoxetine isn't a US controlled substance, so the 50-unit limit doesn't apply. Keep it in the original box, carry a copy of your prescription, declare it to CBP and bring no more than a 90-day supply, which is 3 boxes of 28 at 20 mg a day.
Is Mexican fluoxetine the same as Prozac?
Yes, it contains the same active ingredient, fluoxetine, at the same 20 mg strength, in capsules or tablets. Most people continue at the same dose when they switch. Once one brand works, keep buying it, and tell your doctor about any new side effect or change in mood.
Can a US pharmacy fill a Mexican prescription for Prozac?
Generally not in California, where pharmacies fill prescriptions from prescribers licensed in a US state. Texas and Arizona allow pharmacies to fill a written Mexican prescription for non-controlled drugs such as fluoxetine. In San Diego, fill it in Mexico or ask a US doctor to rewrite it.
Keep reading
Related pages
Dr. B. Ernesto Cedillo Ramírez, MD
Board-certified psychiatrist in Tijuana · Zona Río
I trained in medicine and psychiatry at UNAM, with my residency at Hospital Psiquiátrico Fray Bernardino Álvarez in Mexico City, and I'm board certified by the Consejo Mexicano de Psiquiatría. I see adults from Tijuana, San Diego and California in English or Spanish.
Céd. Prof. 11206254 · Céd. Esp. 13577158. Here's how to verify them.
Sources
References
- FDA. Prozac (fluoxetine) prescribing information, August 2023. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov
- PLM México. Prozac (Eli Lilly y Compañía de México). medicamentosplm.com
- Ley General de Salud (Mexico), Article 226, last amended January 15, 2026. diputados.gob.mx
- Cipriani A, et al. The Lancet 2018;391:1357-1366. doi.org; NIHR summary: evidence.nihr.ac.uk
- ClinCalc DrugStats. Fluoxetine, 2023. clincalc.com
- Checked November 1, 2026: Similares, Farmaxetina and Fluoxac (Benavides), Prozac and F-Exetina (WeCare).
- Banco de México. FIX rate, October 30, 2026. banxico.org.mx
- GoodRx, Prozac cost without insurance (June 2026), and Drugs.com fluoxetine price guide, November 1, 2026.
- Eli Lilly and Company. Prozac list price disclosure, January 2024. pricinginfo.lilly.com
- GoodRx Health. Psychiatrist cost without insurance, reviewed July 2026. goodrx.com
- FDA. Personal Importation, August 2025. fda.gov
- CBP. What international travelers should know before they go. cbp.gov
- 21 CFR § 1301.26. law.cornell.edu
- UCLA Health, February 2, 2023. Counterfeit pills sold in Mexican pharmacies. uclahealth.org
Need fluoxetine managed by a psychiatrist?
Book a first visit in English or Spanish in Zona Río, 15 minutes from the San Ysidro crossing.
Educational content; it doesn't replace a medical evaluation or legal advice. Don't start, change or stop a medication without your doctor. Updated . Crisis: in Mexico, Línea de la Vida 800 911 2000 or 911; in the US, call or text 988.