Drugs from Canada

[imoldernu]

I used to order medications from Canada, but have forgotten how.
Am looking for Colchicine. I know that the difference in price ..per pill, ranges from $.40 in Canada, to about $18.95 and more in the US.
Am curious about the actual process. Know that a prescription is needed, and I know that while there are no legal permissions, but that enforcement is only made on those who abuse the implicit permission.

So...
How does US. doctor make the prescription. Paper made out to me? Up to now, he has called the prescription in to the local pharmacy.
How do I contact the Company. Canadadrugs.com?
Do I have to mail the prescription?
How long does the shipment take?
I have Plan D coverage, but even this keeps the per pill price at over $6, want to go around this "benefit".

What are the downsides.

Would appreciate info from anyone who actually orders from Canada.

The Canada, Australia, UK and other country websites have so many links, disclaimers, instructions and legal policies that they are almost unreadable.

 

[Blue Collar Guy]

Im a loser, if i ordered pills from Canada i would get expired fertility pills or something. Ill pay the 6 bucks a pill.

 

[Texas Proud]

The one thing that I would say you need to look out for is the fake Canadian sites... I do not know how to tell them from the real ones, but I was looking for something and left contact info... now I get calls all the time from somebody in India pushing all kinds of drugs... wish I never gave them my info as I did not buy from them...

Also, I think they sold my number to others as I get calls from other sites...


If someone knows a reputable site maybe they can list it...

 

[Meadbh]

So...
How does US. doctor make the prescription. Paper made out to me? Up to now, he has called the prescription in to the local pharmacy.
How do I contact the Company. Canadadrugs.com?
Do I have to mail the prescription?
How long does the shipment take?
I have Plan D coverage, but even this keeps the per pill price at over $6, want to go around this "benefit".

What are the downsides.

Would appreciate info from anyone who actually orders from Canada.

The Canada, Australia, UK and other country websites have so many links, disclaimers, instructions and legal policies that they are almost unreadable.

This page explains the process of ordering drugs from Canadadrugs.com. It's pretty simple. This is a real company and the drugs they sell meet Canadian standards.

https://www.canadadrugs.com/new-order

 

[Bamaman]

We used to order Nexium out of Canada before it became generic, and it came by certified mail from India. It was a little weaker than the U.S., but okay.

 

[AllDone]

Ask your doctor for a printed prescription and either snail-mail or FAX it yourself. The company that I use doesn't accept e-Rx, for some weird reason.

 

[Skoach]

This page explains the process of ordering drugs from Canadadrugs.com. It's pretty simple. This is a real company and the drugs they sell meet Canadian standards.

https://www.canadadrugs.com/new-order

+1, just ordered Lialda from this site, needed a paper scrip and had to mail a check (however they will do e-check). Process took about a month from first call to receipt, but the savings is over $400/month. Issue in the US with Lialda is that all the insurance companies took it off their formullaries, I assume due to price gouging. My doc was helpful (but could not actually legally recommend) this site.

 

[trapperjohn]

Do most of he major insurance companies cover drugs bought from Canada?

 

[Skoach]

Do most of he major insurance companies cover drugs bought from Canada?

No, additionally the cost is not deductible as a medical expense on your US taxes.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

This was interesting. I used the site that was posted to check my 2 BP drugs. One was $1.78 the other $1.1 per pill. I get 90 of the first at Walmart for $10 (No insurance) and one Free from Publix also 90.

 

[Gotadimple]

Canadadrugs.com is a legitimate site. OP go to the site and set up an account. Order the drugs, have your doctor fax the prescription directly to them. They'll keep you informed on progress.

I have used them for a drug that an old dog of mine needed that was not available in the U.S. It was specifically recommended by the veterinarian, a 5-star company IMO. And you can always call and speak to Customer Service if you have questions. Phone numbers for Customer Service and the Pharmacy are on their website.

- Rita

 

[euro]

Im a loser, if i ordered pills from Canada i would get expired fertility pills or something. Ill pay the 6 bucks a pill.

+1!!!

 

[neihn]

I ordered my medication from www.CanadaPharmacyOnline.com - I need to email them a scanned prescription - order online, pay and get the medication in two weeks. I know the pills are good, since they work like a charm - DW loves it

 

[Blue Collar Guy]

I ordered my medication from www.CanadaPharmacyOnline.com - I need to email them a scanned prescription - order online, pay and get the medication in two weeks. I know the pills are good, since they work like a charm - DW loves it

Bwaaaa

 

[sengsational]

Am looking for Colchicine. I know that the difference in price ..per pill, ranges from $.40 in Canada, to about $18.95 and more in the US.

$0.50 each at canadadrugs online: https://www.canadadrugsonline.com/DrugMoreInfo253.aspx
$2.50 each at the best price on goodrx: https://www.goodrx.com/colchicine?d...ty=200&days_supply=&label_override=colchicine

This was interesting. I used the site that was posted to check my 2 BP drugs. One was $1.78 the other $1.1 per pill. I get 90 of the first at Walmart for $10 (No insurance) and one Free from Publix also 90.

Yes, there are many drugs that the pharma money grabbers have lost control of. Colchicine is not one of them, since it's available in Canada for 1/5th the price of the best US price.

 

[sengsational]

Ask your doctor for a printed prescription and either snail-mail or FAX it yourself.

In my experience, Canadian pharmacies will only accept fax prescriptions when they come directly from the doctor's office. Yeah, I know, one could easily spoof the "from" on the fax, but I'm just telling you my experience.

 

[imoldernu]

For those who are beginning to get into Medicare D supplement plans... from a practical standpoint, the list price of drugs is immaterial, so before committing to a plan, if you have very expensive drugs... (as which ones aren't?), check the formulary of the plan you are considering against your current or possible future needs.
For one of my prescriptions, the "retail" cost for a 30 day supply is $452.80. My plan cost is $36, but in a different plan, the cost is $25.
The Canadadrug.com cost is $42. For some drugs there is no subsidy in the supplement plan..

Buying from Canada requires a written prescription, mailed or faxed. You may have to work a bit to get a written prescription from your physician, as the pharmaceutical companies use their influence to keep the prescriptions in the US, and most prescriptions are called in to the requested pharmacy.

Not too important for the guys and gals who currently take one or two aspirin per month, but for some of us old timers, the dollars can add up as the body doesn't work as well by itself as it did in the early days.

I looked up the "list" price for DW's and my drugs... well over $2000/mo.

 

[AllDone]

No, you shouldn't have any trouble getting a paper prescription from your doc. All she has to do is hit the "print" button instead of the "send" button. Just ask.

 

[Ronnieboy]

This was interesting. I used the site that was posted to check my 2 BP drugs. One was $1.78 the other $1.1 per pill. I get 90 of the first at Walmart for $10 (No insurance) and one Free from Publix also 90.

Its because they're generic drugs. The system works in reverse for generic drugs. In the US they are (typically) cheap vs Canada and vice versa for branded drugs or drugs that have fallen from patent protection earlier in Canada.

 

[Ronnieboy]

For those who are beginning to get into Medicare D supplement plans... from a practical standpoint, the list price of drugs is immaterial, so before committing to a plan, if you have very expensive drugs... (as which ones aren't?), check the formulary of the plan you are considering against your current or possible future needs.
For one of my prescriptions, the "retail" cost for a 30 day supply is $452.80. My plan cost is $36, but in a different plan, the cost is $25.
The Canadadrug.com cost is $42. For some drugs there is no subsidy in the supplement plan..

Buying from Canada requires a written prescription, mailed or faxed. You may have to work a bit to get a written prescription from your physician, as the pharmaceutical companies use their influence to keep the prescriptions in the US, and most prescriptions are called in to the requested pharmacy.

Not too important for the guys and gals who currently take one or two aspirin per month, but for some of us old timers, the dollars can add up as the body doesn't work as well by itself as it did in the early days.

I looked up the "list" price for DW's and my drugs... well over $2000/mo.

The other thing you will want to consider is the fact that the dreaded 'donut hole' in medicare part D is shrinking.

Where the patient was paying 95% for branded drugs when Medicare part D first came out to 40% copay this year, 35% next year, 30% the year after than and 25% in 2020.

Second item to consider is the 'retail' price of the drug isn't necessarily the 'contracted' price of the drug. So in imoldernu's example if the 'retail' (cash) price of the drug is $452.80 the contracted price could be $400. The copay/coinsurance is based off of that. And if you go to a pharmacy who's usual and customary price is even lower than that, it would even be less.

 

[FIRE'd@51]

I used to order my Lipitor (before it went generic) from Thrifty Meds Now. I either faxed or mailed them the prescription which was made out to me. I was very satisfied with them. I believe they were in Manitoba. No problem with my doctor (actually his nurse made out the prescriptions). I was taking 40mg and had her make it out for 80mg, and I split the pills saving another 50% on top of the Canadian price savings.

 

[Meadbh]

This 2013 newspaper article provides background on the internet pharmacy industry in Manitoba.

Bitter Pill: The rise and fall of Manitoba's Internet pharmacy pioneers - Winnipeg Free Press

 

[AllDone]

The other thing you will want to consider is the fact that the dreaded 'donut hole' in medicare part D is shrinking.

Where the patient was paying 95% for branded drugs when Medicare part D first came out to 40% copay this year, 35% next year, 30% the year after than and 25% in 2020.

Second item to consider is the 'retail' price of the drug isn't necessarily the 'contracted' price of the drug. So in imoldernu's example if the 'retail' (cash) price of the drug is $452.80 the contracted price could be $400. The copay/coinsurance is based off of that. And if you go to a pharmacy who's usual and customary price is even lower than that, it would even be less.

Although what you describe as the "donut hole" is not the donut hole, the donut hole reduction is part of the ACA and may go away if the AHCA is passed.

 

[Blue Collar Guy]

This 2013 newspaper article provides background on the internet pharmacy industry in Manitoba.

Bitter Pill: The rise and fall of Manitoba's Internet pharmacy pioneers - Winnipeg Free Press

ok i stopped reading when i hit the paragraph about counterfeit drugs, just what i thought. ill pay for the real McCoy. i retired early and financially independent. im not buying my wife some maybe fake ineffective drugs.

 

[travelover]

ok i stopped reading when i hit the paragraph about counterfeit drugs, just what i thought. ill pay for the real McCoy. i retired early and financially independent. im not buying my wife some maybe fake ineffective drugs.

When I investigated buying drugs from Canada a few years ago, the US government cautioned that the Canadian pharmacists could not be trusted. Upon further research, I found the Canadian government cautioned that the Canadian pharmacists should not trust the American doctors' prescriptions. I guess Canadians must be dying in the streets in droves from all the bad drugs they consume.