How to Legally Obtain Medication from Different Countries

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It can be shocking to receive a prescription from your doctor and go to find that the medication costs hundreds or even thousands of dollars. In most cases, the medication is an absolute necessity, like what you’d find at Med Embassy with their Hepatitis C pills. Most other countries, especially Canada, offer prescription drugs at lower costs, making these medications more affordable to the people who need them. Unfortunately, there is a process that goes along with legally obtaining medication from other countries and it’s important to understand where to get these products and how to avoid your package from being confiscated at the airport or ship yard.

How to Legally Obtain Medication from Different Countries– Have a Doctor’s Written Prescription

Most overseas pharmacies will still require that you show proof that the medication is needed by providing them with a doctor’s written prescription. They may not approve the sale of their products if you forge a prescription or don’t provide one at all. It is illegal for you to order overseas meds without the approval of a healthcare professional.

– Understand Stipulations
Before placing your order, you’ll need to go through a thorough list of pharmacy stipulations from the overseas company. You must sign an affidavit that you will not give the medication to other people while it is in your possession. You are not allowed to order more than a three-month supply of pills at a time from overseas pharmacies and you can only order medications that are medically necessary and approved for your condition. If there is no medical equivalent to the prescription at home, you should have no problem ordering foreign medications.

– Understand Custom Regulations
When a package comes from overseas, it will go through customs, which is a department of the postal service that carefully examines articles of mail for dangerous or illegal materials like drugs and medications. Do not be surprised if your package is confiscated while it goes through customs. You will need to provide all of the necessary documentation to back up your claim that you had the legal right to obtain medications overseas, such as providing proof of your prescription and doctor’s approval. The FDA will send you a letter if they have confiscated your package so that you’re aware of the situation.

– Convert Money Into Foreign Currency
Understand that when you order online from a different country, you may not be able to pay using American dollars. More pharmacies are beginning to allow for a broad range of currency exchange, but this doesn’t necessarily mean that every company will enable this. You’ll need to work with Paypal or your bank to convert your money into the specific amount needed.

– Understand Shipping Charges and Get Insurance
Online pharmacies offer a range of shipping options to help you keep costs to a minimum, but keep in mind that it’s better to pay more to receive insurance and tracking on your package than go the cheap route and just have it shipped. When you have insurance and tracking on your package, you’ll be able to see where it is, when it will arrive and you will get the money back for your purchase if it should get lost.

– Finding a Reputable Pharmacy
Before you place any order online for medications, you need to be shopping with a reputable pharmacy. Some overseas pharmacies are downright scams that will take your money and never deliver the product. Others deliver counterfeit products that can be hazardous to your health, and this is why overseas pharmacies are often illegal to order from because they do not have to be as regulated as American pharmacies. Don’t go with the pharmacy that has the cheapest meds, go with the pharmacy that has the best reputation.