Who watched Venture on the CBC last night, about the drugs being shipped by CP too America

[your-chic-shopper]

I was watching Venture last night, they had an article about drugs being shipped to Americans. Anyone catch who they were shipping with ?? "Canada Post small packet"!!!!!

It got me to thinking , this drug company in Manitoba is selling 1 million dollars every 30 days off the internet and shipping Canada post . The packages are under 1kg

This would be a great company to contact and ask if they are getting a discount from Canada Post . Their were five companies whom were commented on . If anyone could get the name of those companies , I sure would like to speak to the owners about CP

Todd

[amberwoodottawa]

I know someone in Ottawa who owns a pharmacy. He was the first in Canada to go online selling drugs and while he still operates the pharmacy, 75% of his sales are through his e-commerce business.

His online business has a different name than his Ottawa Pharmacy.

Malcolm

[llee2]

Regulations for shipping pharmaceuticals to the US varies somewhat between provinces, but some things are the same. I doubt that the Manitoba pharmacy is able to ship via small packet (unless they are registering it) without some claims of non-receipt. Maybe the few non-receipts are worth the savings of sending just by small packet. However, I can tell you that most patients in the US who are getting meds here in Canada are usually on more that just 1 medication (usually 10-15). And typically, they will get a larger supply of 3 months worth shipped all together. I can tell you from experience that most parcels are over the 1kg small packet mark.

[llee2]

Oh, and just an aside note...with all the pharmacies in Manitoba shipping to the US, drug companies are beginning to inflate the prices here too. Pfizer, who makes Viagra, Norvasc, Lipitor etc. just marked up all their prices. Other companies are following suit. So Canadians will be paying more for their prescriptions and possibly be in a shortage because a few greedy pharmacists want to make the extra buck. Comments?

[your-chic-shopper]

The few greedy pharmacists lol

I saw the packages getting tossed into the bins . They were small packet. Reguardless if the items are being shipped to America in the volume they spoke of . I would be curious what theye get charged on small packet rate

I buy my Viagra from Indonesia ;o)

Todd

[your-chic-shopper]

PS

I do not see them as greedy pharmacists. I see the drug companies as the greedy person in this situation

[acurael]

The companies in question:

http://www.canadameds.com/ from Winnipeg
http://www.rxnorth.com/ from the small scenic town of Minnedosa
http://www.hometownmeds.com in Carman.

I'd heard about rxnorth years ago - I looked in setting up a similar operation - but difficult to do not being a pharmacist and the regulatory body here in SK was way behind other provinces. I also looked at over the counter stuff but had issues with obtaining wholesale pricing on it.

Anyhow, no doubt they'd have discounts with CP - you saw the bags of stuff being loaded from rxnorth, right? Enough to fill a truck on a daily basis...

"So Canadians will be paying more for their prescriptions and possibly be in a shortage because a few greedy pharmacists want to make the extra buck. Comments?"

Perhaps the true greedy ones are the pharmaceutical companies that have been gouging in the unregulated USA? They seem to still make out very well here in Canada and other countries were prices are regulated - so it would seem that the extra markup in the US is nothing short of gouging.

[llee2]

You're absolutely right about the pharmaceutical companies - there is no doubt that they are gouging in the US. But now that these pharmacies are shipping them to the US, we're going to be paying higher prices too. There are instances where backordered drugs are not available in Canada right now because they are all being shipped back to the US. I think it's unethical for these pharmacists (and the doctors in Canada who are cosigned these prescriptions) to be exporting these drugs. In fact both the medical association and pharmacists association in Canada are trying to crack down on this practice.

[your-chic-shopper]

I think it's smart business . Provide a serivce to American customers at a cheaper cost. The reason the cost are goin up is more related to the big pharmaceutical companies. The reason that order's in Canada can not be filled is because of the pharmaceutical companies not the Canadian Companies

There are no Canadian Doctors involved in this . It's the Canadian pharmacist who is filling the order from a American Doctor in perscription

I called all 3 companies , I will be speaking too two tomorrow and find out if they will provide any info reguarding the shipping to america though CP. Maybe they can tell me about thier discount . I would not count on them releasing much info , but I will see

[amberwoodottawa]

These pharmacists got the idea from our water, hydro and gas utility companies. We pay a premium for the discounts given to our American friends.

You know its like the softwood lumber issue. The Americans impose huge taxes on our softwood lumber and the cost of building homes in the US goes up because that is where the majority of our lumber goes. DUH!!!

Keep the darn politicians out of business and trade issues.

Let them manage sewers and garbage, you know the stuff that they are familiar with.

Malcolm

[muminlaw]

LOL Malcolm -- I couldn't agree with you more!!!!! Politicians really should stay out of business and trade -- they really seem to know nothing about either one!! BC and the softwood lumber dispute are not a happy combination!!!!!

Glenda