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IS ORDERING MEDICINE FROM CANADA LEGAL?
Well, yes and no.
There is currently no straight answer to this question. There are those who would have you
believe that this process is completely illegal, but NO ONE has ever been arrested or even charged
for ordering medicine from Canada.
FAQ: Legality of Ordering Prescriptions from Canada
Will I get arrested for ordering medicine from Canada?
Does the FDA block shipments of drugs from Canada?
But technically, is ordering medicine from Canada illegal?
What about all those TV and Newspaper Ads that I see?
Why do some states list Canadian Pharmacies on their websites?
Then why do I keep hearing that this practice is illegal?
Now, I'm really confused? Can I do this safely?
I've seen Pharmacies SHUT DOWN over this. Why?
Why is there such a fuss over the legality of Internet Pharmacies?
Is Meds Thru Canada an "Internet Pharmacy"?
Will I get arrested for ordering medicine from Canada?
NO! In fact, the FDA has openly said that individuals who order medicine for their own use will
not be charged, nor even questioned. The FDA does not want to anger anyone by forcing them to pay
higher prices for their medicine.
Does the FDA block shipments of drugs from Canada?
Occasionally, the FDA will stop a shipment of prescription medicine from Canada (or other countries),
but this is rare, and Meds Thru Canada will reship your order as soon as we have a faxed copy from you
of the FDA's notice. (We will worry about reclaiming the blocked shipment, so you don't have to!)
But technically, is ordering medicine from Canada illegal?
There are two bills working their way through the red tape of the U.S. Federal Government which will
make the orderation of prescription medicine by U.S. Citizens legal. These bills, once passed, will make it
LEGAL FOR YOU TO ORDER MEDICINE FROM CANADA for your own use.
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Bills in the U.S. Congress (as of Nov 10, 2005)
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Bill H.R. 700: To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to the importation of
prescription drugs, and for other purposes. (Introduced; Mar 14, 2005)
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h109-700
also known as:
Bill S. 334: A bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to the importation
of prescription drugs, and for other purposes. (Introduced; Feb 10, 2005)
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=s109-334
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Bill H.R. 753: To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to protect the public health from the
unsafe importation of prescription drugs and from counterfeit prescription drugs, and for other purposes. (Introduced; Feb 25, 2005)
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h109-753
also known as:
Bill S. 184: A bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to protect the public health from
the unsafe importation of prescription drugs and from counterfeit prescription drugs, and for other purposes. (Introduced; Jan 26, 2005)
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=s109-184
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What about all those TV and Newspaper Ads that I see?
If this was illegal, wouldn't those advertisers and media be arrested, or at least told to stop encouraging
the public from ordering from Canada? There is no one who is enforcing any of the [actual or implied] laws surrounding
ordering drugs from Canada, because no one wants to be seen as the individual who is preventing Americans
from obtaining affordable medicine. (Here's something else to think about: if any companies actually were selling something
illegal, wouldn't the media stop selling them timeslots and full-page ads? Wouldn't the government force those advertisers to stop,
and perhaps even arrest them for trying to sell something illegal?)
Why do some states list Canadian Pharmacies on their websites?
Many States, as well as Counties and Cities, suggest that their citizens order prescriptions from Canada. This can save the
State and local governments lots of money, if the State is covering the costs of the medication. Some of these States are doing this
to make a point about the monopolistic practices of the "Big Pharmaceutical Companies". Some are just trying to ensure that
their constituents receive the medicine that they need at affordable prices. These States have checked out the safety of
the cross-border pharmacies, and deemed them safe and secure, and are standing behind those decisions by publishing the names on their websites. If ordering medicine from Canada is illegal,
would the Federal Government or the FDA continue to allow those States to suggest and recommend the practice of ordering prescriptions from Canada to their residents?
Then why do I keep hearing that this practice is illegal?
There are many groups, particularly the "Big Pharmaceutical Companies" and the FDA, that want this to stop. They
have lots of money for media advertising, and candidate sponsorship, and that allows them to get their message out louder
and more often than others who agree with this practice. Listen carefully to what you hear (on this website as well
as others), and judge for yourself.
Now, I'm really confused? Can I do this safely?
Absolutely. You can save money by ordering your prescription medicine from Canada, with no fear of getting
arrested. While this practice may not be considered legal in everyone's books, there are no disadvantages to this,
but many advantages. You risk NOTHING, because of the safeguards we have in place:
- You use regular credit cards to purchase medicine from Meds Thru Canada, so if you are not happy, you can have your credit card company reverse the charges
- If the FDA happens to pick your order to block, we will ship you a fresh order immediately, and deal with the FDA on our own
- Your medicines arrive in the original manufacturer's tamper-evident bottles, assuring you of the quality and safety of the medicine that you have purchased
- A Canadian Physician's Prescription is required to dispense medicine from a Canadian Pharmacy, which ensures the safety of the prescription, as well as potentially catching mistakes
- Our pharmacists and pharmacies do not wish to risk losing their licenses over a few bottles of medicine, so everything is done strictly according to the provincial and Federal regulations
I've seen Pharmacies SHUT DOWN over this. Why?
You've seen "Storefront Pharmacies" shut down. These storefront pharmacies are not licensed pharmacies. Pretending to be a pharmacy without a license is a serious violation of the laws. A storefront that entices you to bring
prescriptions into the store, usually with no pharmacist present, is not legal at all. Meds Thru Canada does not have ANY "storefront partners",
nor will we, ever.
Why is there such a fuss over the legality of Internet Pharmacies?
The issue stems from the fact that "Internet Pharmacies" may or may not have correct accreditation as pharmacies in their local jurisdictions.
There are many "Internet Pharmacies" or "Online Pharmacies" that are similar to the "Storefront Pharmacies" in that they PRETEND
to be pharmacies, but are not.
Is Meds Thru Canada an "Internet Pharmacy"?
Meds Thru Canada is *NOT* an Internet pharmacy. We do not take orders over the Internet, and we do not take
credit cards over the Internet. Our public Internet webpages are for information and pricing purposes only. We are an International Prescription Provider,
and we work with a large number of retail pharmacies spread across Canada. These are all fully accredited pharmacies, with
pharmacists on staff. These pharmacies all purchase their supplies from Canadian Drug wholesalers and distributors. There is
no central warehouse, and no "forklift" operations. These are all "bricks and mortar" pharmacies, serving Canadians and Americans.
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before your first order 
