Prescription Drugs From Canada: How to Avoid Unsafe Drugs and Dubious Sellers
By: Source: AARP Bulletin Today Date Posted: 2004-08-04 11:05:00-04:00
Congress is currently considering legislation to allow Americans to buy lower-cost prescription drugs legally and safely from Canada and, eventually, from other Western countries. If such a bill becomes law, consumers will be able to order drugs from a list of foreign pharmacies that have been approved by the U.S. government.
Until then, the practice remains illegal (although U.S. authorities have never prosecuted individual Americans for importing drugs for their own use), and consumers must continue to buy from abroad at their own risk.
How much risk? Reputable online pharmacies do exist, particularly in Canada where the government regulates pharmacy practices as rigorously as American health agencies do. Such pharmacies sell bona fide prescription drugs to Americans safely and ethically. At the same time, the wild-West territory of the Internet is fertile ground for a modern breed of snake-oil salesmen who try to exploit Americans’ vulnerability to high U.S. prescription drug prices.
Counterfeit and other harmful drugs, peddled in questionable ways by unscrupulous sellers who lurk behind anonymous websites, are certainly out there. Some sites that pretend to be Canadian are not actually based in Canada. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration cites these reasons in warning consumers against buying drugs from abroad.
AARP, which supports legalization, does not encourage Americans to break the present law. But an estimated 2 million are already ordering prescription drugs from Canada alone, and AARP is concerned that some may be compromising their safety by buying from dubious sources. So if you choose to import drugs, it is important to understand how to minimize risk and increase your confidence that those you receive are the ones your doctor prescribed.
Safety and Good Service
If you order prescription drugs from north of the border, you can protect yourself against unsafe and counterfeit products by selecting a licensed Canadian pharmacy that has high standards of safety and customer service.
According to Canadian pharmacy experts, you should choose a pharmacy that uses the following "best practices":
- Provides on its website its license number and the name of the Canadian regulatory agency that granted it so you can check its authenticity.
- Displays the seals of CIPA or IMPAC, organizations that set standards for safety and service among Canadian mail-order pharmacies that sell to Americans and accredit those that meet the standards (see Sites to See: Getting Rx Drugs Safely From Canada).
- Requires a prescription from your doctor. Reputable pharmacies may allow you to fax in a prescription but then will either confirm the prescription in a phone call to your doctor’s office or wait until they receive the original one in the mail before filling your order.
- Requires you to submit details of your medical history and clearly states the pharmacy’s policies for ensuring medical and personal privacy.
- Requires you to have taken a drug for at least one month before you order by mail, so that you and your doctor know the medication suits you.
- Provides a full mailing address and a toll-free phone number on its website so you can call to ask questions to a pharmacist.
- Explains differences between American and Canadian drug names and labeling and why the pharmacy does not sell some drugs.
- Normally sends drugs in the manufacturer’s original container with seals intact. In some cases, though, drugs may arrive in ordinary pharmacy bottles if the quantity of pills in the manufacturer’s own container exceeds a 90-day supply.
- Sends drugs with labeling that includes strength, dosing directions, expiration date, appropriate warnings and a Drug Identification Number (DIN) that shows the drug has been approved by the Canadian government health authorities.
- Displays on its website full information about shipping fees, payment policies and refunds. Reputable pharmacies offer secure (encrypted) online payment for credit cards, alternative options for payment (such as electronic fund transfers and regular checks) and do not charge any separate fees except for shipping.
- Charges the cost of the drugs to your credit card only when the drugs are shipped to the customer, not when the order is first placed.
- Refunds your money or re-ships drugs immediately if your order does not arrive.
Sites to See: Getting Rx Drugs Safely From Canada
Canadian International Pharmacy Association (CIPA)
CIPA was formed in 2002 to represent licensed Canadian pharmacies that sell prescription drugs to Americans by mail order and meet its safety, service and ethical standards. These accredited pharmacies (now numbering over 40) display the CIPA seal on their websites. The group has testified before Congress and state legislatures to promote legalizing the cross-border trade and to address safety issues.
Internet and Mail-Order Pharmacy Accreditation Commission (IMPAC)
IMPAC was founded in 2003 by an independent group of physicians and pharmacists to promote consumer safety and quality service among mail-order pharmacies in the United States and other countries. To receive and retain IMPAC accreditation, a pharmacy must meet rigorous safety and service standards during a two-day inspection every two years. To date, three mail-order pharmacies, all in Canada, have been accredited by IMPAC.
PharmacyChecker.com
This website run by an independent American consumer research group provides free ratings and price comparisons for more than 40 online pharmacies based mainly in the United States and Canada. The site rates these on a scale of 1 to 5 and indicates whether a pharmacy is licensed, requires a prescription, provides its address and phone number and offers personal privacy and payment security. The site compares prices for over 1,000 drugs at these pharmacies and gives details of shipping fees and delivery times.
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