Has Anyone Filled a Prescription in Canada to save $$?

Tina

Tagless and bitter about it
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Aug 20, 1999
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DH just got a prescription for Retin-A Micro, which is not covered by our insurance. The local pharmacy wanted to charge him $130 for one tube. In looking online, I see that Canadian pharmacies charge about $40 for the same thing. Has anyone filled anything over the border? Is this actually legal?
 
Yes it is legal. A lot of our patients get their meds from Canada because it is so much cheaper than in the US. We in fact have a patient that has done an indepth study on all the companies and found which are the cheapest and best. My advice is to find a reputable company. Many of the canadian drug companies have opened shops around the country. We have several down here and they will help you with all the paperwork involved.
 
Yes, I have. I have a prescription I take on a daily basis and we do not have prescription coverage. I get my med from Canada. I have filled out a form they provided at their website that they consider a form of 'power of attorney' and I email them when I want to refill the prescription. I was getting this medication a full year at a time locally to try to save money. However, the Canadian pharmacies are limited to quarterly sending you the requested prescription and there is a small fee for shipping with each order/refill. Although you are limited to a 90 day supply for each prescription, you are not limited to how many different prescriptions you can have sent to you at one time for that shipping fee and they will send any family member's prescriptions together. (Does that make sense?) I have never had a problem with getting my prescription except for this last order and that was because they had a shortage of the medication. However, that has happened locally, too. They are very nice to work with and very professional. ;)
 
Thanks for your replies. Can anyone provide the names of good pharmacies to use? I think we're going to give it a try.
 

I used to get my BC Pills from Canada last year since I didn't have a good prescription plan. I used to pay $35 a pack, with them I paid $12 each with $12 shipping (can only get so much at a time though). Saved me a ton!

This is who I used. Rx1
 
Ordering meds from Canada can be a HUGE savings. But just to be clear on one thing - Buying medicine from Canada IS illegal. So far, the US government has not made any effort to enforce these laws but that could change at any time.

Several of my patients order their meds from Canada. The service is excellent and the prices are unbeatable. They use www.canadiandrugstore.com.

Be sure that whatever pharmacy you deal with requires a written prescription. Any reputable one will. Also, avoid ordering any controlled substances through the mail. There is much more concern with counterfeit meds in that department. Same for Viagra/Levitra/Cialis.
 
Hmmmm.... Ok.... one person says legal.... one says illegal. Now I'm not sure what we should do. DH and I are planning a trip to Niagara Falls at the end of the summer. Maybe we'll just fill while we're there (in person). We are not filling narcotics or anything like that. Its just Retin-A. :(
 
Here are three articles on the topic that clearly state the practice is illegal. If you Google the topic, you'll find hundreds or thousands of similar references.

http://front.mnseniors.org/canadaimport/aarp.html

http://www.healthyplace.com/communities/depression/treatment/antidepressants/online_pharmacies_2.asp

http://www.billingsgazette.com/inde.../2004/07/04/build/local/30-canadian-drugs.inc

So, again, importation of prescription medications IS illegal but the government simply doesn't have the manpower to prosecute the million or so Americans who are ordering their meds from Canada.
 
I recently discussed this with my Mother. Seniors in her area are pooling their resources every couple of months and somebody is taking their prescriptions across the border, getting them filled, and bringing them back. They are even offering vacation-like "drug runs."

Ordering over the internet is definately illegal from my research. From what I can tell, carrying the prescription across yourself, getting it filled in smaller reasonable amounts, and then bringing it back is more of a grey area. I'd definately keep a copy of the prescription to show at the border though -- I don't think they would confiscate it.

Either way it is definately much cheaper and I can't say I blame people who are doing it.
 
Thanks everyone. I think we'll fill it in person for now since we'll be in the country for a week.
 
Certainly you could take your prescription across the border and fill it in person. Ask them if they refill by mail, since they already have the prescription, and see what their fees are. You must be comfortable with whatever decision you make concerning your medications. :)
 
A Canadian pharmacy is unable to fill prescriptions written in other countries. All the pharmaceuticals being delivered cross-border are technically filled on Canadian written prescriptions. It is my understanding that Canadian doctors review the American prescriptions and other pertinent data and rewrite the prescription. This is not a money-making venture -- it's Canadian law. It a rather ironic one as the Bush administration is trying to make people think that the drugs Pfizer & Pfriends makes using American recipes in Canada are somehow inferior to drugs Pfizer & Pfriends makes using American recipes in the United States.
 
I get one of my Mom's prescriptions from Canada. She saves 50%!! ($150 instead of $300!). Yeah, the new prescription savings for Sr. Citizens is a joke! She can't get this one that cheap anywhere in the USA! It's a shame and an embarassment! So I guess Ma & I will go to jail for getiing one of her 8 prescriptions form Canada.

I use MapleLeafsMeds. A Canadian doctor reviews her prescription written by her American cardiologist She answered a questionairre, giving them all the info on all of her other medications. I feel completely confident that she is getting the correct pills.
 













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