Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Is Buying Canadian Prescriptions A Crime?

Americans have begun buying their prescription drugs online from internet pharmacies based in Canada. If you've ever looked at some of these Canadian drug websites, you may have noticed that many of the drugs are 80% cheaper in Canada then they are in the United States, which begs several questions.

Firstly, Canadians pay fantastically less for the same medicines than Americans because the Canadian government stipulates a price ceiling at which they allow drug manufacturers to sell to Canadian drug distributors, and the government also controls the prices at which Canadian distributors can then sell those drugs to the public. So, the pharmaceutical industry is tightly regulated and price controlled by the Canadian government, resulting in very cheap, very affordable prescription drugs.

This socialized system for prescription drugs is not anywhere to be found in the United States. In the U.S., drug companies are allowed to sell medicines to the public at whatever prices the market can bear. Isn't that nice? We live in a country so free that our drug companies can charge us $350 for 20 tablets of Viagra or Cialis, whereas in Canada you can get it for $90.

As a result of these enormous price discrepancies, internet pharmaceutical suppliers in Canada have launched extensive marketing campaigns targeted at the U.S. to capitalize on the American demand for affordable prescriptions. Visit any search engine and type in the words "Canada drugs" or simply type in the name of any prescription drug you can think of, and you'll find a ton of Canadian-themed sponsored links for online pharmacies based in Canada selling drugs that are so cheap it makes your eyes pop.

But is this legal? According to the FDA, the importation or re-importation of drugs into this country from a foreign source is against the law. Simply put, it is technically illegal to buy drugs from Canada that were either manufactured in Canada or manufactured in the United States and then sold to Canadian distributors. Is this dumb? Absolutely.

The FDA says that they can't guarantee the "quality" of the drugs from Canada, that these drugs might be dangerous, that they might have been poorly manufactured or improperly formulated, or manufactured in facilities in Southeast Asia.

So, the FDA is dismissing the idea of allowing Americans to legally purchase drugs from Canada because the products might have been made in a bathtub in Cambodia, because I suppose Canadians are too dumb to make this stuff on their own. This is an absurd excuse on the part of the FDA.

The FDA could regulate the Canadian pharmaceutical trade, and investigate as to which Canadian pharmacies, online or offline, are making the drugs themselves and/or buying the drugs directly from American drug manufacturers, as opposed to those that are making them in foreign countries.

Most of the drugs sold by Canadian internet pharmacies are drugs that were made in the USA, and have simply been sold to Canadian distributors. Some of these drugs are manufactured by Canadian manufacturers. But rather than publish a buyers guide for Americans and allowing us to buy our drugs from "certified Canadian pharmacies", they make the whole practice illegal to increase the profitability of the American drug industry.

Yes, it is true that there are some rogue companies on the internet masquerading as Canadian pharmacies that are actually Mexican pharmacies that don't even have a doctor and pharmacist review your medical history before sending you the medicine.

But the FDA could easily set up a legal Canadian-American drug trade where the FDA makes it legal for Americans to buy their drugs from a select group of Canadian pharmacies that buy all their products directly from the U.S. or manufacture their drugs in the facilities of Canada's major drug companies.

This isn't likely to happen, however, because we have an administration in Washington that is for the corporations and by the corporations, and an FDA whose sole purpose is to protect the windfall profits of the drug manufacturers while allowing drug companies to make and sell hugely overpriced, noxious drugs that kill us, like Vioxx and others they've allowed onto the market that produce harmful and sometimes lethal side effects.

If the FDA sponsored a system of legal and regulated prescription drug buying from Canada, this would force American pharmaceutical companies to drop their prices by 80% to compete, resulting in a better situation for the consumer. The drug companies would still make profits, because the demand for the drugs would go up tremendously if they suddenly became affordable for people without health insurance, but the profits wouldn't quite be the same.

For the time being, Americans will continue to have to choose between buying food for their family or buying health insurance they can't afford that hardly covers the costs of the drugs they can't buy.

Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/
is-buying-canadian-prescriptions-a-crime-244920.html


Monday, November 12, 2007

Can Americans Buy Canadian Drugs Legally?

Americans have begun buying their prescription drugs online from internet pharmacies based in Canada. If you've ever looked at some of these Canadian drug websites, you may have noticed that many of the drugs are 80% cheaper in Canada then they are in the United States, which begs several questions.

Firstly, Canadians pay fantastically less for the same medicines than Americans because the Canadian government stipulates a price ceiling at which they allow drug manufacturers to sell to Canadian drug distributors, and the government also controls the prices at which Canadian distributors can then sell those drugs to the public. So, the pharmaceutical industry is tightly regulated and price controlled by the Canadian government, resulting in very cheap, very affordable prescription drugs.

This socialized system for prescription drugs is not anywhere to be found in the United States. In the U.S., drug companies are allowed to sell medicines to the public at whatever prices the market can bear. Isn't that nice? We live in a country so free that our drug companies can charge us $350 for 20 tablets of Viagra or Cialis, whereas in Canada you can get it for $90.

As a result of these enormous price discrepancies, internet pharmaceutical suppliers in Canada have launched extensive marketing campaigns targeted at the U.S. to capitalize on the American demand for affordable prescriptions. Visit any search engine and type in the words "Canada drugs" or simply type in the name of any prescription drug you can think of, and you'll find a ton of Canadian-themed sponsored links for online pharmacies based in Canada selling drugs that are so cheap it makes your eyes pop.

But is this legal? According to the FDA, the importation or re-importation of drugs into this country from a foreign source is against the law. Simply put, it is technically illegal to buy drugs from Canada that were either manufactured in Canada or manufactured in the United States and then sold to Canadian distributors. Is this dumb? Absolutely.

The FDA says that they can't guarantee the "quality" of the drugs from Canada, that these drugs might be dangerous, that they might have been poorly manufactured or improperly formulated, or manufactured in facilities in Southeast Asia.

So, the FDA is dismissing the idea of allowing Americans to legally purchase drugs from Canada because the products might have been made in a bathtub in Cambodia, because I suppose Canadians are too dumb to make this stuff on their own. This is an absurd excuse on the part of the FDA.

The FDA could regulate the Canadian pharmaceutical trade, and investigate as to which Canadian pharmacies, online or offline, are making the drugs themselves and/or buying the drugs directly from American drug manufacturers, as opposed to those that are making them in foreign countries.

Most of the drugs sold by Canadian internet pharmacies are drugs that were made in the USA, and have simply been sold to Canadian distributors. Some of these drugs are manufactured by Canadian manufacturers. But rather than publish a buyers guide for Americans and allowing us to buy our drugs from "certified Canadian pharmacies", they make the whole practice illegal to increase the profitability of the American drug industry.

Yes, it is true that there are some rogue companies on the internet masquerading as Canadian pharmacies that are actually Mexican pharmacies that don't even have a doctor and pharmacist review your medical history before sending you the medicine.

But the FDA could easily set up a legal Canadian-American drug trade where the FDA makes it legal for Americans to buy their drugs from a select group of Canadian pharmacies that buy all their products directly from the U.S. or manufacture their drugs in the facilities of Canada's major drug companies.

This isn't likely to happen, however, because we have an administration in Washington that is for the corporations and by the corporations, and an FDA whose sole purpose is to protect the windfall profits of the drug manufacturers while allowing drug companies to make and sell hugely overpriced, noxious drugs that kill us, like Vioxx and others they've allowed onto the market that produce harmful and sometimes lethal side effects.

If the FDA sponsored a system of legal and regulated prescription drug buying from Canada, this would force American pharmaceutical companies to drop their prices by 80% to compete, resulting in a better situation for the consumer. The drug companies would still make profits, because the demand for the drugs would go up tremendously if they suddenly became affordable for people without health insurance, but the profits wouldn't quite be the same.

For the time being, Americans will continue to have to choose between buying food for their family or buying health insurance they can't afford that hardly covers the costs of the drugs they can't buy.


Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/
can-americans-buy-canadian-drugs-legally-253837.html

Wednesday, November 7, 2007

What You Need To Know About Using An Online Pharmacy

When using an online pharmacy you will generally be able to shop for all of the typical pharmacy items you are accustomed to like vitamins, over the counter medicines, diabetic supplies, and the like. Also, you will be able to have your prescription filled by the online pharmacy and either pick it up in store or have it mailed to you. Different pharmacies have different rules regarding mailing prescription drugs, so you should check with your online pharmacy regarding any special rules.

Once you have entered all of your information from prescription number to your name and address, as well as other identifying factors, the online pharmacy website will ask you for your insurance payment information as well as how you want to pay for the prescription. Some online pharmacies will allow you to either pay online or at the store for in store pickup. However, if you are ordering for delivery from the online pharmacy you will have to pay online.

Always be sure your online pharmacy has a secure checkout system. That extra means the page is secure and you can enter your payment information without the stress of wondering whether your information will be stolen while using the online pharmacy.

An online pharmacy is generally the web presence of your general pharmacy. However, you should always check for verification of your online pharmacy before you place any orders. You will want to make sure your online pharmacy is a Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Site as is defined by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. If you have any questions or concerns about an online pharmacy then find another online pharmacy that seems more legit or can at least answer your questions.

When you search for online pharmacy on the Internet you will get plenty of results from some of the bigger chains. If you are familiar with these pharmacy chains then you should trust their online chain as well. Remember, never enter any credit or bank information on an online pharmacy website unless the site is secure.

Source: http://add-articles.com

Friday, November 2, 2007

Shopping From An Online Drugstore Is The Way Of The Future

Are you tired of having to drive so many miles to the store to purchase health and beauty products? Then find out once you get to the local pharmacy, the product that you specifically drove there for is either not in stock or the pharmacy does not even carry it anymore. Plus the prices of gas are so insane that sometimes you are spending more money than you should on the product. You might want to consider another option that will not only save you money but make your life a whole lot less stressful when it comes to shopping for health and beauty products.

There is another solution to this type of problem and that is try shopping at an online drugstore. There are so many benefits to shopping at one of these online pharmacies and also there is not the hassle of fighting crowds or having to fight for a parking spot. Another benefit is you can actually save a more money by shopping at an online drugstore. These online drugstores will even ship the product you buy overnight depending on the availability of the product. If you are lucky some of these stores may even pay for the shipping for you. There are many different products you can purchase at an online drugstore that you can't purchase in a local store.

The online pharmacy business has grown so much in the past 5 years that no matter what type of item you need you are bound to find it. You may be searching for eye stye treatment. No local store has it because it has been discontinued or the local stores were not selling enough of it so they stop selling it. You may be searching for organic aromatherapy oils to help relieve your stress from a hard day work and can't find them in the local stores. Try an online drugstore. You will be surprised how much items you can purchase that you didn't even know existed.

If you can't find the item you need to ask the online pharmacy to see if they will be able to find it for you. Most online drugstores stock anything from facial skin care products to pain medications.

Some places even have vitamins for sale that you don't need a prescription for. Others have many different named brand cleansers such as biore face wash. There are so many items that you can purchase online that you can't purchase at the local stores. Reason being is because when a product is not selling enough the company will not stock it anymore. Reason is because it is not making them any money. The distributer will then take these products and sell them at a discounted price just to get rid of the product rather than throw away money. There are many great deals from shopping online.

Now these online pharmacy have become so advanced that they can even fill out certain prescriptions for you. Imagine not having to wait in line to fill a prescription but taking care of it from the comfort of your own home.

Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/medicine-articles/shopping-from-
an-online-drugstore-is-the-way-of-the-future-152548.html