Pharmacy

[bigred08046]

Can we get on line type meds in Canada?

[Ephraim]

Medication in Canada is divided into five categories.

1. Narcotics - Most physicians won't prescribe these unless you are closely monitored and they know you. Clinics in Canada generally will not allow their physicians to even write such prescriptions.
   
2. Prescription Medication - These require a written prescription from a doctor.
   
3. Over the Counter - Medication that does not require a prescription. You just walk up to the shelf, pay and go. The available medication is often different than the US since we have different regulations. For example, most non-drowsy allergy medication is over the counter in Canada. Other items, like saccharin are not available at all, since they are banned for health reasons. Also hydrocortisone of .05% is available but .10% is prescription only.
   
4. Behind the Counter - These medications are available, but you must ask the pharmacist. These include non-prescription sleeping pills, anti-nausea (travel sickness) medication and Solorcaine because these medications can be abused. This changes from province to province, since pharmacists are subject to provincial law and provincial pharmacists boards.
   
5. Under the Counter - These medications are available but you must know about them and ask the pharmacists. If you don't know about them, you can't get them. The most famous of these are 222s and Atasol Forte, which is aspirin or acetaminophen with a small amount of codeine and caffeine.

Prescription medication can be had, usually in both generic or brand name versions. Certain medications have generics in Canada long before they are available in the US for a number of reasons, including the fact that if a medication doesn't make it on to the provincial lists it likely won't be prescribed at all. And because we have a single payer system, they won't prescribe anything that is too expensive unless there is nothing else that can be used and that becomes a medication requiring special permission after all other routes have been exhausted. So the pharmaceutical industry will produce a cheaper generic of their own, knowing that without the price cut generic, they won't sell ANY at all.

 

In Quebec, for example, anyone without drug insurance is covered by a government plan. But that plan will only cover medication on a special list. if it's not on the list, they won't cover it at all, even if prescribed. It's a major consideration that the pharmaceutical companies consider in their pricing model in Canada.

 

The other thing that you might find different (and again it depends on the province,) that cigarettes cannot be sold by pharmacists because it's seen to violate their oath. And in some provinces, cigarettes cannot be openly displayed and are in hidden cases.

 

Without knowing the medication, it's impossible to tell which class a medication is in (as well as which province the pharmacy is in.

[PennyAgain]

When I am in Canada I always take my Rx list to a pharmacy and ask if they mind looking at my list to see if I can save any money.

 

Often there is one drug that is an Rx drug in the US that is over the counter in Canada and is much less expensive.

 

I take my original Rx's.

 

I have always been treated politely and have sometimes saved a considerable sum of money.

 

It is not, however, the same as ordering online.

[Putterdude]

You can't walk into a drug store in Canada and buy prescription drugs over the counter like you can in Mexico. However, there are often over-the-counter medications in Canada that are only available in US with a prescription so it is worthwhile bringing along your list of prescriptions. If you bring your doctors prescriptions with you sometimes there are drugstores who will have a Canadian doctor available who will re-write your scripts so that a drug store can fill them. This is true in some of the border cities in BC.

[Ephraim]

You can't walk into a drug store in Canada and buy prescription drugs over the counter like you can in Mexico. However, there are often over-the-counter medications in Canada that are only available in US with a prescription so it is worthwhile bringing along your list of prescriptions. If you bring your doctors prescriptions with you sometimes there are drugstores who will have a Canadian doctor available who will re-write your scripts so that a drug store can fill them. This is true in some of the border cities in BC.

 

The reason that some prescription medication is available in Mexico without a prescriptions relates to the fact that there aren't enough physicians and the Mexican government allows some of the medications to be prescribed without a script by the pharmacist. But there are medications that they are NOT allowed to sell without a real doctor's script, including a 222.

[Putterdude]

The reason that some prescription medication is available in Mexico without a prescriptions relates to the fact that there aren't enough physicians and the Mexican government allows some of the medications to be prescribed without a script by the pharmacist. But there are medications that they are NOT allowed to sell without a real doctor's script, including a 222.

 

I have never looked for for 222's with codeine in Mexico but as we have have a home in AZ we often go down to Mexcio a few times each winter. I am always amazed at what can be purchased without a script such as antibiotics, cholesertal drugs, diabetic drugs, ed drugs, ..... the list goes on. We often will purchase drugs for our AZ neighbours and sometimes will pick an antibiotic for ourselves just in case.

[Ephraim]

I have never looked for for 222's with codeine in Mexico but as we have have a home in AZ we often go down to Mexico a few times each winter. I am always amazed at what can be purchased without a script such as antibiotics, cholesterol drugs, diabetic drugs, ed drugs, ..... the list goes on. We often will purchase drugs for our AZ neighbours and sometimes will pick an antibiotic for ourselves just in case.

 

Being from Quebec, I don't see the point. I have a private drug insurance policy (and before that, I was on the provincial plan). So all my medication is covered. I did once purchase OTC in the US that was significantly cheaper than even my co-payment, but otherwise I don't pay to see the doctor and I pay a small amount for any medications. But I do realize that other provinces don't have drug insurance.

 

But taking antibiotics when not prescribed by a doctor can be extremely dangerous because you build up immunity to them. We just purchased our hose from someone who died of C-Dificile.