About CIPA
CIPA is the only national association of international pharmacies in Canada. CIPA members do the bulk of the international pharmacy business from Canada.
We
are licensed brick and mortar pharmacies that fill prescriptions for both Canadian and American patients.
Each
pharmacy is licensed and inspected by the provincial (state) authorities where they are located and are subject to additional
inspections by the Federal Government through Health Canada. In addition, 6 American States (Minnesota, Nevada, New
Hampshire, North Dakota, Washington, Wisconsin) have inspected member facilities and listed them on their web sites.
Nevada has now licensed 4 of our member pharmacies, with more to come, as Nevada pharmacies.
We offer mail-order services to Americans only after receiving a valid
and signed prescription from the American primary care physician. For medications dispensed from a CIPA member's
Canadian pharmacy, a licensed Canadian physician conducts an independent medical review of the patient’s medical history,
American prescription and profile including a review of current medications being taken.
We
are not virtual “internet pharmacies” that hide behind a website with a Canadian flag and dispense controlled
substances without a prescription or patient medical profile.
The often used label of “internet pharmacy” is a misnomer since the majority of all orders are still
placed over the telephone. The internet is merely a communications tool and is not our primary interface with patients.
From Canada, only Health Canada approved products are dispensed and in
their original manufacturers containers with tamper evident seals intact. Canadian DIN #’s can be found on all
products on our shelves. The Drug Identification Number (DIN) is the number located on the label of prescription and
over-the-counter drug products that have been evaluated by the Therapeutic Products Directorate (TPD) and approved for sale
in Canada.
For all medictions dispensed
from Canada we ensure that:
- A
Canadian physician conducts an independent medical review of the American patient’s prescription from their own primary
care physician after a physical examination has been conducted.
- A completed medical history questionnaire including a list of all medications currently taken and a signed patient
consent form
We are fill prescriptions primarily
for maintenance medications that the patient has, in most cases, been on for years. We do not offer controlled
or banned drugs to patients even if a prescription is provided.
In addition to compliance with Federal and Provincial regulations, CIPA member pharmacies must also comply with
the terms of the CIPA license agreement which legally obligates them to adhere to further enhanced standards that are relevant
just to the practice of international pharmacy. We comply with all Federal and Provincial laws and offer mail-order
prescription services by consent with terms of recourse for American patients should they be dissatisfied with the product
or service.
We do not illegally export
drugs to American patients with a “buyer beware” approach and have never caused harm to a single patient.
