Internet-based pharmacies operating outside of Canada have gained a lot of business in recent years. The ease of availability and competitive prices have attracted many customers from the United States to Canadian online pharmacies. In 2005, of the more than 7,000 Canadian-based pharmacies, nearly 270 were said to be either entirely Internet-based or using a combination of remote and conventional dispensing methods, including web-based retail.
Most of these companies operate out of western Canada and the industry employs nearly 7,000 people. While the statistics may not seem overwhelming, the number of customers served by these online pharmacies is quite significant. Of total pharmaceutical product sales, mail-order drugs alone generated more than $ 1 billion in sales in 2004. Online sites serve approximately 2 million patients in the US, including seniors and those without. safe.
However, it has not been easy for the Canadian online pharmacy industry. He had to defend himself against charges thrown from many sectors. Fears have been raised that Canadian doctors are rewriting prescriptions issued by American doctors. Unsurprisingly, the Canadian online pharmacy industry has denied all the allegations. According to them, Canadian doctors often review the prescription given by their American counterparts and double-check patients’ medical history. When in doubt, Canadian physicians also return to the patient’s original US-based physician.
The Federal Drug Administration has tracked down many companies that sell drugs online. These were selling drugs to buyers in the US by claiming that such an act did not violate any federal law and was therefore completely legal. According to a study, some of the Canadian online pharmacies were found to be based in the US These were operating illegally and providing drugs under the guise of https://service-pharmaceutique.com/ being online stores based in Canada. Some US-based pharmacies also bought drugs from Canadian companies and sold them in the US.
Additionally, the shipping and handling of these drugs has also raised safety concerns, as some physicians in the US feel that temperature-sensitive drugs are being imported without paying due attention to packaging details. This could have serious implications for the safety and efficacy of the imported drug. Production concerns in the US have also been raised, as some of these drugs may have been manufactured in bulk and a compromise on quality issues cannot be completely ruled out.
Now voices are increasing in Canada itself to regulate the online pharmacy business. That country now plans to amend the Canadian Food and Drug Act. There is a proposal to introduce an amendment that requires Canadian doctors to physically examine the patient before writing prescriptions. This would also mean that Canadian doctors cannot rewrite the prescriptions given by their American counterparts. This move has been criticized by the online pharmacy industry in Canada. The frequently cited reason is the loss of jobs that can occur as a result of this amendment. The industry is also up in arms against being portrayed as unprofessional and unethical business practices. Canada also plans to crack down on pharmacies that operate without the required establishment license. Under Canadian law, such a license is required for any business organization involved in drug manufacturing, packaging, importing, delivery, bulk selling, and testing here. This law allows the government to trace the entire chain of sale of the drug from the manufacturer to the user in the event of an adverse effect of a drug. It also allows for faster investigation and charging.
Oddly enough, although there is some mistrust among the general US population for these pharmaceuticals, the number of online drug buyers is increasing every quarter. The industry has seen healthy growth rates in the past and unless Canada goes ahead and regulates it, this trend is expected to continue at least for the foreseeable future. American customers also appear to be aware of the fact that in the event of adverse effects, there is no legal recourse available, as it would be impossible to locate the seller of the drug. Shoppers seem to be consuming these drugs regardless of the widespread feeling that there may be safety issues and other problems when buying them online.