Is it legal to buy prescription drugs from Canada?

 However, FDA (Food and Drug Administration) is not prosecuting people for buying them for their personal use. Initially people used to travel across the border in large groups by organizing bus trips. Now the trend is to buy medicines online through Canadian pharmacies.

Non-controlled Substances being allowed

Due to this reason, people are either buying their prescription drugs from online Canadian pharmacies or brick and mortar pharmacy stores in Canada by travelling across the border. By following this practice, Americans are able to save a lot of money as the government in Canada regulates prices on prescription drugs. To buy atorvastatin online you require a doctor's prescription. Officials allow only a three month supply to be taken inside the country if prescription drugs are bought from Canada. Substance controlled substances are not permitted.

Validation and Savings

Checking with the Canadian International Pharmacy Association about the validity of a pharmacy and to find out whether it is licensed is significant. You can even get a copy of the Canadian pharmacy's license from where you intend to get your medicines from for your peace of mind. Americans are able to save 30-40% cost on prescription medicines compared to US pharmacies.

Use Verified Pharmacies

For verifying the validity of an online pharmacy, you can check on pharmacychecker.com and find out whether the online pharmacy you are using is a legitimate one. affordablerxmeds is a Canadian online pharmacy which is verified by pharmacy checker. Some websites such as VIPPS (Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Site) includes verified/licensed pharmacy sites. For example, to buy advair diskus online find a verified online pharmacy and only after confirming its legality, you should go for it. Always use verified online pharmacies to avoid being cheated by bogus pharmacies which sell counterfeit drugs. Substandard product delivery is also another issue related to bogus pharmacies.

Before your Travel to Canada

Canadian government controls the price of drugs that are sold and distributed in their territories, since the country has national/universal healthcare. Due to this kind of a policy, the government is able to keep the prices quite low.

Though FDA does not prosecute people who travel to Canada for buying prescription drugs across the border, you have to stick and abide by some parameters set up by Customs in the United States. Make sure that you take an extra copy, besides the original prescription with you, as you will have to show it to the US customs when you return to the United States.

Realism from the FDA

In the year 2000, Congress passed the Medicine Equity and Drug Safety Act which made it legal for Americans to purchase prescription drugs from countries outside the United States. This Act was never able to get institutionalized. The main reason was due to the directive initiated by the Secretary of Health about its fellow Americans stating that buying prescription drugs from other countries could put the health of their citizens to great risk.

However FDA remains quite practical and realistic about this matter. A better alternative is to order from any registered Canadian online pharmacies rather than countries such as Mexico or some countries in Asia. Rules and regulation set up is very similar between Canada and the United States. Drugs produced in Canada go through about the same kind of regulatory procedures as the United States.