Reducing Health Care Costs – Are Mail Order Canadian Medications Legal?
The high cost of prescription drugs in America is leading many people to look outside the country for the medications they need to live happy, healthy lives. Although the Obama administration worked hard to pass the small health care reforms earlier this year, the country is still a long way off from the government regulated Canadian prescription drug prices that Canadian residents enjoy. This has forced many Americans to turn to their Northern neighbours and online international pharmacies for the medications they need at prices they can afford. However, concerns about the legality of this process still concern some consumers.
Technically speaking, the American Food and Drug Administration do not permit the importation or re-importation of Canadian prescriptions into this country. They claim the reason for this is that they can’t make assurances about the quality and safety of these Canadian medications. The American government likes to imply that these drugs are being made in black market laboratories and then bottled and sold as brand name discount drugs, however, there is not substance to this claim. There has never been a single case of Canadian drugs leading to the illness or death of an American citizen, and thousands of people continue to buy them each year while the American government looks the other way.
The only time you’re likely to get in trouble for purchasing discount drugs from online pharmacies is if you’re trying to purchase narcotics, otherwise known as controlled substances or pain killers. Because these drugs are highly valuable on the black market, the Canadian government has made it illegal to sell them over the internet, even to customers that have a legitimate prescription. If you ever encounter international pharmacies that claim to be selling discounted controlled substances, you’ll know right away that you’re dealing with an illegal company, because licensed Canadian pharmacies would never offer these products.
Those that have shopped at online pharmacies offering Canadian medications have discovered that the prices on these sites are almost eighty percent lower than prices for the very same products in pharmacies in America. On average, people that purchase their discount drugs from international pharmacies are able to pay almost fifty percent less on their total prescription drug bill. If you’re thinking about taking your search for affordable drugs online, it’s important to involve your doctor in the process. He or she can help you to navigate the strange brand names and labels to make sure you get the medication you need.