Canadian Pharmacies (purchasing medicine by mail)

US Citizens are reaching out to the Better Business Bureau seeking information about ordering their prescriptions from Canada by mail, telephone and through the internet. The following is general information:

Health Canada is the regulatory authority that verifies the quality, safety and effectiveness of prescription drugs approved for use in Canada. Prescribing and dispensing prescription drugs, the administration of health care, and the governance of practitioners, including pharmacists, are provincial responsibilities.

In Canada, a drug can only be sold pursuant to a prescription written by a practitioner with a license to practice in Canada. Each province in Canada has its own laws governing the prescribing and sale of prescription drugs, but overall, it is generally accepted that physicians and pharmacists should establish a relationship with the patient before prescribing or selling drugs. Recently some provincial bodies that regulate pharmacists and physicians have been taking legal actions against their constituents that do not follow the established acts, regulations and codes of conduct.

Health Canada is concerned about the inspection and quality control of prescription drugs when sold online. The safety and effectiveness of a drug may be in question when ordered online, particularly if the product does not include a Drug Identification Number (DIN). This eight digit number, preceded with the letters, "DIN" signifies that a drug product has been reviewed by Health Canada prior to sale for safety and efficacy, and found to have an acceptable risk/benefit profile for the conditions under which it was approved. Health Canada also conducts post-market activities for these products including the monitoring of adverse reactions and complaints regarding quality.

Ordering drugs online without professional medical advice and monitoring can pose a number of risks:

1. Self-diagnosis of some diseases may be difficult or impossible. This introduces the risk of the inappropriate use of medications and/or inability to halt the progress of the disease;
2. Inability to have a professional trace the course of treatment and recovery can lead to inappropriate use of drugs, the ineffective treatment of the disease state, and the lack of monitoring of harmful side effects. This concern is heightened where drugs have a narrow range of safety and/or efficacy;
3. Drug resistance problems, for example, when antibiotics are used inappropriately;
4. Interaction of drugs with other medicines and with food products, which could increase their toxicity or decrease their effectiveness; and
5. Drug products purchased outside the normal distribution chain of pharmacies and of inspected and licensed manufacturers, importers, distributors, testing laboratories and wholesalers may not meet quality standards. Again, safety and effectiveness may be compromised.

It should be noted that drugs approved for use in Canada may not be the same as those approved for use in the United States despite being manufactured by the same company. Different formulations, different dosages, and different approved indications may make a difference to the individual patient. It is important that the consumer consult his or her health care professional before taking any kind of prescription drug.

Consumers may wish to check with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website about buying medicines online at www.fda.gov/oc/buyonline.

This information is general in nature and is not to be interpreted as a report on any product, service or company.