Can U.S. doctors and pharmacies send or transfer prescriptions to Canada?

The answer is yes and no. Canadian pharmacies will require a prescription from an authorized Canadian practitioner before dispensing a prescription drug. However, some Canadian pharmacies work with Canadian practitioners in a manner that facilitates the processing of a valid, U.S. prescription. Basically, the Canadian physician reviews the original U.S. prescription and relevant patient information and issues a Canadian prescription.

Canadian provinces require that pharmacies dispense medications pursuant to a valid prescription authorized by a Canadian practitioner. Therefore, U.S. prescriptions received by a Canadian pharmacy must be approved by a Canadian physician, who issues a Canadian prescription, prior to it being filled. This practice is often referred to as cosigning. We view the cosigning process as an additional review of the patient's health profile by a licensed practitioner to determine the suitability of the recommended treatment. PharmacyChecker-accredited Canadian pharmacies are among those that accept a U.S. prescription that is then approved by a Canadian physician. 

To be clear, a patient or doctor in the U.S. only has to send a prescription. You do not need to worry about finding a Canadian practitioner. The pharmacy will take care of the approval process from there.

Transferring Prescriptions from U.S. Pharmacies to Canadian Pharmacies

Generally, U.S. pharmacies will not transfer your prescription to a Canadian pharmacy. If you decide to buy a medication from a pharmacy in Canada and you have a prescription with a U.S. pharmacy, you'll most likely need to request a new prescription from your provider.

Canadian Prescription Transfer Regulations

Canadian pharmacies are generally not permitted to accept prescription transfers from U.S. pharmacies. Canadian provinces require that pharmacies dispense medications pursuant to a valid prescription authorized by a Canadian practitioner. Therefore, U.S. prescriptions received by a Canadian pharmacy must be approved by a Canadian physician prior to being filled. This requires that the pharmacy receive a health history survey and an original signed prescription, which can be faxed by your doctor or mailed—either by yourself or your doctor on your behalf. Additionally, a licensed pharmacy can work directly with your doctor to facilitate the receipt of the prescription and/or arrange refills when necessary. 

U.S. Prescription Transfer Regulations

Based on various state regulations within the U.S. — although U.S. pharmacies are permitted to transfer prescriptions, including refills, for non-controlled drugs under certain circumstances—transferring prescriptions to foreign pharmacies may not be permitted. 

Finally, even though many states have not explicitly banned transferring U.S. prescriptions to non-U.S. pharmacies, pharmacists may be reluctant to do so because in most cases it remains technically illegal under U.S. federal law to import medication for personal use. 

Interestingly, Texas pharmacists are expressly permitted to fill prescriptions written by Canadian or Mexican Practitioners for non-controlled substances; however, pharmacies are only permitted to transfer authorized refills for those prescription between Texan pharmacies.

More about Texas Pharmacy Laws

More about Drug Importation Laws, Regulations, and Policies

Americans Can Order Prescription Medications from Canadian Online Pharmacies

Millions of Americans have ordered medication from Canada, even though it's technically prohibited. That's because it's legal in Canada for licensed pharmacies, meeting the laws of their providences, to dispensed prescription drugs to Americans.

We recommend that you stick to PharmacyChecker-verified Canadian online pharmacies. Patients use PharmacyChecker.com to compare prices among verified pharmacies. Many people that use our comparison tool find their medications at over an 80% discount vs. the prices they see at their local CVS or Walgreens.

Please know that many Canadian online pharmacies fill your orders with pharmacies outside of Canada. For those that are in the PharmacyChecker Verification Program, the partner pharmacies (not just the ones in Canada) are also verified by PharmacyChecker.

Compare Prices for Medications

Local U.S. Pharmacy Savings

Some folks are wary of shopping for their meds online. If you prefer to shop at your local U.S. pharmacy, just scroll to the bottom of your chosen medication's price comparison page. Enter your ZIP Code to find the discounts available in your area. When you choose a pharmacy, click "Print Card for This Pharmacy" and you are all set.

We also offer a search tool for patient assistance programs. Many pharmaceutical companies offer aid with the cost of medications through patient assistance programs.

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