Cross-border importation

Buying medicines over the Internet can seem like a good idea. Drugs bought online from Canadian pharmacies may seem much cheaper than here in the US. The problem is that this unregulated trade could expose people to serious risk—especially the elderly or others already at risk.

This is why the practice is illegal in the US, and why we've had to stop selling our drugs to some Canadian pharmacies, where the majority of the products are simply being re-exported to the US. But we've taken care that both US and Canadian patients will still be able to get their usual prescriptions from their own doctor, where they can be sure of the quality and suitability of the drugs they'll receive. It's not a question of our own profit: compared with our overall US sales this cross-border trade is very small—less than 0.5% of the total. The issue of access to affordable drugs is a real one, but patient safety is even more critical.

We share your concerns about the cost of medicines, but illegal imports of potentially risky drugs is a bad solution to the issue. We encourage you to contact your Representative and your Senators and express your concerns.