Anybody buy prescription drugs online from Canada?

[Dueller]

Any tips? There are generics that aren't yet available here that are 1/4th the cost of name brands here....

[Porsche-O-Phile]

I did it a few years ago before Claritin became available OTC. Worked fine.

[Joeaksa]

Am in Canada now, I just pick up whatever is needed while here. The medications are the same thing we have in the states, just at a reasonable price.

[GO DAWG GO]

For what its worth,

I ordered a medication from Canadian Online Pharmacy and the pills were manufactured and shipped from India. They also took ~1 month after ordering. When I received them they were packaged with tape and gauze wrapped on the outside with my address in red ball point ink printed on it. Outside packaging was filthy with fingerprints and a scary 3rd world look. A real turnoff. Inside package was a plastic container with fingerprints and an overall lack of hygienic appearance. The medication was packaged in a plastic carton with foil backing like you would receive most OTC medications in the states. My wife doesn't want me to order any more. Pay more for them in the states.

[gr8fl4porsche]

You dealt with the wrong company. I have ordered medication over the internet and never had an issue. I stick to the name brand, pass on the generics.

[notfarnow]

Originally posted by robert_snyder
I ordered a medication from Canadian Online Pharmacy and the pills were manufactured and shipped from India. They also took ~1 month after ordering. When I received them they were packaged with tape and gauze wrapped on the outside with my address in red ball point ink printed on it. Outside packaging was filthy with fingerprints and a scary 3rd world look. A real turnoff...

Careful. Many shady websites out there posing as canadian pharmacies.

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/iyh-vsv/med/internet_e.html

Buying drugs from Internet pharmacies that do not provide a street address and telephone number may pose serious health risks. You have no way of knowing where these companies are located, where they get their drugs, what is in their drugs, or how to reach them if there is a problem. If you order from these sites, you may get counterfeit drugs with no active ingredients, drugs with the wrong ingredients, drugs with dangerous additives, or drugs past their expiry date.

[legion]

The root of the difference between drug prices in the U.S. and the rest of the world is that the pharma companies charge 100% of the cost of R&D to the U.S. market, and only charge the rest of the world based on manufacturing costs. Why do we allow this to persist?

[GO DAWG GO]

Fellas
I have the URL on my computer at home. I will check and post the address tomorrow. I called them when I didnt receive the goods after 3 weeks and they said it was because of customs. I did receive them when they said, but it was a month. The medication is affective but just manufactured/packaged in India. I wont order anymore. I was under the impression that they would be made in the western world. India makes me nervous.

[masraum]

I don't know about India, but I do remember reading an article in National Geographic talking about getting cheap drugs out of the US. I remember Mexico specifically being mentioned and maybe India too. What they said is that the QA is not as stringent, so the meds have lots of impurities and stuff in them that you wouldn't want in your meds. I'm sure we get gouged here on meds similar to the way we get worked over for college text books. But in some cases you end up shooting yourself in the foot by looking for the absolute cheapest stuff.

[Jim Richards]

Originally posted by legion
The root of the difference between drug prices in the U.S. and the rest of the world is that the pharma companies charge 100% of the cost of R&D to the U.S. market, and only charge the rest of the world based on manufacturing costs. Why do we allow this to persist?

Why would corporations try to screw us? Isn't that all worked out in the free market?

[GO DAWG GO]

Actually,

I looked on line and there is a very comprehensive list of Indian drug manufacturers that are USDA approved. So they say? Sites mention India as a major foreign manufacturer of quality drugs. Take a look with a query like "Indian generic drug manufacturers" Then query the "warnings" I didnt see any....Just much cheeper prices! Let us know if anyone discovers any warnings.

Thanks

Bob

[legion]

Jim, the practice evolved out of the fact that most (now surviving) pharmas were U.S. based and sold purely to the U.S. market. When they wanted to expand to a new market, they priced the drugs at what they cost to manufacture and not what they cost to develop. It is VERY similar to the college text book thing.

Many foreign governments (especially in the E.U.) have threatened to revoke patents and copy drugs if the pharmas ever try to equalize prices.

[HardDrive]

Why are drugs from India automatically dangerous?

Big pharma in this country has been pounding it into peoples head that ANY drugs made outside the US are of questionable quality. Its BS.

Having been to India many times now, and buying medicine while I was there, I can understand being put off by poor packaging. Hell, if you went to a pharmacy in India, you would be even more put off. They are just little hole in the wall shops with drugs stacked floor to ceiling. But that does not translate to the drugs not being safe and effective.

[the]

Buying prescription drugs off the Internet, what could possibly go wrong?

[GO DAWG GO]

Have you heard of the antifreeze in your toothpaste? Thats wonderful! The Chinese manufacturer states that it adds a sweet taste and makes it more viscous...Thats forking great! Forget that its highly toxic... A group of guys I knew went to China 15 years ago to help set up aircraft manufacturing line and train the Chinese how to shoot rivets. Well, since they returned 12 of the 26 died from stomache cancer. None of them were over 50. Radioactive rice?

[Joeaksa]

Originally posted by robert_snyder
Have you heard of the antifreeze in your toothpaste? Thats wonderful! The Chinese manufacturer states that it adds a sweet taste and makes it more viscous...Thats forking great! Forget that its highly toxic... A group of guys I knew went to China 15 years ago to help set up aircraft manufacturing line and train the Chinese how to shoot rivets. Well, since they returned 12 of the 26 died from stomache cancer. None of them were over 50. Radioactive rice?

Robert,

Lets not get so worked up over this. Marines at camp Lejune have been drinking contaminated water for over THIRTY years!! It just came out this week in the major networks.

You do not have to go overseas to get poisoned, it can easily happen here.

[azasadny]

I have ordered Relpax from a site in Costa Rica twice over the past few months and have not had a problem. My ins co will not pay for the medication and it's the only thing that works for my migraines. It's not a controlled substance so I order it from the cheapest source on the Interweb, but it's still not cheap at $120 for 8 tablets. plus $20 for shipping.

[GO DAWG GO]

Joe,

I'm not getting worked up. I think the issue would be whether the USMC knew they were drinking contaminated water or not. To add an ingredient to toothpaste knowing that its toxic is an issue and not knowing is another. Is the Camp Lejune issue due to lead from ammunition biz? Whats the story?

Bob

[GO DAWG GO]

Joe,

I forgot to mention that the toothpaste in question was imported to the US and the Diethylene Glycol discovered in toxicology reports at hospitals from sick and dying was linked to Chinese boot legged toothpaste sold at 99 cent stores...beware!

[Flatbutt1]

I'm far more confident in Rx drugs that are manufactured in Canada as they are held to stringent safety and efficacy standards. Likewise for German/ UK/ Irish medicines. Not so much for Indian quality though.

But my main concern with ex US sources is the age of the meds. Are they expired? Also have the drugs been stored properly?

Yeah I'm more wary about overseas meds thru the internet