A recently released federal report has backed several of the key principles that we have long supported at CPPI – namely, the absolute requirements for imported prescriptions to be safe, and come from legitimate pharmacies.
The report was developed by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), which is responsible for developing and coordinating U.S. international trade policy. Every year, USTR releases a report called the Review of Notorious Markets for Counterfeiting and Piracy (also known as the Notorious Markets List, or NML). The NML highlights prominent examples of online and physical markets that reportedly engage in, facilitate, turn a blind eye to, or benefit from substantial piracy or counterfeiting.
This year’s NML identifies several concerns we share about the international pharmaceutical market but should not be confused with legitimate, licensed pharmacies in Canada that provide life-saving support to cash-strapped Americans.
CPPI has been saying for many years that many legitimate pharmacies are operating just to our north, in Canada. They adhere to strict licensing requirements just like legitimate U.S. pharmacies, require a valid prescription from a U.S. doctor, source their pharmaceuticals from the same secure supply chains where Canadian residents get their prescriptions, and have a 100% perfect safety record over more than two decades.
Survey Shows High Satisfaction with Importation from Legitimate Canadian Pharmacies
To illustrate some of the effects bad actors have caused, the proliferation of unlicensed, illegitimate online pharmacies has led to negative consumer experiences by shoppers who may not have chosen legitimate, licensed pharmacies.
However, CPPI conducted a survey of Americans who import prescriptions from licensed online Canadian pharmacies – and saw a drastically different picture: 99% recommend ordering from an online pharmacy to their friends and family.
A goal of the NML is to motivate appropriate action by the private sector and governments to reduce piracy and counterfeiting. CPPI fully supports these goals, while encouraging authorities to ensure they don’t rob U.S. residents of access to safe and affordable medications.
Americans deserve the ability to reduce their personal pharmaceutical costs as much as possible. That’s why millions of Americans have been purchasing their life-enhancing medications from Canada for years. CPPI actively works to support their right to continue to save money by purchasing their daily prescription drugs from Canada where they savings can be significant.
How To Tell If Your Online Pharmacy is Legitimate
However, can consumers guarantee they are getting genuine medications? Yes, and CPPI offers this guidance for purchasing from licensed, legitimate Canadian pharmacies, all of whom will:
Require a valid prescription before dispensing medications;
Obtain demographic and medical information from the patient and maintain a health profile with medication history to avoid adverse drug interactions;
Have a licensed pharmacist on staff to supervise dispensing of medications and be available for consultation upon patient request;
Have procedures to ensure patient privacy and confidentiality of personal records and contact information; and
Does not sell controlled substances or narcotics.
If you aren’t sure where to begin, here is a list of Canadian pharmacies that meet all of the requirements above: https://www.cipa.com/cipa-safe-pharmacies.
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