US Prescription Medicine from Canada?

We have a Canadian cruise coming up and I am curious about purchasing medications in Canada with a US prescription. I know it is possible to mail the prescription to a Canadian pharmacy and have the medication mailed back to me, but wonder about picking them up in person.

Does the ship care? (Celebrity in this case)

What, if any, problems are there coming back through Customs into the US?

Is it possible to pick them up in person at a larger pharmacy that also ships them to the US?

Any special tips to be aware of?

With the cost of some medications in the US it is possible to save hundreds of dollars on a prescription.

The ship doesn't care. They x-ray your stuff, but they don't inspect your pill bottles in any way.

US Customs might care when you return to the states.

This is technically illegal, though customs usually allows a "personal supply" (90 days or less) to be brought back.

You can't fill a prescription written by a US doctor in Canada. You'll need to visit a Canadian doctor to have a new one written, and pay cash for this visit. You would have a difficult, if not impossible time, trying to get a script for a controlled substance.

The ship won't care (for a volume for your personal use), but most Canadian pharmacies will.

Canadian pharmacies are forbidden to fill a prescription from an out-of-province doctor, though most will fill one from a Canadian doctor from another province. From a US doctor? That would be highly - highly - unlikely, and probably impossible at a major chain pharmacy. You would need to get a prescription from a local doctor, or at least have your prescription verified and co-signed by a local doctor.

I pass through U.S. Customs about twice a month with my prescriptions on the other border. They don't much care about small amounts (usually 90 days or less), but it depends on the prescription. Routine medicine, diabetes, heart etc are fine. Pain medicine, codeine and such, not so easy. The ship could care less, Customs and Border, maybe more so.

I pass through U.S. Customs about twice a month with my prescriptions on the other border. They don't much care about small amounts (usually 90 days or less), but it depends on the prescription. Routine medicine, diabetes, heart etc are fine. Pain medicine, codeine and such, not so easy. The ship could care less, Customs and Border, maybe more so.

Yes, this.

IF you are able to find a pharmacy to fill your prescription, which I agree with the others could be difficult, if you keep the amount at 90 days for personal use, CBP will probably be okay with it. The ship has no interest.

If you are successful, please return here and let us know.

The reason I asked is that there are several Canadian pharmacies that do fill US prescriptions by mail. Given what I have learned here I think I will go that way rather than take any chances with what should be a wonderful cruise.

The reason I asked is that there are several Canadian pharmacies that do fill US prescriptions by mail. Given what I have learned here I think I will go that way rather than take any chances with what should be a wonderful cruise.

Do you know if those pharmacies that fill U.S. Rx by mail order have a brick and mortar location in location you will be traveling? That would likely be your best chance.

If you can get them by mail order from a reputable pharmacy you trust, why not just do it that way and not spend lots of your shore time trying to fill Rx you could have done by mail? What am I missing that I don't understand? :o

We have a Canadian cruise coming up and I am curious about purchasing medications in Canada with a US prescription. I know it is possible to mail the prescription to a Canadian pharmacy and have the medication mailed back to me, but wonder about picking them up in person.

 

Does the ship care? (Celebrity in this case)

 

What, if any, problems are there coming back through Customs into the US?

 

Is it possible to pick them up in person at a larger pharmacy that also ships them to the US?

Any special tips to be aware of?

 

With the cost of some medications in the US it is possible to save hundreds of dollars on a prescription.

The pharmacies you're talking about using on-line DO NOT have store fronts; cross-border prescription filling is an internet business only.

OP, do you have a Costco membership? Prescriptions are usually less expensive at Costco due to the reduced dispensing fee. I see there are 2 locations in Austin, 30 miles from you. Just a suggestion. :)

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Canadian pharmacies will not fill prescriptions from US physicians.

US pharmacies will not fill Rx from Canadian physicians.

Remember, although the countries are similar - they are not the same. Different laws, different regulations.

If you have an extra many hours, you could go to a walk in clinic and see a Canadian doctor --- but expect to wait hours. It's tough to come by a physician in Canada.

On the counter side, my sister has forgotten her meds when visiting the US had went to the emergency room at the hospital. She paid about $550 for the visit - and got her meds.

PS - I'd never in a million years trust those mail order pharmacies from Canada. And I'm Canadian!

The reason I asked is that there are several Canadian pharmacies that do fill US prescriptions by mail.

Many, if not all of those, are run by a Canadian pharmacy but are not actually filled by Canadian pharmacies.....they are kind of clearing houses that arrange for other international pharmacies to fill the prescriptions.

Does anyone have any experience with the online pharmacies? I am not talking about narcotics, but things like Efudex, which is $270 for a 5oz tube in the states. The generic is $140.

OP might be better served by taking a Western Caribbean cruise. :rolleyes:

CPT Trips: ?????

CPT Trips: ?????

I think they're referring to going to Mexico - where you can get all kinds of things without a prescription.

I think they're referring to going to Mexico - where you can get all kinds of things without a prescription.

Some of the pharmacies right at the docks may have clamped down some. Antibiotics, retinol and such used to be available at low cost but I have read on other forums that may be changing. Some say downtown pharmacies still sell some meds without a Rx. I doubt they would sell restricted/scheduled meds without a local Rx.

Some of the pharmacies right at the docks may have clamped down some. Antibiotics, retinol and such used to be available at low cost but I have read on other forums that may be changing. Some say downtown pharmacies still sell some meds without a Rx. I doubt they would sell restricted/scheduled meds without a local Rx.

 

Belize . . .

Some of the pharmacies right at the docks may have clamped down some. Antibiotics, retinol and such used to be available at low cost but I have read on other forums that may be changing. Some say downtown pharmacies still sell some meds without a Rx. I doubt they would sell restricted/scheduled meds without a local Rx.

 

I've heard that in Mexico, some pharmacies have a doctor on premises, who will just write the script you want/need there and you pass it over the counter..

Just sayin' - there used to be organized bus trips across the border in AZ, under the guise of tourist trips, where it was largely just for seniors to go by meds.

My daughter uses I think the Pharm Store in Canada. Her dr in the US faxed the pharmacy in Canada who them ships it to my daughter in the US. She uses a medicine that costs

$800 a month in the US and only $50 from Canada. I don't think they have a brick and mortar store.

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