Canadian Pharmacies: A Real Choice for Americans

With George W. Bush’s “Medicare Part D” plan coming under constant fire, it is time that America takes a closer look at pharmaceutical costs. Drug costs are consistently on the rise, and people young and old are hitting the internet to get their drugs from our Northern Neighbor. Canada’s phamracies are profiting mightily from America’s mistakes.

Why does it seem like Canadian pharmacies are so good? It is simple: the laws governing pharmaceuticals are very similar to their American counterpart, the Food and Drug Administration. In fact, after the newest safety debacle over drugs like Fosamax and the well-documented Vioxx problems, Canadian pharmacies may be a win-win situation for Americans.

The cost of drugs “upstairs” are about forty to seventy percent less than in the United States. Why? because Canada controls the prices of what they buy. Thugh skeptics might say they buy placebos and uneffective pills, Canadian sources say they buy their drugs straight from the manufacturer Most American pharmacies generally do not do this. They receive drugs from a wholesaler, and then sell those to the public. CVS Pharmacy, the number one pharmacy in America (in regards to the number of stores) has recently admitted problems whith wholesalers and ineffective pills. The United States seems generally uninterested in taking the Canadian approach.

With layers of bureacratic red tape and the smell of money from lobbyists, politicians say that the higher the cost of drugs, the less expensive it is for the drug companies to create new drugs. They note cures for Cancer, HIV and AIDS all could come from this process. But with the number of uninsured Americans on the rise, is this realistically the feels among their constituents? Hardly. When in doubt, go elsewhere.

So here are some tips when you decided to fill your prescriptions in Canada:

a) Do you research. If it is a place that advertises “no prescription required: be cautious. Sometimes the drugs these places sell can be dangerous
b) Don not purchase drugs imported directly from Japan or European countries. There is no effective method to identifying fake drugs in Eueope or Japan.
c)Talk to people, read reviews. SOme of the best suggestions come by word of mouth
d) Make sure the pharmacy you purchase from is a “Squaretrade Licensed Pharmacy Program.” THis program, in part of the National Community Pharmacists Association have a logo which should be clearly seen on the pharmacy’s home page.

Saving Mmoney is always a worthwhile cause, but when it comes to prescription drugs, safety first.