Recommendations for Providers Assisting HIV Patients Returning to Mexico

Date of Report: 04/2009

What's Available in Mexico

Nearly all HIV medications available in the United States are now available to Mexican citizens in Mexico through a range of public and private programs. Access to HIV medications in Mexico has expanded greatly in recent years.

	U.S.-Mexico Antiretroviral Drug Chart

HIV Treatment in Mexico

Each state has an HIV/AIDS director responsible for coordinating treatment and prevention programs. You or your patient can contact this person to determine the availability of HIV diagnostic tests and HIV medications in the state to which your patient is returning. Patients are treated either in general hospitals or in CAPASITS (HIV specialty clinics: "Centro Ambulatorio de Prevención y Atención en SIDA e ITS"). The CAPASITS network was introduced in Mexico in 2005 and is still expanding. As of 2008, it comprised nearly 60 centers around the country. See below for a link to CAPASITS locations.

What Patients Will Need

Patients must enroll for care and provide certain documents to be eligible to receive medications. To speed the process and avoid out-of-pocket costs for laboratory tests, encourage your patients to bring the following:

Necessary

	Positive HIV antibody test result (confirmed with Western Blot)
	Patient's CURP number ("Clave Unica de Registro de Población" -- Mexican federal I.D. number.) Patients can look this up online .

Recommended

	If available, 3 month supply of their current HIV medications
	A recent CD4+ T cell count (not free in all states)
	A recent viral load test result (not free in all states)
	Copy of patient's chart including complete antiretroviral treatment history, including resistance test results

Connecting to Care in Mexico

See the online U.S.-Mexico Border Resource Directory listings for Mexico.

	The list of Mexican state HIV/AIDS directors is available online. (Spanish)
	The list of CAPASITS (outpatient multiservice centers) is available online at: http://www.censida.salud.gob.mx/interior/transparencia/capasits.htm (Spanish)
	A national toll-free hotline is operated by the Mexican federal agency in charge of HIV treatment and prevention, CENSIDA. Encourage your patient to call when they are in Mexico to find the closest care provider. The numbers are: 01 800 712 0886 or 01 800 712 0889
	CENSIDA also maintains a website with information regarding HIV assistance programs: http://www.censida.salud.gob.mx/ (Spanish).