ADV-CARE Pharmacy

Some Frequently Asked Questions:

Q		Do I need a prescription?
A		Yes. You must provide a valid prescription completed by a physician licensed to practice medicine and issue prescriptions where you live. A Canadian doctor will need to review your confidential medical file in order to legally authorize your prescription in Canada. A complete package of the necessary paperwork can be downloaded from our site if you do not use our on-line ordering.

Q		How large a supply of medication may be purchased?
A		You may order only as much as your physician prescribes for you. The maximum allowed by law is a 90-day supply. Your physician can elect to allow three additional 90-day supply repeats on your prescription. We recommend requesting three refills as this saves you money.

Q		Why do I have to fill out a medication history form and sign a medical release?
A		As part of our service to you, we complete a drug interaction review (DUR) to ensure that your prescription is safe to take with your other prescription and over-the-counter drugs. In order to fill your prescription, an independent Canadian doctor must review your file and authorize your prescription. In the event that questions arise and the Canadian doctors need to speak with your US doctor, we need your permission to do so.

Q		Can a prescription from my current US pharmacy be transferred to you?
A		The Canadian legislation requires that we receive a faxed or original copy of your prescription, so we are unable to transfer prescriptions from US pharmacies.

Q		Are Canadian drugs made to the same quality levels as US drugs?
A		Canada sets exceptionally high pharmaceutical standards. The Canadian government employs an arduous, ongoing approval system for the manufacture of pharmaceuticals. Often the drugs sold in Canada are exactly the same as those that you buy in the US. Some other drugs are manufactured in Canada or elsewhere and are the version sold in Canada. Sometimes Canadian drugs have a different name or look different than US drugs (e.g. in Canada, "Prilosec" is called "Losec" and is a pill rather than a capsule, even though it is the same drug made by the same manufacturer). US laws prohibit us from providing Canadian medications that do not have an approved version.

Q		Why are generic drugs more readily available in Canada than in the US?
A		Patent protection laws in Canada are different than in the US and allow for easier and earlier manufacture of generic and ultra generic drugs. Ultrageneric drugs are generic drugs produced by the brand name manufacturer.

Q		Are Canadian generic drugs safe?
A		Canadian generic drugs fall under the same approval and regulatory process as brand name drugs. Some Canadian manufacturers that you might recognize include Apotex, Genpharm, Novopharm and Pharmascience are FDA approved.

Q		Can medications with codeine be shipped to the US?
A		Some codeine products are available in Canada without a prescription, but it is against Canadian law to export narcotics. Codeine is considered a narcotic. Also, it is illegal to ship non-approved FDA drugs like codeine into the US.

Q		Why can't you sell Valium or other similar drugs to US residents?
A		It is illegal to ship controlled substances to the United States.

Q		How much are shipping charges and how long will I have to wait?
A		Current Xpresspost shipping costs are $9.90 US per shipment, to each location. You can save money by ordering all of your prescriptions and OTC products at one time. Your order will arrive within 10-15 business days, allowing for any border delays. Over the past year, most orders have arrived within 5 business days or less, which is the service standard that we strive to maintain.

Q		Are there any sales taxes charged on my US prescription from Canada?
A		There is no sales tax charged on products shipped outside Canada.

Q		How do I pay for my medications?
A		We have the facility to accept VISA, MasterCard, American Express, E-Check (pre-authorized check debit) and International Money Order.

Q		Can you bill my insurance company?
A		While we are unable to accept insurance plans from other countries due primarily to systems incompatibility, we will provide you with a receipt which can be submitted to your insurer for reimbursement.

Q		Are my access/enrolment fees tax deductible?
A		This may be a possibility but you should ask your tax advisor this question prior to taking any action.

Q		Do you offer catalogues or price lists?
A		While we do not have a catalogue, our products and prices are listed on our Web site (www.adv-care.com) or you can call our customer service department toll free.