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COVID-19 has changed the entire world and our daily lives have all been affected. However, wearing masks and social distancing is just one way COVID-19 has changed people’s lives. People that need to take medication every day are going through a different and stressful experience. How can you manage medication compliance in a pandemic-wracked world? Getting refills from doctors can be difficult if you need to get new prescriptions each time. Simply getting to the pharmacy can be dangerous for people with chronic conditions. Luckily, there is a way for people to ensure that they stay on schedule with their important medications. Keep reading to learn more about why medication adherence is important and how patients can do more to ensure that they’re up to date with their important doses.

The Importance of Medication Compliance

When you take a daily dose of medication it’s easy to forget about why it’s important. Medicine may be a part of your daily routine, but that doesn’t make it any less important.

Keeping a strict schedule with your medication can lead to better outcomes for patients and doctors. When you adhere to a strict medication schedule it’s easier for doctors to see how effective their treatments are.

Forgetting to take a dose could decrease the effectiveness of certain treatments. It can also lead to side effects and other problems as time goes on.

Taking your medicine at the same time each day can also make it easier for you to remember to take it. Your daily schedule can change if you’re traveling or doing something out of the ordinary. Building the habit that you have to have your medication at a certain time makes it easier to remember when you’re doing something different in your routine.

Tips for Taking Medicine on Schedule

Taking your medicine on time is important for both doctors and patients. However, settling into that predictable groove can be difficult.

If you struggle to keep a reliable schedule for your medication doses, you’re in luck! If you follow our tips around medication adherence, you’ll be sure to form a dosage schedule you’ll be able to keep.

Switch to Online Pharmacies

Are you concerned about getting your medication on time? Do you worry about having to physically go to the pharmacy to get your prescription refilled?

Switching to online pharmacies may the best way for you to meet your medication needs during the pandemic.

When you order medications online and receive them in the mail you have more control over when you receive your next refill. If you plan your next order correctly you won’t have to worry about missing a dose.

It’s also important to note that some online pharmacies may offer discounts to people that order in bulk. You could save money and ensure that you get your meds on time, which will really help with medication compliance.

Talk To Providers

Are you worried about having access to medication during the pandemic? If so, the best thing you can do is talk to your doctors or your insurance providers.

Some insurance providers have relaxed their rules around medication coverage, doctor visits, and prescription renewal in response to the pandemic. You may find that you’re able to order larger quantities of your medication or that you’re able to use telemedicine services to get renewals.

It’s always a good idea to talk to your doctors about any medical concerns you may have, especially if  you are finding it hard maintain medication compliance. They may switch you to a different more readily available version of your medicine, or recommend that you receive more doses when you renew your prescription.

Educate Yourself

Do you feel queasy after you take your medicine? Learning more about the side effects and best way to take the medicine may show you that you should be taking it on a full stomach.

Are you taking medication to treat more than one ailment? Reading more about the medicine you’re taking may show that your new medication has the potential to negatively interact with old treatments you’re taking.

If you want to ensure that you take your medication on a strict schedule, consider taking a little time to learn more about the medicines you’re taking.

Learning more about a medication you take every day can do a lot to improve your overall treatment. You’ll learn the most effective ways to take medicine and can easily have follow-up questions for your doctor in case you want to learn more about how to get the most out of your medicine.

Keep Track of Your Medicine

One of the downsides of a routine is how easy it can be to assume you’ve done something simply because you’re used to doing it. This is why we recommend that people that take daily medications keep some kind of record of their doses.

Keeping a record of your doses can make it easier to stay on track with your medicine. Having a record of times you’ve taken your medicine gives your doctor a sense of your medication compliance, which can also help your doctors when they plan out your treatments.

People that want to start keeping track of their medicines have a lot of options. There are some specialty apps you can use to keep track of when you take medicine. If you want to keep things simple, making a spreadsheet or by marking on your calendar when you take medicine can be helpful.

Nearly everyone carries around a smartphone or cell phone that can send you alerts. Set one daily so you can ensure that you don’t miss a dose even when you’re on the go.

Find Important Medications Today

Medication compliance is important for each person that takes medicine. Keeping a strict schedule makes it easier for patients to get the most out of their medicine and for doctors to recommend the best treatments possible. However, medication compliance is only possible if patients have access to the medicine they need. That’s why we offer as many medication and ordering options as possible for our customers.

Do you want to know how you can use our pharmacy to order your most important medications? Read our guide on how to order so you can start receiving the medication you need today.

In the United States, the number of people who take antidepressants went up almost 400% from 1988 to 2008. Between 1999 and 2014, the number of people taking an antidepressant increased by 65%.

Many of these people take Zoloft, the branded name for Sertraline. By 2017, 37 million people in the United States had prescriptions for sertraline. It ranked 14th in medications prescribed in the country.

But, what is this medication? And how long does it take for Zoloft to work?

Taking medication for your mental health is a huge decision. And if you’ve only recently started to take one, you might have a few questions about what’s going on in your body. For example: when will I feel it?

Follow along for a helpful guide about Zoloft that will put your mind at ease.

What Is an SSRI?

SSRI stands for “selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor”. SSRI’s are prescribed as antidepressants. However, they can also treat other types of mental health issues and disabilities.

Serotonin is a vital chemical and neurotransmitter in our brain. This chemical helps us to maintain a healthy mood, appetite, and digestion. It also helps regulate our sleeping habits, memory, and sexual desire.

What an SSRI does is block the reabsorption of serotonin into neurons. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter, and SSRIs maintain that role of serotonin before it is reabsorbed.

This keeps serotonin in our brain longer, causing our brain to produce more of it. Then, once we have more serotonin, our brain’s signaling system works better and helps us maintain a positive mood.

How Long Does It Take for Zoloft to Work?

When a person first takes an SSRI, their serotonin levels increase in only a few hours. But when we ask, “How long until Zoloft is working?” what we’re really asking is, “How long until we feel Zoloft working?”

Despite the fast jump in serotonin levels, the increase in mood isn’t felt right away. Instead, it takes weeks for us to notice a difference.

The chemicals in our brain change almost immediately, but our bodies need time to adjust. Our bodies can’t let us know there’s a difference until a few things happen inside our brains for us to be able to feel it.

To understand why that’s the case, we have to answer a few other questions.

What Is Zoloft?

Zoloft is a brand-name SSRI whose generic name is sertraline.

The development of Zoloft began many years ago, in the 1970s. By 1991, Zoloft became approved by the FDA for the treatment of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) in adults. In 2002, it was also approved by the FDA to treat people under 18.

Zoloft increases serotonin levels in the brain by doing two things:

These new receptors are why it takes up to eight weeks for us to feel the change brought by Zoloft. Our brain has to build and install these new receptors in order to fully register the increased levels of serotonin, and this takes a while to occur.

How Does Zoloft Work?

One of the first ways sertraline takes effect is through halting physical symptoms. Here are some of the first changes a person might feel when they take Zoloft:

These physical changes can serve as a good sign that the medicine is doing its job.

It might take up to 6-8 weeks for internal symptoms to improve. Internal symptoms include mood-based symptoms, like depressed feelings or lack of interest.

The 6-8 weeks is due to the way this medication changes our brain. While this drug releases more serotonin in hours, it takes time for our brain to build new ways to receive it. This building time is not felt, but it’s an important first part for us to eventually notice the difference.

What Is Zoloft Used For?

Healthcare providers prescribe Zoloft to treat several different things:

Depression is the most common use. To better understand Zoloft, it’s helpful to also better understand MDD.

Common Symptoms of Depression (MDD):

Due to the fact that many people experience depression, there are also many symptoms associated with depression. Here are the most common:

If you or someone you know experience any combination of these symptoms, it’s important to talk with a healthcare provider about it.

What to Do If You Think Medication Is Right for You

Maybe you were just wondering, “how long does it take for Zoloft to work?” Or, maybe you needed a little bit more information overall. Hopefully, your mind is a little more at ease now that you understand more about it.

There are a lot of people in the United States who take antidepressants, and many of them take Zoloft. Because of that, there are a lot of resources for obtaining it, once you have been prescribed it by your healthcare provider.

Buying medication online is a great way to make this intense process a bit easier on yourself. As you’re taking the next steps, be sure to check out this guide on how to safely buy medication online.

If you’ve had to buy prescription drugs, especially without insurance, then you know that prices are skyrocketing. Seniors are cutting pills in half and risking their lives to save money on lifesaving drugs. Drug companies raise prices without any warning, forcing people to seek alternative ways to get the drugs they need to survive. Across the border in Canada, drug prices are much lower, so many people in the United States have turned to buy drugs online from Canada and other countries. However, it’s important to take steps to ensure that what you are getting is something you can trust.

Read this guide to learn how you can find drugs online safely!

Why Are Drugs Less Expensive in Canada?

In the United States, pharmaceutical companies control drug prices. They can take a drug that has been inexpensive for decades and then increase the price dramatically for no reason. This can give anyone a headache.

Diabetics need insulin injections to survive. People with allergic reactions need epinephrine pens. Yet, in recent years, drug companies have increased the prices so much, it is often difficult for people to buy these life-saving drugs.

Unfortunately, the American government has no control over the pricing process unless they can prove that the drug companies are breaking the law. The Canadian government, on the other hand, controls the pricing of their drugs because they pay for the drugs collectively. This is a benefit of Canada’s nationalized healthcare system. This is why drugs in Canada are considerably cheaper than in the United States.

Can You Legally Buy Drugs Online?

Technically, it is illegal for anyone other than drug manufacturers to bring drugs across the border into the United States. It’s part of the Prescription Drug Marketing Act of 1987.

Despite this, the United States government expresses discretionary enforcement of the law. Authorities have decided that people can order drugs from Canada without interference as long as the amount brought across the border is no more than a three-month supply.

People have been buying drugs from Canada for many years without any problems from government officials.

When it comes to purchasing drugs online and having them mailed to you, that’s also illegal, but the government once again is using enforcement discretion. They’re using their limited resources to go after large-scale companies bringing inferior drugs into the United States.

Why do they care so much about prescription drugs being brought into the United States? The Food and Drug Administration monitors and enforces the laws pertaining to prescription drugs. While the United States has strict laws when it comes to prescription drugs, not all countries do.

Canada does have strict rules pertaining to prescription drugs, but they are not exactly the same as those in the United States. Thus, even if the drugs are the exact same brand, there is no way the U.S. government can directly monitor the manufacturing facilities and/or drug purity when drugs come from Canada.

The Dangers of Buying “Canadian” Drugs Online

If you look in the spam box of your email, you’ll likely see countless messages about cheap drugs like Viagra. These emails come from companies promising the cheapest drugs anywhere and fast-service shipping to you. The problem with these companies is they often come from countries like China where there is little oversight for drug manufacturers and companies selling the drugs. Many times, when people buy these drugs, they’re getting impure drugs, false drugs or even the wrong drugs altogether.

For someone with a life-threatening medical condition, getting the wrong drugs can lead to medical complications and even death. Therefore, these companies are taking advantage of the high drug prices in the U.S. and marketing to people who have little money and are desperately looking for a way to get their life-sustaining drugs.

Furthermore, some companies that sell drugs online say they’re Canadian when actually they’re not. Many online pharmacies are illegal or lie about where they’re from. Thus, how can a person know if they’re buying from a reputable online pharmacy?

Finding a Trusted Online Pharmacy

While it is easy to find trusted U.S.-based online pharmacies, you’ll still be stuck paying the super-high drug prices. One way to get around this is to find a trustworthy Canadian online pharmacy. If you want to find a trusted Canadian pharmacy, then you should use the Canadian International Pharmacy Association or Pharmacy Checker.

These sites list the accepted and trusted Canadian pharmacies from which you can order prescription drugs far cheaper than in the United States.

Thanks to the high drug prices here in the United States, the practice of buying prescriptions online has become common-place. Many people turn to safe, online Canadian pharmacies to get their life-saving prescription drugs. If you are thinking of making the switch as well, then just be sure it comes from a trusted source.

Safety First When Buying Online Drugs

Canada is a country that has much lower drug prices, but there are some companies out there that should be avoided. If you want to buy drugs online, then vet the company ahead of time and use the aforementioned websites to find pharmacies that you can trust.

Once you find a company that you like, then keep them for as long as you can. If you want more information about purchasing drugs online or other medical issues, then please explore our site.

When people suffer from overactive bladder, also known as OAB, they experience a sudden and frequent urge to urinate that may be hard to control. People with OAB will feel as if they have to urinate many times throughout the night and day and they might also experience urgency incontinence (unintentional loss of urine). Luckily, there’s a treatment for overactive bladder – Myrbetriq. But what exactly is Myrbetriq and how does it work? Continue reading and we’ll walk you through everything you need to know.

What Is Overactive Bladder?

Overactive bladder leads to sudden and frequent urges to urinate. If you have OAB, you might feel embarrassed and may limit your social and work life.

On the bright side, there is a brief evaluation that you can undergo that will determine if there is a specific cause for your overactive bladder symptoms. Utilizing simple behavioral methods, such as changing your diet, can help manage your symptoms. You can also perform bladder-holding and timed voiding techniques that use your pelvic floor muscles.

How a Normal Bladder Works

In the body, the kidneys produce urine which then makes its way to the bladder. When a person urinates, that urine passes from the bladder through a tube known as the urethra.

A special type of muscle called a sphincter surrounds the urethra and opens to release the urine from the body. In men, the urethral opening is at the tip of the penis while the female urethral opening is located just in front of the vaginal opening.

As your bladder fills up, nerve signals are sent to your brain telling you its time to urinate. When you urinate, the signals help the muscles of the urethra, as well as the pelvic floor muscles, relax. The bladder muscles then contract, and the urine is pushed out.

How an Overactive Bladder Works

When someone has an overactive bladder, the muscles of the bladder involuntarily contract, even when there is a low amount of urine in the bladder. These contractions give the person an urgent need to urinate.

There are a variety of conditions that can contribute to the symptoms and signs of overactive bladder. These include:

Other factors that could be related to your symptoms include:

Also, the specific cause of OAB could be unknown.

What Is Myrbetriq?

Myrbetriq, or mirabegron, is both the first and only treatment in its class for overactive bladder. This is a prescription medication that’s approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat overactive bladder symptoms of leakage, frequency, and urgency in adults.

Patients who take Myrbetriq experience fewer leaks and fewer trips to the bathroom. They also see improvement in their overactive bladder symptoms in just the first few weeks.

How Does Myrbetriq Work?

In a healthy bladder, the bladder relaxes as it gradually fills with urine. Once the bladder is halfway full, nerves in your bladder signal to your brain that it’s time to urinate.

Overactive bladder interrupts the normal storage of urine. This causes the bladder muscle contracts to pass urine before it’s supposed to. This can cause a strong and sudden urge to urinate that people sometimes can’t control.

Myrbetric works on a different pathway in the body to target the Beta-3 receptors and can help to relax the bladder muscle. This treatment stimulates the activity of the receptors which can help the bladder fill more completely.

Side Effects of Myrbetriq

When you take Myrbetriq, you may experience a variety of side effects.

For example, Myrbetriq may cause your blood pressure to rise, potentially worsening pre-existing hypertension. This side effect is more common in people with a history of high blood pressure. For these reasons, it’s recommended that you have your doctor check your blood pressure while you take the medication.

You also may experience urinary retention, which is the inability to empty the bladder. Myrbetriq can increase your chances of not being able to empty your bladder if you have BOO (bladder outlet obstruction). You also might not be able to empty your bladder on Myrbetriq if you’re taking other medicines that treat overactive bladder. If you aren’t able to empty your bladder, you should let your doctor know right away.

Lastly, Myrbetriq can cause an allergic reaction that results in swelling of the face, throat, lips, tongue, with or without trouble breathing. If you experience an allergic reaction, you should stop using the medication and alert your doctor right away. Additionally, you shouldn’t take Myrbetriq if you have a known allergy to mirabegron or to any other ingredients in Myrbetriq.

Buy Myrbetriq Online Today

If you suffer from an overactive bladder, you shouldn’t have to suffer from the frustrations and embarrassment that come with it. Speak to your doctor and see if Myrbetriq is right for you.

If it is, you can order your prescription from us at Online Canadian Pharmacy. Interested in learning more? Contact us today and see how we can help you!

Did you know that almost half of Americans now take a prescription drug? Or that between 2013 and 2016, almost one in four Americans took three or more prescriptions? So, it’s no wonder that prescription drug spending has reached a staggering $1,025 in 2017. These high drug prices have led to more patients opting to buy medicine online. After all, medications sold online are way cheaper and more convenient to order.  But these are only a few reasons why more people are making the switch to online buying.

Ready to learn more about why you should as well? Then keep reading as that’s exactly what we’ll share in this post!

Much More Affordable Prescription Medications

Compared to the rest of the world, US consumers shell out two to six times more for branded medicines. As if that’s not enough, drug prices in the US go up more than twice during shortages.

One of the main reasons for these exorbitant prices is that US drug makers are free to set their own prices. Just think of the recent 6,000 percent price increase on the steroid deflazacort. Or the 5,000 percent price hike on the antiparasitic drug Daraprim before that.

That’s why almost one in four Americans who take prescription drugs now find it hard to afford their meds.

Online pharmacy prices, on the other hand, can be 50 to 80 percent cheaper than US pharmacies.

Greater Affordability Equates to Better Medication Adherence

For a medication to be effective, it should have an adherence rate of at least 80 percent. Meaning, the patient should be following their prescription at least 80 percent of the time.

Unfortunately, as many as 40 to 50 percent of patients with chronic diseases fail to do so.

What’s even worse is that nonadherence could be the culprit behind 125,000 deaths every year. It also appears to cause up to 10 percent of hospitalizations each year. Experts also estimate that these hospitalizations cost the US up to $289 billion a year.

All these, once again, has a lot to do with the high cost of prescription drugs, especially in the US.

This is why more patients buy medications online nowadays. Studies also link the use of mail-order pharmacies to health improvements. With the lower prices of online medicines, patients can better follow their prescriptions.

Even More Savings with Generic Drugs

Generic medications could cost 85 percent less than a brand name drug. Thanks to this huge price gap, the US healthcare system saved a whopping $1.67 trillion from 2007 to 2016.

You could buy generic drugs for even less online. Moreover, the best e-pharmacies make it easy to learn which drug they are an alternative for.

Let’s say you’re looking for a lower-cost alternative for MetroGel. Use an online pharmacy, and you’ll know right away that metronidazole is one of your options. You can also easily compare the prices and see that the generic is more than 50% cheaper.

While generic drugs are safe and effective, you should still talk to your doctor first. This will prevent possible interactions with other medications that you may be taking.

Easy and Convenient Order Placement Process

In 2016, an estimated 12.8 percent of the US population lived with disabilities. Many others have mobility problems, such as those caused by arthritis flares.

These conditions may contribute to delays in ordering and picking up prescription refills. This may then give rise to higher patient nonadherence.

The good news is, you can avoid this by purchasing prescription drugs online.

When you place a new prescription order online, you only need to provide a copy of your prescription. You can do so by faxing it in or scanning it and emailing it. You can also send your original prescription via mail, or have your doctor fax the pharmacy a copy.

The pharmacy will then process your order upon confirmation of your prescription’s validity. Depending on where you live, it usually takes about two to four weeks to deliver your orders.

And yes, you can expect your medications to go straight to your doorstep. Or to whichever address you specified during the order process.

Meaning, you can order and receive your prescriptions right from the comfort of your home. You don’t have to queue up at the pharmacy, nor do you have to struggle, in pain, to pick up your refills. All this makes it easier to adhere to your prescriptions.

Free Shipping Deals

Some e-pharmacies also run special deals like free shipping for first-time orders. You should take advantage of such programs, as typical shipping fees still cost around $10.

You Can Buy in Bulk

You can order up to three months’ worth of prescription medications online. One reason to do so is to save even more money, as buying in bulk costs less than buying only a few weeks’ worth of supply. Also, even if you buy in bulk, you’d only have to pay the shipping fee once (if there’s no free deal).

Another good reason is to reduce your risks of running out of medicines. Also, keep in mind that the prices of medications — even those sold online — fluctuate from time to time. By buying in bulk, you can avoid spending more for at least a couple more months if the price suddenly goes up.

There’s also the time you can save if you place a single order that’s good for at least three months.

Buy Medicine Online Now and See the Difference It Makes

There you have it, the top reasons why more and more patients buy medicine online. Not only does it lead to huge savings — it’s also far more convenient. Most importantly, it helps improve adherence, which is key to better health outcomes.

Your health should be your top priority, so you should never skip your prescriptions. You can make this goal even easier to achieve by opting for lower-cost medicines online.

Ready to start shopping for high-quality prescription medications? Then now’s the time to browse our huge selection of prescription medicines!

When people look at their medicines, most will look at how effective they are. Some, however, relate specific brand names to the effectiveness of their medicines.

Rising drug prices are becoming more of a burden to average Americans. There is, however, an alternative. These are generic drugs and they are your best chance at more affordable medicines.

Even then, are they effective?

When it comes to generic vs brand name drugs, is there a true difference? Or are you paying for branding?

Today, we’ll investigate if there’s a real advantage to using branded medication or if it’s all fluff. The truth will surprise you.

1. How A Company Develops Drugs

Before we learn the difference between generic vs name-brand drugs, we first need to learn how medicines come to be and how we discover them. Through this, we’ll also discover why branded drugs can be expensive.

A name-brand drug comes from a company’s drug research. Years and even decades of drug research go into every new drug. This comes together with clinical trials and years of experimentation.

During this time, the drug company will not have profits for that specific drug. Once the drug is ready, the company will ask for FDA approval. They will submit a New Drug Application and forward all the details of the drug to the FDA.

Different studies will determine the characteristics of the drug itself. This can be anything from its purity to its dissolution.

Once they get FDA approval, the drug company can then sell this drug as a branded drug. From this, the drug will have a price determined by the sole proprietor who has the drug patent.

This is the reason why branded drugs can be expensive. Whether it’s prescription or over-the-counter drugs, they can cost a pretty penny.

Innovators will spend $2 billion bringing a drug to market. Through the price of the drug, innovators will try to recoup the cost of the research. Add to this the cost of marketing the product and you get the price of your branded medications.

2. Why Are Generic Drugs Cheap?

Why are generic drugs so cheap? Once a drug patent ends, 20 years after the drug’s inception, other drug companies will be able to start manufacturing a similar version of that drug. While some companies will make their own branded medications, others make generic, non-branded drugs.

Generic drugs have almost the same makeup as their branded counterparts. Many will even have the same active ingredients as the brand-name versions and are often just as effective. This is because the FDA needs generic drug companies to prove their products have the same bioavailability (the percentage of the dose that makes it into the bloodstream).

The FDA has stringent needs when it comes to good manufacturing practices (GMP). GMP refers to a set of quality assurance standards that all drugs go through.

Generics need to meet the same pharmacokinetic parameters (what the body does with a drug in its system) as the name-brand version. This ensures that the drug behaves the same way in the body.

Even after all this, generics will cost up to 85% less than branded medication. Without the need to do research and innovation, the lower cost of production can make drugs cheap.

Together with many requirements, generics need to have the same active ingredients. This includes the same dosage and routes of administration. What makes them different, however, are ingredients called excipients.

Excipients are inactive substances in drugs acting as the medium for the active ingredients. These can be different from the branded drug, allowing the companies to save money.

3. When Would You Want Branded Over Generic?

When would you want a branded choice over generic and vice versa? Sometimes, you would want to stay with a branded drug because of a few reasons.

Some generic drugs will have excipients that can cause allergic reactions. A change in excipients can also cause the active ingredient to have a lower rate of absorption. This can lead to issues in people who can tolerate one brand but can’t do so with another.

Insurance companies may also have ties with certain drug companies and would not pay for generic drugs. Most of the time, however, insurance companies would prefer that you use generic. It’s best to give it a check before you change your medication.

Generic drugs are the cheap, basic form of most name-brand medications in the US. They account for most of the medication dispensed and available in the country. Despite this, there is a stigma surrounding generic drugs in the United States.

4. Why People Dislike Generic Drugs

Many different surveys show that people don’t trust generics. People use the mentality that more expensive equates to a much better quality of a product.

Generic shows that something is different or off, which is why consumers hesitate. The problem comes from people’s anecdotes about generic drugs, rather than scientific evidence. Many cite a lack of efficacy and worse side effects.

There is no clear evidence, however, that this is true. Side effects may show up in a few dozen people, while hundreds of thousands are successful cases. Although there are cases where drug companies do not follow standards of Good Manufacturing Practice, these are few and far between.

Some drug companies also tend to do recalls for generics more often than for branded medicines, so it’s crucial to have up to date information.

You should start by equipping yourself with a copy of the FDA Orange Book for Generic Equivalents. This is an online resource that you can use to see all generic drugs approved by the FDA. There is also a generics approval list on the FDA website that shows which medications have generic counterparts.

If you are thinking of switching to generics, it is also important to consult with your doctor and ask your insurance if they can cover the switch.

Generic Vs Brand Name Drugs: Which is Better?

When it comes to generic vs brand name drugs, there is little difference in the efficacy of both. Many brand name drugs are innovators that come in to fill a specific niche after decades of research. If you have generic options, talk to your doctor and try them for a cheaper, lower cost refill.

Looking for maintenance prescription medication? You need someone who can help.

We provide effective medication options for you at lower prices. Gone are the days where you need to suffer because of your expensive medication.

Talk to us now and enjoy relief from the burden of expensive drugs.

Did you know that Americans tend to spend two to six times as much on prescription medications compared to those who live in other countries?

It’s true. While Americans might pay thousands of dollars a year to pay for a given medication, Canadians pay a fraction of the cost for the same medicine. This is true even when the patient takes the cheaper generic versions of the medication or has insurance. The costs can be even higher if the patient does not have insurance.

So why are Canadian drug prices so much lower than American drug prices? And can Americans benefit from these prices? Let’s take a closer look.

Canada Imposes Price Controls

The primary reason prescription drugs cost less in Canada is a government policy called “price controls.” Canada and most other industrialized countries require drug companies to comply with these price controls.

What are Price Controls?

The short answer is that price controls are exactly what they sound like: policies that control the price of drugs. The process for imposing price controls works slightly differently in each country.

In Canada, the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board monitors the price of prescription drugs. Canadian law prohibits new drugs from being sold at any price higher than the global average. The Review Board is authorized to research the costs of various drugs and to enforce price control policies if necessary.

Why Doesn’t the United States Impose Price Controls?

As stated above, the United States is one of the few industrialized countries that does not use price controls. The reason for this is largely a matter of economic philosophy.

Price controls are often seen as anti-free-market policies. Those who favor the free market contend that the forces of supply and demand, not the government, should control the prices.

There is also concern that price controls could stifle innovation. If pharmaceutical companies know they will be limited in how much they can sell a new medication for, they may be less interested in investing in the research necessary to develop it.

But Do High Prices Really Reflect Innovation?

Pharmaceutical companies bring in billions of dollars every year. For this reason, it’s natural to wonder whether the high prices they charge really reflect the company’s development costs. The answer is yes and no.

On the one hand, drugs are expensive to develop. Some innovative medications for rare diseases can take longer than a decade to bring to market. But sometimes actions taken by certain drug companies seem to tell a different story.

For instance, in 2016, the company Mylan bought the patent to the EpiPen, which had already been on the market for years, and raised the price exponentially. Since the drug had already been on the market (and Mylan hadn’t paid to develop it) it appeared more that the company raised the price simply because they could.

Canadian Drug Company’s Have More Marketing Regulations

Not all of a prescription drug company’s expenses go toward research and development. A large part of their budget goes toward marketing: both to doctors and directly to consumers.

If you’ve ever watched TV during prime time, you’ve seen at least a few prescription drug commercials. They usually follow the same pattern: describe what the medication can do, suggest talking to your doctor, and then end with a long list of side effects.

In Canada, prescription drug companies are all but prohibited from marketing their medications directly to consumers. The money saved in developing these advertisements and making ad buys translates into lower costs.

You may be surprised to learn, however, the drug companies also expend a lot of effort in marketing to doctors. These marketing programs are a lot more personal.

For instance, a drug rep may visit a doctor’s office or hospital on a weekly basis. In addition to educating the doctor and his staff about their drug, they may treat the whole office to lunch. In addition to bringing on additional cost for the company, this practice also encourages the doctor to prescribe the medication from that company.

In Canada, drug companies are required to disclose any gifts they provide to doctors. This creates more transparency and discourages excessive spending.

Canada Buys in Bulk

If you’ve ever shopped at a wholesale club, you understand the concept of buying in bulk. At a grocery store, you may spend one dollar on a single yogurt. At the wholesale club, you can buy twenty of the same yogurt for ten dollars.

The same principle applies to prescription medications. In Canada, every citizen is covered by government-sponsored health insurance. For this reason, the government plan is able to buy prescription drugs in bulk to sell to patients.

By contrast, there are many more buyers in America. Not only are there the government plans of Medicaid and Medicare, but there are dozens of private insurance companies like Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, and Ameritas, to name a few. Also, each state has its own insurance markets.

When you have more insurance providers, each provider has fewer patients. This means that each insurance company needs to purchase less of each medication, which leads to those companies missing out on a bulk discount.

Take Advantage of Canadian Drug Prices Today

Now that you know why Canadian drug prices are lower, it’s time to take advantage of these prices so you can better afford your medication.

Ready to get started? Check out our How to Order page to search for the medications you take and get it at a lower price.

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