Canadian Pharmacy

Health Canada monitors and approves drugs for use in Canada. When it comes to regulating the practice of medicine and pharmacies, regulation is the provincial government's responsibility. Every province and territory in Canada is responsible for health care delivery and the safe delivery of pharmaceutical drugs to those Canadians living in their provincial or territorial jurisdiction.

The provincial and territorial governments regulate the practice of medicine and pharmacies through their respective Colleges or Registrars of Pharmacists or Physicians. Health Canada monitors all pharmacies to ensure that the prescription drugs being dispensed are in compliance with the Food and Drugs Act and Regulations.

Pharmacies

Every pharmacist in Canada, including Internet pharmacists, must be licensed and registered in the province in which they operate. Canadian pharmacists can only dispense a prescription if the prescription is signed by a physician or dentist licensed in some jurisdiction of Canada. Typically, every province has it's own Provincial pharmacists Association. The Canadian Pharmacists Association is the Canadian national organization governing all pharmacists in Canada. Their role is to provide leadership and directives governing all pharmacists throughout Canada, regardless of where in Canada they operate.

There were 27,612 licensed pharmacists in Canada, and 7,731 licensed pharmacies in operation in Canada as of January 1, 2004.

Pharmacists licensed in Canada can only dispense prescriptions if they have been written by a licensed Canadian doctor or dentist. As a result, Canadian pharmacies cannot dispense a prescription signed by an American doctor, unless that doctor is also licensed in Canada. Any Canadian pharmacist that fills a prescription signed by a doctor not licensed in Canada is breaking Canadian law. It is for this reason that Canadian Internet pharmacies dispensing prescriptions to Americans must have a licensed Canadian doctor review the American prescription and sign off on it.

Canadian Doctors signing U.S. Prescriptions

Presently in Canada, the business of Internet pharmacies selling prescription drugs to Americans is a booming business. Although the FDA deems the practice illegal, it is estimated that over 1 million U.S. consumers are buying approximately 1 billion dollars worth of medications from online Canadian pharmacies annually. There is a growing debate among health care practitioners, provincial and federal governments, the pharmaceutical industry itself, and everyday Canadians about whether this practice should continue or be halted altogether.