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Can You Get Canadian Prescription Drugs In America Legally?

The United States has some of the highest medication prices in any developed country. Other developed countries like Canada have systems to lower drug prices. Drug prices in the United States are so high because pharmaceutical companies hold onto their drug patents

This makes different drugs compete with each other. This causes the prices to skyrocket. Many people can’t get the drugs they need because they’re too expensive. 

This can put a person’s health at risk. Canadian prescription drugs are different. But how can you get Canadian drugs as an American? 

Is it legal? Keep reading and learn more about the process below.

Is It Legal to Bring Canadian Prescription Drugs to America?

The legality of Canadian prescription drugs is not straightforward. Different circumstances change the legality of the situation. Suppose that you drove up to Canada and went to a Canadian pharmacy to get some medication. 

You then took that medication back down to the United States for personal use. This would be illegal. This is because many medications from other countries are not approved by the FDA. 

This means that those medications are not approved in the United States. Non-approved drugs are illegal in the United States. It is illegal to use and sell them. 

This is true also when the drugs are approved by Health Canada. Health Canada is Canada’s version of the FDA. A drug can be approved by Health Canada but not by the FDA, making it illegal to use in the United States.  

But does this mean you can’t get cheap prescriptions from Canada? Not necessarily. There are certain circumstances where it is legal to purchase Canadian drugs and use them in the United States. 

Suppose that you are suffering from a serious condition. The drug you need to treat your condition is not available to you in the United States. The only way you can get treatment is by getting drugs from Canada to treat your condition. 

This scenario would be legal.

The Details

It is also legal if the drug in question will not create any unreasonable risk when consumed. You also cannot commercialize or promote the drug once it reaches the United States. 

It may be necessary for you to write down that the drug is for your use. You also need to have the contact information of your doctor. The amount of medication that you get should not last longer than 3 months either. 

All of these factors should make it legal to get drugs from Canada. It is important to follow these guidelines when getting drugs from Canada. The last thing you want is to accidentally break the law when trying to get medication for your condition. 

You also don’t want to accidentally get drugs that are not safe to consume. This is why it is also important to choose a good Canadian pharmacy. Tell your doctor about what you’re doing as well. 

This will ensure that all your bases are covered before you proceed. 

Why Do People Get Drugs from Canada?

You might be wondering why people would get their medication from Canada if it is such a hassle. Isn’t it easier to get your medication in the United States? Not necessarily. 

The main reason why people do this is because of the cost. Studies have shown that medication in the United States is expensive compared to other developed countries. This includes countries from Europe as well as Canada. 

Other developed countries have systems that make it possible to have affordable medications. They also have more affordable healthcare systems, some of which are free. This makes it easy for people in these countries to get the medication they need to treat their conditions. 

But it is a different story for people in the United States. Many medications in the United States are very expensive. The high prices are due to the workings of pharmaceutical companies. 

Some people with serious conditions may not be able to afford the medication they need to live. Health insurance might help to a certain extent. But health insurance still cannot make an impact on very expensive medications. 

People may still need to pay several hundred dollars out of their pocket. This includes heart medications, diabetes medications, and more. These high prices can make getting treatment seem hopeless. 

But this is where Canadian medications come in. Opting for Canadian drugs allows people to get the treatment they need. Another reason why Americans get Canadian drugs is due to availability. 

What You Need to Know

Some drugs in the United States are often unavailable. They may be in such high demand that it is difficult to get them. Some pharmacies may not offer certain medications either. 

This can be very difficult to get treatment if you need a specific type of medication. Canadian drugs can again come to the rescue. It is very easy to get drugs from Canadian pharmacies. 

They also have many widely available drugs. Some Canadian pharmacies allow you to buy drugs online. This can further simplify the process. 

Online pharmacies also make it easy to browse all the different medications you may need. You can get your medications for a fraction of the price too. Many people are surprised by how much money they can save by doing this. 

A medication might usually cost hundreds of dollars in the United States. But it might be less than a hundred dollars when you get it from a Canadian pharmacy. This is important for those who don’t have significant incomes. 

You can get your medication without having to spend an arm and a leg for it. The medication should work as well as the medication you can get in the United States. But remember to obey the laws when getting medication from Canada. 

You also need to choose the right Canadian pharmacy to make sure the medication is the real deal. 

How to Choose the Right Canadian Pharmacy

It is important to choose the right Canadian pharmacy, especially when choosing an online option. Many online pharmacies claim to be real when they’re not. These fake pharmacies may scam you out of your money. 

The medication you get from them may be fake or mixed with dangerous or ineffective ingredients. But how can you choose a good Canadian pharmacy? You have to do plenty of research before you decide on either an online or physical pharmacy.

You should avoid any pharmacy that does not require you to provide a valid prescription. A valid prescription is always necessary to obtain real drugs from a real pharmacy. A lack of a necessary prescription means that the pharmacy is not real and not conducting business as it should.

Its medications are probably not real either. The pharmacy is instead after the money of unsuspecting customers. You should also avoid pharmacies that do not have a physical address. 

Online pharmacies should also have a physical address. This shows that the pharmacy is real and not an internet entity. This is important because online pharmacies without a physical address can easily disappear.

What to Know

You should also be wary of Canadian pharmacies that are not in Canada. Many fake pharmacies pretend to be Canadian pharmacies. But they are located in a different country, sometimes overseas. 

Most people won’t recognize this detail at first. This is because the location of a pharmacy is often written in very small letters at the bottom of the website. This makes it hard to tell where the pharmacy is located. 

But it is important to check for these small details. You should also be wary of any Canadian pharmacies that claim to ship worldwide. It is not possible for Canadian pharmacies to legally offer worldwide shipping. 

Any pharmacy that offers this is fraudulent. You should also avoid pharmacies that have dirt-cheap prices. Canadian pharmacies offer medications that are cheaper than American medications. 

But if they seem unusually cheap, then the drugs may not be real. They may instead be mixed with ineffective or dangerous ingredients. 

All about Canadian Prescription Drugs

Canadian prescription drugs are attractive to Americans because they are so affordable. They are also more accessible compared to many drugs in the United States. This is important for those who suffer from serious medical conditions. 

They might not have the funds to get medication in the United States. Or the medication they need might not be available.

But Canadian pharmacies can help. To learn more about it, check out the medications our pharmacy has to offer

Works Cited:

GoodRx. (n.d.). Why are prescription drugs more expensive in the U.S. than in other countries? GoodRx. Retrieved January 27, 2023, from https://www.goodrx.com/healthcare-access/drug-cost-and-savings/why-are-prescription-drugs-more-expensive-in-the-us-than-in-other-countries

Canada, H. (2021, June 10). Government of Canada. Canada.ca. Retrieved January 27, 2023, from https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/topics/buying-using-drug-health-products-safely/safe-use-online-pharmacies.html

Radcliffe, S. (2019, March 7). What to know about buying prescription drugs from Canada. Healthline. Retrieved January 27, 2023, from https://www.healthline.com/health-news/fda-sends-warning-to-canadian-drug-company-what-to-know#HowtobuymedsfromCanada

Hoth, T. (2023, January 2). How much cheaper are Canadian pharmacies compared to the US? Canadian Pharmacy Online. Retrieved January 27, 2023, from https://canadianpharmacyonline.com/how-much-cheaper-are-canadian-pharmacies-compared-to-the-united-states/

Order prescription drugs online: How to order medication from Canada. Canadian Pharmacy Online. (2022, April 20). Retrieved January 27, 2023, from https://canadianpharmacyonline.com/how-to-order/

Online pharmacy canada: Prescription drugs in stock: RX Canada. Canadian Pharmacy Online. (2022, May 6). Retrieved January 27, 2023, from https://canadianpharmacyonline.com/medications/