Originally Posted by JDiver

It's the crazy U. S. OFAC rules that prohibit US-Cuba direct mail.

Though common medications and plasters / bandages and many medications are available, some are difficult to obtain - e.g. even in "Farmacias Internacionales" that accept CUCs, one may have to contact several to find relatively common medications, such as Doxycycline. Scarcer medications may be difficult or even impossible to obtain. The farmacia internacional across from the Cira García Clinic for foreigners and diplomats (Ramon Mendoza Ave. and 17 St.) is probably the best stocked pharmacy / chemist in Cuba.

I would strongly recommend anyone with prescription medications of specialist nature take their supply to Cuba, with (as for any international travel) prescription information. If it goes missing, a physician or pharmacist / chemist will help find a relatively bioequivalent generic or substitute - in Cuba, that's usual.

As to the intent of post, it's not unusual for tourists to be approached and asked for soap, toothpaste, common medicines, etc. What one must think about is the askers are often found every day doing this begging on the street, so their purpose may be more remunerative than actually assisting their family.

And some other medically related scarcities also exist - e.g. decent compression stockings used by those with peripheral circulatory issues, for example.