TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Best pharmacy

Looking to pick up a few things while here. Is there any pharmacy that anyone recommend that has good prices or are they all pretty much the same? We are all over the island so location is not an issue. Hubby loves driving around here!

Relatively limited experience yields the following advice:
1. Simpson Bay Pharmacy off of Welfare Road near Zee Best. Bad advice on treatment for sunburn, unfriendly. Not recommended.
2. Pharmacie in Marigot on Rue de Republique near the corner of Rue de Hollande. Very friendly and helpful (despite language barriers) on treatment for flu-like symptoms.
3. Pharmacie de Grand Case. Also very friendly and dedicated to help (treatment for urinary tract infection, with efficient doctor's office nearby).
Bottom line: go to the French side for both helpfulness and price.

In my experience, prices vary somewhat, to substantially, depending upon the drug. I've found some things cheaper on the French side, and some cheaper on the Dutch side. It also seems that Dutch side pharmacies in more touristy areas (Maho & Simpson Bay) are more expensive than in less touristy areas.
Since your husband enjoys driving around, I would suggest making a tour of island pharmacies to compare for yourself.

Highly recommend the pharmacies on the French side for a very good reason... Decades ago on a trip to Paris I learned that French Pharmacists have similar prescribing powers as Physicians assistants in the US. Since the French side of St. Martin is part of France, this holds true on SXM as well. Talk with the pharmacist, describe your problem, and you will get what you need to solve your problem...

Hmmm, we always use either the pharmacy at Maho which is the little sister shop to one in P'berg or the pharmacy on the little strip of stores in Simpson Bay not too far after the turn off road to Simpson Bay Beach area. I've found the staff to be very helpful and pleasant in both locations. And the only time I went looking for something on the French side (and in two different pharmacies there....) we ultimately found the product on the Dutch side for a few dollars less so I think pricing might depend on the item and the store. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

Thank you, Bill, for that information. I didn't know they could actually prescribe and provide meds. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

When I was (very) sick with fever and flu last January 2015, we used Dr. Deketh in Maho, and then had our prescriptions filled at the Maho Pharmacy. Found both places very accommodating and helpful. I know you asked about prices, but can't speak for that because it's the only pharmacy we've gone to.

The pharmacies can dispense certain meds without a Doctor's prescription, but you can't always rely upon it. Last year, my wife needed antibiotics for a cat scratch/bite, and the Cul-de-Sac pharmacy knew what she needed, but insisted on a script. Fortunately, there was a Dr's office next door, he examined her, wrote the script, and rewrote it when the original script had some side effects. All for the super reasonable price of $50.