Pharmacies from overseas and Canada are often an overlooked resource in the search for cheaper prescription medication. Ordering your prescription medication from foreign pharmacies can save both time and money. Here are a few tips that will make purchasing your medications from a foreign pharmacy go safe and smooth.



Order Only a 90 Day Supply - The easiest way to avoid the government seizing your medications is to only order a personal 3 month supply. Ordering larger amounts may lead the government to believe that you are distributing the drug, leading to seizure of your medication and possible charges.

Check Your Source - Make sure that the foreign pharmacy has its state or provincial license and is good standing with the controlling board in their jurisdiction. A licensed pharmacist should always be on hand to answer any questions.

Make Sure Your Privacy Is Protected - Always check what the pharmacies privacy policy is and make sure that your information given to the site remains confidential, that they don't sell your information to other sources, and that their policy is easy to read and understand.

Order Generics - Foreign pharmacies have cheaper generics drug alternatives, and due to differences in patent protection, there is also a much wider variety of generic drugs offered from foreign pharmacies.

Look At The Price Of Shipping - Some websites may offer the lowest price but then stick you with a high shipping price. Make sure that the shipping rates are reasonable and that your package is delivered through a trusted mail service. Some pharmacies may also offer discounted shipping rates or may ship several different prescriptions in the same package for no additional fee.

Check Your Prescription - Some medication found in foreign pharmacies may have the same name as the drug in the US but different active ingredients. For example, the FDA says, "in the United States, "Flomax" is a brand name for tamsulosin, a treatment for an enlarged prostate, while in Italy, the active ingredient in the product called "Flomax" is morniflumate, an anti-inflammatory drug."

Look Out For Hidden Fees - Make sure that there are no additional fees such as medical fees, account set up fee, or order fees.

Increase the Dosage and Split the Pill - In some cases it may be cheaper to increase the dosage and split the pill in half. Be very careful when doing this because some pills are time released or are capsules and not meant to be split. But if this is done correctly, it could save you 50%!

Only Purchase from Pharmacies that Have Been Rated Or Reviewed - The most important factor in ordering online medication is that you find a credible pharmacy that you can trust. Look for a pharmacy source website that offers pharmacy ratings and reviews. A quality rating system is devised of feedback left from current and previous members and it may also serve as a consumer advocacy watchdog group, taking much of the risk out of buying your medications online. This helps weed out the unreliable rogue pharmacies along with much of the worry and stress related to buying prescription drugs online.

Visit this Consumer Advocacy website for more information on ordering from online foreign pharmacies.