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Seniors Log on to Canada for Drugs
With a few clicks of a computer mouse, Bill Schmitt orders diabetes medication from an online Canadian pharmacy and pays about 25 percent less than he would have paid for similar medication in the United States. "I was looking for a way to reduce my expenses because I was having to pay up to $324 on a quarterly basis out of my pocket,'' said the 67-year-old Myrtle Beach resident. "I said, `It's time to do something.''
While S.C. legislators and senior advocates look for ways to alleviate the burden of high prescription drug costs, a growing number of senior citizens are quietly finding their own remedy through online Canadian pharmacies. The Internet is much easier and more convenient than planning a trip out of the country, as many seniors up north have done to get rock-bottom Canadian drug prices, Schmitt said. "It really makes a difference,'' he said. "I will eventually get all my medicines this way.''
Government controls help keep prices low in Canada, and Internet customers also enjoy a favorable exchange rate. Under U.S. Food and Drug Administration guidelines, U.S. residents can import up to three months of medications for personal use. Controlled substances such as pain medication are not allowed to be imported.
Interest in Canadian imports has grown in recent years because of escalating U.S. prescription drug prices. Seniors without prescription drug coverage are hit the hardest and often are the heaviest users of prescription medications. According to AARP, about one-third of the nation's seniors have no prescription drug coverage through their health insurance. As many as 15 million Medicare recipients pay full retail price for their medications, including Schmitt. Schmitt lost his private health insurance coverage, which included prescription drug coverage, shortly after he qualified for Medicare about two years ago. "I ... decided to investigate,'' he said. "You're going to find ways to save money. You just have to look into it and find out what's going on for yourself. "While browsing the Internet, Schmitt found Canadameds.com, among the largest operations in Canada that ship prescriptions to the United States. To order the drugs, Schmitt had to provide the company with his doctor's prescription along with a medical history form and a limited power of attorney giving the company the right to buy and ship the medications. A doctor licensed in Canada reviews the medical history (for a $50 charge) before co-signing the prescription for shipment. Shipments take up to three weeks and there is an $18 charge per package for prescription items. Schmitt said he saves money even after shipping and dispensing fees.
Canadameds.com pharmacist Daren Jorgenson said shipments to the United States have risen during the past year. ``We are averaging about 400 to 600 packages sent out a day which probably have three to four prescriptions in each,'' Jorgenson said. "I think it will continue, too, at even a higher rate than it has because the word is out and many, many other Canadian pharmacies are beginning to offer this service, which benefits the patient through increased choice and competition.
''It took time for Audrey Aldridge of North Myrtle Beach to find an online Canadian pharmacy, but diligence paid off when she found she could save her aunt a significant amount of money on medication to treat her stomach ailment. "It was $5 a pill at the local drug store,'' Aldridge said. "I kept searching the Internet until I found a Canadian pharmacy where I could get the same pill for $1.50. It's really bargain shopping, but it does take time.'' Government price controls are the main reason prescription drugs are cheaper in Europe, Mexico and Canada. The pharmaceutical industry says lowering prices in the United States to international levels would impede research and development.
"Price controls only hurt innovation and result in fewer breakthrough medicines,'' said Meredith Art, spokeswoman for Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers Association. Dr. Gene Reeder, a pharmacy professor at the University of South Carolina's College of Pharmacy in Columbia, said he doubts pharmaceutical companies would halt research and development. "They may be more selective, but it's hard for me to envision they would stop because that's their lifeline,'' Reeder said.
Price controls aren't the only reason drugs are less expensive outside the United States, according to Surfside Beach pharmacist Sarah Justice. She said high prescription prices are a result of the industry's direct consumer advertising, a multibillion-dollar expense each year for U.S. drug makers. The 10 most heavily advertised drugs have been responsible for 22 percent of the increase in prescription drug spending since 1993, according to the National Institute for Health Care Management. "The reason for those prices is because of the advertising you see on TV,'' Justice said. "We are paying for that.''
Members of the Silver Haired Legislature, a senior advocacy group that lobbies for state legislation, are hopeful a bill presented by Sen. Dick Elliott, D-North Myrtle Beach, will bring some prescription drug relief to S.C. seniors. Bill 186 would require pharmaceutical makers to sell prescription drugs to retail pharmacies at Medicaid discount prices for beneficiaries. "I don't think it will impact local pharmacies in any way, but it will help senior citizens with prescription drugs that Medicare doesn't pay for and clears the hardship for them,'' Elliott said. "We believe this method to cap drug prices won't have a dampening effect on research. "This is a bill that doesn't cost the taxpayers a bit of money; it simply shifts it to the pharmaceutical companies who continue to have an enormous profit spread despite the economy.''
ELAINE GASTON can be reached at 626-0299, 1-800-568-1800, Ext. 299, or [email protected]. |
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Pay Less for Prescriptions
Everyone complains about the cost of medicine. On a Consumer Alert, NBC10’s Tracy Davidson has found a way some people are saving money. One local woman says she saves about $2,000 a year on her prescription medicine and you could too. Here’s how.
WHITEMARSH TWP., Pa. - Like many of us, Emilie Higgins from Whitemarsh Township has medicines she must take, some for the rest of her life.
“I take the statin drugs,” Emilie said. “I take heart medicine, two forms of that. I take a very effective drug for women for the back.”
But unlike most people, Emilie doesn't get her prescriptions around the corner. She gets them halfway around the globe, over 1,600 miles away in Winnipeg, Canada. She says prescription drugs have become too expensive here in the U.S. But now, to get her cheaper prescriptions, Emilie doesn't even have to leave her home.
“The prices were up to half,” she said. “Most of them were half. Some of them were 35 percent off the price that I pay in the U.S.A.”
Emilie buys her medicine on the Internet from a company called Canadameds. Here’s how it works: you go online to Canadameds and fill out a medical history form to open your account. Then, when your doctor gives you a prescription, you fax it or mail it to Canadameds.
Canadameds then has a Canadian doctor review the prescription to see if it's medically necessary. It costs about $6 per prescription for this review. If everything checks out then they send you your medicine. Emilie says it's simple.
“I mail it to them, and then I get it right to my house,” she said. “That’s it. We’re done.”
Canadameds says it takes about two to four weeks for the drugs to be delivered. In Canada, the government has a cap on prescription prices. That’s why the very same drugs we buy here are so much cheaper across the border.
Prilosec is one of the most widely prescribed drugs for stomach ailments. At local pharmacies, it costs about $65 for a typical two week supply of 20 milligrams. At Canadameds it costs about $23.
Lipitor is one of the most popular drugs for high cholesterol. For a typical three month supply of 10 milligrams Lipitor, it costs about $188 here. At Canadameds, the cost is $112.
Dr. Dan Hussar is professor of Pharmacy at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. He worries there can be problems with buying prescriptions from an Internet pharmacy.
“If that pharmacy is not in a position to identify potential drug related problems, because of the remoteness of the patient from the pharmacy and from the services, that individual could actually be very poorly served if the medication provided, even if they couldn't afford it otherwise,” Dr. Hussar said.
But Canadameds says they look for drug interactions. On their questionnaire they ask about other prescriptions drugs or over the counter medications.
“We can only assure the negative interaction with the prescriptions that we are filling because we have a question that asks you which over the counter or prescription medications are you on,” said Daren Jorgenson, a pharmacist from Canadameds.
They admit that a face-to-face contact with the patient would be better but do everything they can to make sure their patients get quality service. For example, they'll answer questions on their toll free number at 1-877-542-3330.
“The bottom line is if a person isn't going to take the therapy because they can't afford the drug versus getting a little less face to face conversation but actually getting the therapy, then I think the person's actually better off," Jorgenson said.
“If I wasn't getting it the way I’m getting it now, then I would have to borrow from my daughter,” Emilie said. “I would probably do without it or take half of it, I know some people who do that.”
To find out more about how to "Pay Less for Prescriptions" visit Canadameds or call Canadameds directly between the hours of 9 a.m. and 10 p.m. at 1-877-542-3330. Once they prompt you dial zero. |
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Mail Order Prescriptions
A healthy dog, Kipling, loves playing catch like any other Golden Retriever. However, he's a bit different. Kipling has only one eye. A year ago, the dog contracted a fungus which invaded his body and infected his eye cavity. Kipling's vet told his owner, in order to cure the dog, they would have to buy a large quantity of a prescription drug. And, Kipling would have to stay on the drug for several months. The prescription was extremely expensive. The vet then suggested the family use an online service called Canadameds. The family tried the service, and saved hundreds of dollars. At Walmart they paide $214.28 for 28 pills, which comes out to $7.68 per pill. Through Canadameds they paid $460.00 for 164 pills, or $2.80 per pill. A few weeks after buying medicine for his dog, Glenn Smucker started ordering medicine for himself through Canadameds.
The Wisconsin Attorney General's Office says they have no lawsuits against online pharmacies, and Canadameds appears to be a legitimate business. So, with the click of the mouse, all you have to do is get to the website, get your prescription, fill out a medical history and waiver form, and then fax all three forms to the company. You'll also have to type in your credit card number and withing a couple of weeks, you'll receive your prescription. The only downside is the waiting period. For your safety, the company verifies all prescriptions. The website? Canadameds.com. |
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Prescription Drugs From Canada
Canadameds is an on-line company that says it can sell American consumers prescription drugs at a huge savings. CBS 58 reporter Chandra Cooper took a closer look. First here is the website address and phone number: Canadameds.com 1-877-542-3330.
Now here is the story we ran today:
YOU'VE HEARD REPORTS ABOUT PEOPLE TRAVELING ACROSS THE BORDER TO CANADA BUYING PRESCRIPTION DRUGS. BUT, MAKING THAT TRIP IS COSTLY, TIME CONSUMING AND IT'S NOT SOMETHING EVERYONE CAN AFFORD TO DO.
NOW THERE IS A WAY FOR YOU TO GET DRUGS FROM CANADA....AND STAY RIGHT HERE IN THE U-S WITHOUT HAVING TO LEAVE HOME. ONE LOCAL FAMILY FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS website WHEN THEIR DOG BECOME SICK. CBS-58 CHANDRA COOPER HAS MORE.
KIPLING IS A HEALTHY DOG... AND LOVES PLAYING CATCH LIKE ANY OTHER GOLDEN RETRIEVER..
BUT, YOU SEE HE'S QUITE DIFFERENT.... HE ONLY HAS ONE EYE....
A YEAR AGO KIPLING CONTRACTED A FUNGUS THAT INVADED HIS BODY AND INFECTED HIS EYE CAVITY.
[SOT-37:65 our dog got very sick with a fatal disease..38:01]
KIPLING'S VET TOLD HIS OWNER, IN ORDER TO CURE THE DOG THEY WOULD HAVE BUY A LARGE QUANITY OF THIS DRUG,AND,HE WOULD HAVE TO STAY ON IT FOR SEVERAL MONTHS.
[SOT-38:02 the doctor prescribed a very expensive...we complained about the price"
THE VET THEN SUGGESTED THAT THE FAMILY USE THIS ONLINE SERVICE CALLED CANDAMEDS.
THE SMUCKER'S ENDED UP USING THE SERVICE ....AND SAVING HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS.
[SOT-38:48 i was elated it was delivered to our doorstep 39:03
AT WALMART THE FAMILY PAID 214.28 FOR 28 PILLS WHICH COMES OUT TO 7.68 A PILL
THROUGH Canadameds THEY ENDED UP PAYING 460.00 FOR 164 PILLS... WHICH IS 2.80 A PILL.
A FEW WEEKS AFTER BUYING MEDICINE FOR HIS DOG
GLENN STARTED ORDERING MEDICINE FOR HIMSELF THROUGH CANDAMEDS.
[SOT-40:20 INSTEAD OF 2.80 A PILL ...FOR A DAILY DOSE OF CHLOSTEROL DRUG 40:28]
WE CALLED THE WISCONSIN ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE TO MAKE SURE ORDERING DRUGS OVER THE INTERNET from CANADA is LEGAL...ATTORNIES SAY THEY HAVE NO LAWSUITS AGAINST ON-LINE PHARMACIES....AND, CANANDAMEDS APPEARS TO BE A LEGITIMATE BUSINESS.
[SOT--43:12 NOT ONLY IS IT CHEAPER ITS MORE CONVIENT.... THE NEIGHBORHOOD 43:16]
WITH THE CLICK OF THE MOUSE...
ALL YOU HAVE TO IS GET TO THE WEBSITE...
GET YOU PRESCIPTION...FILL OUT A MEDICAL HISTORY AND WAIVER FORM ...FAX ALL 3 FORMS TO THE COMPANY.
AND, THEN TYPE IN YOUR CREDIT CARD NUMBER.
WITHIN A COUPLE OF WEEKS YOU WILL RECIEVE YOUR MEDICINE.
THE ONLY DOWNSIDE... IS THE WAITING PERIOD.
AND, FOR YOUR SAFETY THE COMPANY VERIFIES ALL PRESCRIPTIONS.
[SOT-TAPE 3 22:42:12 we do call the patients we call the american physicians... better understanding 22:42:29]
WE ASKED A FEW AMERICAN DOCTORS IF THEY THINK using an on-line site is A GOOD IDEA.
DR GEORGE LANGE SAYS SEVERAL OF HIS PATIENTS ARE ALREADY PURCHASING DRUGS FROM ACROSS THE BORDER.
[SOT-1:09:44 i consider canado to be a advanced coutnry... the same product 1:09:55]
IT'S BEEN ONE YEAR.. SINCE THE SMUCKERS RECIEVED THERE FIRST PACKAGE FROM THE Canadameds... AND, TODAY THEY JUST GOT ANOTHER ORDER..
[nat pop...man looking in medicine cabinet say we got....]
THIS FAMILY SAY BUYING MEDICINE FROM THE LOCAL DRUGSTORE IS NOW A THING OF THE PAST. |
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IT'S BECOMING A CRISIS: MANY TRI-STATERS CAN NO LONGER AFFORD THEIR PRESCRIPTION MEDICINE.
"I have no prescription coverage, everything buy comes out of my pocket"
JAMES, WHO ASKED THAT WE NOT USE HIS LAST NAME, SAYS HIS BLOOD PRESSURE DRUGS WERE COSTING TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR.
SO LIKE A GROWING NUMBER OF AMERICANS, HE'S HEADING FOR THE BORDER: THE CANADIAN BORDER.
HE'S NOT DRIVING, BUT RATHER MAIL ORDERING HIS PRESCRIPTIONS FOR BIG SAVINGS.
James says: "I save about 44 percent., which is well over 200 dollars every 3 months."
"Good afternoon, Canadameds, Susanna speaking!"
WELCOME TO CANADA.
THIS IS CANADA MEDS, ONE OF DOZENS OF PHARMACIES NOW SELLING PRESCRIPTION DRUGS TO AMERICANS.
THE SAVINGS ARE REAL, ACCORDING TO THIS RECENT PRICE SURVEY BY THE VERMONT PUBLIC INTEREST RESEARCH GROUP.
-A REFILL OF TOMOXIFEN, A CANCER DRUG, 65 DOLLARS IN THE US, 9 DOLLARS IN CANADA.
-PRILOSEC, FOR ULCERS, 212 DOLLARS US, 53 DOLLARS CANADA.
-ZOCOR, FOR CHOLESTEROL, 70 DOLLARS US, 30 DOLLARS CANADA.
YOU CAN THANK TO CANADIAN GOVERNMENT PRICE CONTROLS.
John Matarese says: "THIS RUN FOR THE BORDER RAISES TWO BIG QUESTION: ONE, ARE THE DRUGS SAFE.
AND TWO, IS THIS LEGAL?"
Yes it is, its 100 percent legal.
IT'S O-K THANKS TO A LOOPHOLE IN U-S LAW.
THAT'S ACCORDING TO A NUMBER OF EXPERTS, INCLUDING FORMER OHIO SECRETARY OF STATE SHERROD BROWN, NOW A CLEVELAND CONGRESSMAN.
THE LOOPHOLE? A CANADIAN DOCTOR HAS TO WRITE THE PRESCRIPTION, BASED ONLY ON A MAIL-IN QUESTIONNAIRE.
Daren Jorgenson says: "The Canadian physician reviews the application for the medication, and determines if the patients should have it."
BUT THAT LEADS TO THE SAFETY QUESTION.
CINCINNATI PHARMACIST MIMI HART SAYS A DOCTOR YOU DON'T KNOW IS WRITING A PRESCRIPTION WITHOUT SEEING YOU
PLUS, SHE SAYS, PATIENTS CAN'T BE SURE IF THE MEDICINE IS CORRECT, OR THE PROPER DOSAGE.
Mimi Hart says: "They assume all of the the risk. There's no one to go back to and say this medication was bad, I don't think I got what I was supposed to get."
BUT JAMES SAYS THE ONLY OTHER OPTION IS SKIPPING HIS MEDICATION.... SO HE'S TAKING THE RISK.
I WISH I COULD RECOMMEND SOME SPECIFIC PHARMACIES.
UNFORTUNATELY, I CAN'T GUARANTEE THE SAFETY OF ANY OF THESE CANADIAN DRUGSTORES, SO FOR LEGAL REASONS, I CAN'T MAKE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS.
BUT YOU CAN FIND THESE PHARMACIES IF YOU SEARCH THE INTERNET. |
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Tools For The Trade - Questions and Answers
Here is an overview of the rules for processing persons with personal use prescription medication.
Q: What are the import conditions?
A: The controlled substance must:
a.. be in the original dispensed container, and
b.. have the trade or chemical name and symbol designating the schedule on the label, or
c.. have name and address of pharmacy or practitioner and prescription number (if any).
The importer must also declare to Customs that the medicine is for personal use and show a valid prescription.
Q: What is a valid prescription?
A: It can be:
a.. the doctors written prescription, or
b.. a photocopy of the doctor's written prescription, or
c.. the label on the original container (containing the above information)
Q: What about foreign prescriptions?
A: Federal law allows a person with a valid prescription for approved medication to bring it into the United States.
Q: What about state law?
A: Customs officers should advise travelers if a violation of state prescription requirements is found. Do not detain individuals or seize prescription drugs.
Q: What is a "personal use amount"?
A: The DEA and FDA do not specify personal use quantities. Customs officers should make their decision based on factors such as the person's resident or nonresident status, drug type, and length of stay. For advice, contact the nearest FDA office.
Q: What about non-approved drugs?
A: Federal law prohibits importing drugs not approved by the FDA regardless of whether there is a foreign or domestic prescription. Customs officers may seize and destroy all non-approved drugs.
Q: How may I ask questions?
A: Use the "Contact Us" feature above. Write that you are asking about the Importing Prescription Medicine, Tools for the Trade, Third Quarter 1998. |
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If you're one of those people stuck paying for prescription drugs, here's some good news.
You can buy prescription drugs online from several Canadian pharmacies and
save tremendous amounts of money - up to 50 percent or more. The pharmacies - Canadameds.com, www.The CanadianDrugstore.com and www.CanadaRX.net - are doing a booming business in the United States and in some cases are expanding to keep up with U.S. orders.
To get a sense of the savings, consider the price difference between two
drugs, the diabetes medicine Actos and the prostate cancer drug Casodex. I
compared prices at the U.S. pharmacy site www.drugstore.com with the
Canadameds.com site.
At the U.S. site, 90 tablets of Casodex cost $1,022, while at the Canadian
site, they cost $414 - a savings of more than $600, or nearly 60 percent.
Ninety tablets of Actos costs $423 in the United States, compared with $284
in Canada - a savings of $139, or 33 percent.
You'll have to pay shipping charges, of course, which can be up to $18 per
package.
But even with those charges, the savings are substantial, so much so that
they may spell the difference between being able to afford medication or
not.
That is the good news. Here's the bad news: Even though countless people get their prescriptions this way, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not made it clear whether it's legal. (No state laws cover buying prescriptions
online from Canada, according to the Texas Attorney General's office.)
The FDA notes that "generally it will be illegal to import drugs" from
foreign online pharmacies.
That means that buying prescription drugs - perfectly legal prescription
drugs - from online pharmacies is considered illegal, even though it is
legal to cross the border and buy the drugs in person.
When you buy drugs online from Canadian pharmacies, you either have them
shipped directly to you or to your doctor or other health care professional.
Here the law is even muddier, but the FDA says that under some
interpretations of the law, it's not illegal.
In either case, the issue is moot - you'll be able to buy the drugs online
without fear of consequences.
The FDA says that it has never gone after individuals who have bought
prescription drugs from Canadian pharmacies and has no plans to do so.
Congress and the White House have even gotten into the act. Congress passed a law allowing drugs to be imported into the United States from some foreign countries by pharmacies and wholesalers.
However, both the Clinton and Bush administrations have issued regulations
blocking the law, so the issue may end up before Congress again.
Still, the FDA insists that it will not go after U.S. citizens who try to
save money this way.
While each of the three Canadian online pharmacies offers savings on
prescription drugs, they operate differently. For each, you'll have to
provide a prescription - you won't be allowed to buy medicines without one.
And you'll usually have to fill out a medical form, or have your doctor fill
one out, before you can order.
At Canadameds.com, you must sign a disclaimer (it can be signed online
by clicking on an "I agree" button) and fill out a form including your
family medical history before you can order prescriptions.
You'll then need to fax a prescription to the site or have the site contact
your doctor to get a copy.
Because of Canadian laws, a medical professional from the site has to
examine the form and prescription before your medicine can be sent.
At some sites, the prescription will be sent to you; at others, it will be
sent to your doctor or pharmacy. In all cases, you'll pay by credit card.
Keep in mind that on top of shipping costs, you should budget time for
prescriptions to arrive.
For example, at Canadameds.com, shipping is $12 per package for U.S.
residents and you should allow 21 days for delivery.
Shipping is $5 per prescription for U.S. residents using www.The
CanadianDrugstore.com, and delivery will also take 21 days.
At www.CanadaRX.net, you can't order the prescription yourself. Instead, a
medical professional, such as a doctor, nurse or pharmacist, has to do the
ordering, although the prescription can be sent directly to you. Shipping is
$9.99 per item - that's Canadian dollars, which translates into about $6.50
U.S. at current rates.
So ordering a prescription online from a Canadian pharmacy may be a bit more trouble than driving to your local pharmacy. But considering the savings, it may be worth the effort.
Preston Gralla is the author of 17 books, including The Complete Idiot's
Guide to Online Shopping, and is executive editor for ZDNet. His column
appears biweekly in The Dallas Morning News. |
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