“I don't have insurance, and the prices here for medication are way too high. So, we have to go over there (to Juarez) and get our medications,” said Raul Garcia, of Sunland Park.

Garcia is among many living in the Borderland with little access to affordable health care. He said he crosses into Juarez at least once a week to get prescription medications for his diabetic uncle, and if he needs to see a doctor he heads south of the border.

“It's cheap over there. The doctor will charge you $15 to see you, and here it's over $100,” said Garcia.

A study by researchers at the University of Texas School of Public Health El Paso Regional Campus found one in three El Paso residents buy their medications in Juarez. Meanwhile, 10 percent of the population sought dental care. “Cross-Border Purchase of Medications and Heath Care in a Sample of Residents of El Paso, Texas, and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico” by Jose O. Rivera, PharmD; Melchor Ortiz, PhD; Victor Cardenas, MD, MPH, PhD was published in the February issue of the Journal of the National Medical Association.

According to the authors, cross-border medication shopping and medical attention can present health dangers, including medications laced with toxic substances that are banned in the U.S.; incorrect medications or dosage prescribed by unqualified personnel; and counterfeit medications.

Even though Mexican law requires prescription for some drugs, it's not enforced. Ads for Juarez pharmacy read: No prescription need for prescription medications, and pay a fraction of U.S. prices.

“You also have antibiotics for example, chlorenphenical, that’s no longer available, or used in the U.S. because of very rare but serious adverse reaction like aplastic anemia, where your bone marrow doesn't produce any cells and people can die from it,” said Rivera.

The study also found other dangerous drugs easily dispensed, such as the Milagrosa pill, or the so-called "miracle pill" that combines several psychiatric medicines into one pill, which is unheard of in the U.S.

“When you go to one of these clerks in the pharmacy, and request recommendation of medication you could get something like this,” said Rivera as he pointed to the bottle of Milagrosa.

“It's normal. You go over there (Juarez), and if you don't have a prescription you tell them (the clerk) what you're feeling and they'll give you something. Sometimes they're not even doctors, but you have to trust them because of the price because we can't afford a doctor here,” said Garcia.

According to the Mexico’s National Institute of Statistics, Geography and Informatics, 62.3 percent of Juarez residents rely on government insurance plans. Cardenas’ study found that 59.6 percent of El Paso residents and 82.8 percent of Juarez residents were insured.

Data for the study was collected before the violence and chaos in Juarez escalated, and Rivera believes fewer El Pasoans are crossing right now for health care. However, he doesn’t anticipate that trend continuing once Juarez is under control.

Garcia said he worries about crossing but has few options because he can’t afford medications in the U.S.

This is the first study of its kind in El Paso. Researchers also found only 5.2 percent of the Juarez population come to El Paso for medical care.