Minocin-Canada

[Rose]

Has anybody had this happen to them.  Yesterday I received my Minocin from “Buy low drugs”- Canada.  The postman pointed out to me a red label put on the package from the FDA saying the medicine was from an unapproved foreign source, and therefore not safe.  They commented that in the future the drugs may be refused.   Any suggestions?    Rose
  

[Jo]

The web site specifically states that this some times happens. It's not a problem.

Also, that every now and then a shipment may be refused, just let them know you didn't get it, and they will reship for you. The 2nd shipment usually get thru.

Most of the time, neither the label nor the refusal happens.

Just politics.

Jo

 

[Rose]

Jo,  Thanks so much, since this was my second time it came as a surprise because there was no problem the first time…Rose

[BarbK]

Same thing happened to me, label and all.  I think it is pretty intimidating and I wonder, too, what happens next time.  Feel like a criminal, now with a “record” . . . . . (with the Post Office). 

BarbK

 

[Maz]

Hi All,

Thought you might be interested in this article about the importation of prescription drugs from Canada. According to US law:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/other/etc/so.html  
“Reimportation of prescription drugs by anyone other than the drug's manufacturer, is a violation of federal law. But FDA enforcement guidelines allow agents to exercise discretion for drugs imported for personal use. According to the guidelines, “FDA personnel may consider a more permissive policy” in cases where an individual seeks to import no more than a three month supply of a product that does not appear to pose an unreasonable risk, if the individual affirms in writing that it is for personal use and provides the name and address of the U.S. doctor supervising their treatment.”

I've had the little red FDA warning sticker on my packages, too. I figure this is just a warning that the drugs being imported cannot be guaranteed for safety, however, as the above article states that according to Congressman Dan Burton (R-Ind.), :

“The drugs under discussion are U.S. manufactured, FDA approved, subject to all the laws and regulations of the Canadian government while in Canada, and are sold by highly regulated and licensed Canadian pharmacies. While claiming that these purchases endanger Americans, the drug companies and the FDA have failed to provide any proof whatsoever.”

The problem is that many of the drugs purchased from Canada are actually manufactured in the US and distributed for sale to the Canadian consumer. However, as these very same drugs are sold for much more in the US to the American consumer, Americans have wised up and are purchasing these exact same drugs more cheaply from Canada. Hence, what is meant by reimportation back in to the US…, thereby undercutting the sale and profits of pharmaceuticals here in the US. In fact, many US pharmaceuticals have been pulling the plug on distributing their drugs to Canada in order to stop Canadian pharmacies selling to US consumers!

Considering that the manufacture of many US drugs are outsourced to other countries, to be made more cheaply, and are then sold here in the US by US pharmaceutical companies, I find this kind of ironic. 😕

Wyeth Pharmaceuticals purchased the patent for brand name Minocin from Lederle and Wyeth then gave distribution rights to Triax (a US based dermatological drug company that raised the cost of this previously inexpensive antibiotic to extortionate levels. Wyeth, however, also gave distribution rights to the Canadian pharmaceutical company, Stiefel, to sell brand name Minocin in Canada and the cost there is about 1/8th of the cost in the US. This drug, though produced in a different colored capsule in Canada (two-toned purple and orange) is exactly the same as the one sold here in the US (but in a pea-green colored capsule).

Peace, Maz

[Rose]

Thanks Maz:   That was a big help, I printed it out for future reference.  I get so frustrated, and angry that our government did not step in to do something about the high cost of medicine from the pharmaceutical companies a long time ago, but then the same companies are number two on the list for big contributers for re-election. And somebody has to pay for the high cost of all the commericals on TV.   Rose

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