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Some related articles : Upstart Texas Firm Makes Stir With Cheap Drugs From Canada (October 21, 2002)
Manitoba's Controversial Niche: Exporting Affordable Drugs (October 10, 2002) |
By Tara Parker-Pope
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Carol Carson, 56, of Kent, Wash., shops at hometownmeds.com for nearly a dozen drugs that she and her husband need, including the arthritis drug Vioxx and the heartburn medication Prilosec. The drugs arrive in about five days and she saves some $300 a month.
Jerry Perlman of Tucson, Ariz., shops at a different place, tcds.com10, the Web site for the Canadian Drug Store Inc. The 63-year old saves about $100 a month, and says many people he knows buy their drugs from the same site.
"I called up my senator and our congressman," he says. "None of them have a problem with people spending less money on prescriptions."
The FDA says Americans who shop at Canadian pharmacies are taking a risk because the drugs fall outside its purview and therefore the agency can't guarantee their safety. The reality, however, is that buying from a Canadian pharmacy is often just as safe as buying from one in the U.S. One obvious sign: The drugs often come in the manufacturers' original packaging.
Canadian regulators also are beginning to pay more attention to the industry. In Ontario, regulators recently filed charges against The Canadian Drug Store claiming it was unlawfully operating an unaccredited pharmacy, staffed by unregistered pharmacists. The case is still pending, and the site is still operating. Founder Billy Shawn notes that the firm is simply an agent for a licensed pharmacy in British Columbia. Drugs purchased through the site carry the label and phone number of the Garden City Pharmacy, and consumers can call and talk to the pharmacist directly.
Not everyone who checks out a Canadian pharmacy decides it is a good deal, though. Roz Janowski, 58, of South Orange, N.J., checked out Canadian prices for two drug prescriptions, but discovered the $10 shipping charge ate up most of the savings. She also worries about shipping delays, and about "continuity" if U.S. or Canadian regulators ever decide to crack down. "By the time you add in shipping charges and you only have one or two prescriptions, it gets pretty close as to whether it's worth the bother," she says.
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