Canada is one of the main sources of controversy concerning the purchase of prescription drugs from foreign countries. The fact is that Canada’s drug market is about one-tenth the size of that of the United States, yet approximately ten percent of Canada’s drug market is primarily exported to the United States. Consumers are flocking to a country that promises less expensive prescription drugs with regulations similar to those in the United States. But the Food and Drug Administration has combated those offerings by criticizing the quality of the regulations as compared to those in the United States.

The Canadian Market

The problem with purchasing drugs online or across the border in Canada is that the drugs designated for export-only may be subject to less strict regulations than prescription drugs made for Canadian consumers. Also, United States consumers cannot be certain the drug they are purchasing will contain the same ingredients as the American-made drug. For example, when the Food and Drug Administration purchased a 30 day prescription for Serzone, which is a very strong anti-depressant made to be taken twice daily, the agency received a different order. The Canadian source sent the agents 99 pills of APO-Nefazodone, which contains the Canadian-made version of Serzone’s active ingredient. This Canadian-made version, however, is not FDA approved, not to mention the medication came with more pills than necessary, which could mean patients taking the drug have an increased exposure to the drug’s risks.

Consumers who buy their drugs online from Canada may also not be certain the sites are actually in Canada, or if they are, if they are reputable. There have been reports of bogus websites that sell drugs without any active ingredients or the wrong prescription all together. Birth control patches with no active ingredient, for example, have been sold. Canada does offer generic versions of some popular United States drugs like Viagra, Lipitor, and Ambien. However, the ingredients made in Canada for the generic versions of these drugs may not meet the same quality controls as set by the FDA.

Although the FDA’s standards are stringent, they are in place to protect American consumers. Though Canada may have drug regulations in place, consumers considering ordering drugs from Canada should investigate as to whether these regulations meet the same quality and safety measures for the drugs they are buying as those set by the FDA.

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