Questions & Answers

We've been asked many questions through the years, so we've compiled all the answers to these questions here. Our answers are divided into different categories, so click on the appropriate link to find what you're looking for.

1. Why are medications priced as they are in Canada?
2. Are Canadian Medications comparable to those sold in the United States?
3. Are all American Drugs available in Canada?
4. What is the difference between a brand name drug and a generic drug?
5. Can you fill prescriptions from American doctors?
6. What information does The Canadian Pharmacy need from me so that my order will be processed as fast as possible?
7. How do I pay for the medications?
8. Do I get charged a shipping charge for every prescription?
9. How long will my order take to process?
10. What is the maximum amount of my prescription you can fill?
11. Will you accept my Insurance Plan?
12. Can I return my prescriptions and get a refund once I’ve received them?
13. Is my personal information protected?

1. Why are medications priced as they are in Canada?

There are two main reasons why medications are medications priced as they are in Canada:
- The Canadian government regulates how much pharmaceutical companies can charge for their brand name medications in Canada.
- The strong American dollar allows US citizens to have a higher purchasing power.
For there reasons, US citizens may save on prescription medications purchased from Canada.

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2. Are Canadian Medications comparable to those sold in the United States?

Canada’s health care system is one of the best health care systems in the world. The Canadian government imposes extremely stringent regulations on the manufacturers of medications in our country. These regulations, imposed by Health Canada, meet or exceed FDA Standards.

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3. Are all American Drugs available in Canada?

Not all drugs available in the United States are available in Canada. However, some medications have a different brand name in Canada, but are in fact the exact same medication.

The Canadian Pharmacy does not dispense or ship any Narcotics or Controlled Medications such as benzodiazepines or amphetamines.

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4. What is the difference between a brand name drug and a generic drug?

A generic drug is a medication for which the original manufacturer has lost patent protection. Because of this, other manufacturers are allowed to produce and sell the exact medication at a lower more competitive price. The generic drug is the exact same medication as the original brand name drug, simply made by another company. Due to strict regulations on the generic drug industry, these drugs must provide the same therapeutic effect as the brand name drug.

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5. Can you fill prescriptions from American doctors?

Canadian pharmacy regulations require all US prescriptions to be approved by a Canadian physician prior to being filled by a Canadian pharmacy. The Canadian Pharmacy will submit your Health Questionnaire along with your US prescription for independent medical review by a Canadian licensed physician.

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6. What information does The Canadian Pharmacy need from me so that my order will be processed as fast as possible?

To make creating an account simple, we require 4 things from you:

1. A Completed Health Questionnaire
2. A Signed Customer Agreement Form
3. A Completed Medication Order Form
4. A valid original prescription from your current US physician

You may submit your sign up package to us in 1 of 3 ways:

1. Submit them Online at www.thecanadianpharmacy.com
2. Fax them to us toll free 1-866-795-5627
3. Mail them to:
   The Canadian Pharmacy 
   84-1313 Border Street, Winnipeg, MB
   CANADA R3H 0X4

The original prescription must be mailed to us. It can also be submitted by your physician on your behalf.

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7. How do I pay for the medications?

The Canadian Pharmacy accepts Visa, MasterCard, Personal Cheques and Money Orders.

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8. Do I get charged a shipping charge for every prescription?

Shipping charges are 15 USD per package (not per drug) for prescription items.

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9. How long will my order take to process?

Most orders are processed overnight and shipped the next business day, however, please allow up to 48 hours for processing of your order. Please also allow 7-10 business days for shipping via Canada Post's XPRESSPOST USA service.

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10. What is the maximum amount of my prescription you can fill?

Three months worth. Regulations put into place by the US Customs, American citizens are only allowed to import a maximum of 3 months worth of medication for personal use. Any amount above this 3 month limit is not considered "personal use".

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11. Will you accept my Insurance Plan?

Unfortunately, US insurance plans will not accept claims from a foreign pharmacy.

You will however, be issued a receipt with your prescription that you may submit to your insurance company for re-imbursement.

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12. Can I return my prescriptions and get a refund once I’ve received them?

Prescriptions that have been dispensed and shipped to the customer are not returnable to inventory under Canadian law. For this reason, all sales are final.

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13. Is my personal information protected?

At The Canadian Pharmacy, safeguarding the confidentiality of your personal information is a primary concern. Canada’s Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act prohibits us from releasing any customer’s personal, medical or financial information to anyone other than the health professionals responsible for filling your prescriptions, without your written consent.

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