The FDA may allow an individual entering the United States to import a three month supply of an unapproved drug if all of the following conditions are met:
The intended use of the drug is for a serious condition for which effective treatment may not be available domestically; The drug will not be distributed commercially by the importer; The product is considered not to represent an unreasonable risk; The individual seeking to import the product affirms in writing that the drug is for the patient’s own use and provides the name and address of the doctor licensed in the United States responsible for his or her treatment with the product, or provides evidence that the product is for the continuation of a treatment begun in a foreign country.
The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the Act) prohibits persons from importing into the United States any prescription drug that has not been approved for sale by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), or which is adulterated or misbranded within the meaning of the Act. Moreover, in those instances where a United States manufacturer makes an FDA-approved prescription drug and sends it abroad, the Act also prohibits any person other than the original manufacturer from importing the drug back into the United States. Thus, in virtually all instances, individual citizens are prohibited from importing prescription drugs into the United States.
Are Online Prescriptions Safe?
The recent negative media pointed at Canadian Pharmacy mail order prescription services has caused some people to be a little leery of them. Customs has on occasion, confiscated medications crossing the border because required documentation was missing or incorrect. Another issue with mail order services is that some do not supply the identical medications. And of course there is always some rotten apple working the angles.
There has been much ado lately about Canadian Pharmacy Online medications. Everyone is concerned about the rising costs of prescription medication. As the American public and particularly the "Baby Boomers" age, more medication is often required to maintain quality of life and to control chronic illness. Many do not have proper prescription drug insurance coverage.
Some people have turned to Asian mail order medication services only to learn that what they received was the wrong medication or did not contain the correct dosage as prescribed by their U.S. doctor. Asian and Mexican mail order medication services are not governed by the same strict guidelines as those in the U.S. and those that control the Canadian Pharmacy industry.