With insulin prices skyrocketing, no wonder the diabetic community is taking to social media to network and share their experiences as they swap tips and tricks not only for moral support, but also financial.
This month, we received an interesting consumer comment via our Facebook page asking if we knew that Americans are driving to Canada to buy insulin without a prescription. Well, no. As our primary focus is mail-order pharmacy, it wasn’t on our radar. Nevertheless, it sparked our interest and we’d like to share our findings with the PharmacyChecker community.
After calling 20 pharmacies across Canada (specifically in the following cities: Québec City, Toronto, Alberta, Victoria, Winnipeg and Regina) the answer is clear: Americans can obtain insulin without a prescription in Canada. All pharmacists that I called reported—rather matter-of-factly—that you do not need a prescription for any insulin product, which would include Lantus Solostar, Humalog and Levemir. We specifically talked about Lantus Solostar, a popular, long-acting insulin. The price in Canada for a three-month supply of Lantus Solostar (3 ml) is currently around $447.00 while the average retail price in the U.S. is a staggering $1,160.39. Apparently, they practice what they preach: all patients—including Americans—do not need a prescription to obtain insulin in Canada. While a prescription is not needed, the drugs are available only from the pharmacist and must be retained within an area of the pharmacy where there is no public access and no opportunity for patient self-selection (also known in the U.S. as Behind the Counter (BTC).
There are some important nuances about insulin sales in Canada that might interest you. To start, insulin is not on the Health Canada Prescription Drug List. Health Canada—the regulatory agency in Canada that is comparable to the FDA in the United States—lists insulin as a Schedule II drug. The word “schedule” in the U.S. is used to identify those medications associated with greater potential for addiction, such as Ambien or Vicodin (a prescription opiate) and other controlled substnaces. The lexicon is confusingly different in Canada and important to explain here! In Canada, Schedule II drugs, while not as strictly regulated, do still require professional intervention from the pharmacist at the point of sale and possibly a referral to a practitioner. Click here for the drug schedules regulations in British Columbia.
And did you know that when you’re crossing the border, the U.S. Customs Border Patrol (CBP) is not allowed to stop the importation of FDA-approved medication from Canada for personal use – even though it’s technically prohibited? See: Public Law 115-31. Now you know!
Something to keep in mind for those Americans ordering medications from Canada (or from any other country) through a PharmacyChecker-verified online pharmacy: you must have a prescription if a prescription is required in the United States even if one is not required elsewhere!
So, in practice, insulin products can be sold in Canada without a prescription after consultation with a pharmacist. Sound great? It is! Nevertheless, be sure to give that friendly Canadian pharmacist a call to make sure they can help you before filling up your tank for that road trip to Toronto.
Can you please reference the specific section in the new public law 115-31 so I can read the actual language that was used regarding the importation of FDA approved medications for personal use? I am having difficulty finding it in this lengthy appropriations legislation…and a “search” brings up nothing. I assist individuals in the US with the processing of their valid prescriptions with licensed, credentialed overseas mail order pharmacies and am anxious to know of any changes to current law regarding these practices. Thank you!
See Title II – Section 206: https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/244/text.
open the link to the written language. Press Control and F at the same time. This will open a box in which you can type prescription drug. It will highlight those two words everywhere they are in the document. If you go down 3 or 4 highlights of those words you will come to the personal use rule that you are looking for.
Sec. 206. None <> of the funds made available in this Act for U.S. Customs and
Border Protection may be used to prevent an individual not in the
business of importing a prescription drug (within the meaning of section
801(g) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act) from importing a
prescription drug from Canada that complies with the Federal Food, Drug,
and Cosmetic Act: Provided, <> That this section
shall apply only to individuals transporting on their person a personal-
use quantity of the prescription drug, not to exceed a 90-day supply:
Provided further, That the prescription drug may not be–
(1) a controlled substance, as defined in section 102 of the
Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802); or
(2) a biological product, as defined in section 351 of the
Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 262).
————————————————————————————————
So be ready to hit the road every 3 moth anyway.
Can I buy Toujeo Insulin from a Canadian mail order Pharmacy and have it shipped to US? Which Pharmacy is lowest cost, do I need an RX? How quickly can I do this, if it is possible?
Cheers,
Paul
Hi Paul– Please follow this link to PharmacyChecker reviewed and approved online pharmacies that sell Toujeo 300 u/ml https://www.pharmacychecker.com/brand/price-comparison/toujeo/300+u&252ml/
Shipment details depend on the pharmacy.
Can I order Toujeo insulin and Humalog solostar and have it sent to me an do I need a prescription…?
PharmacyChecker.com is not a pharmacy. We verify international online pharmacies for your safety when shopping for meds online. You must have a prescription to buy insulin through a PharmacyChecker-verified Canadian online pharmacy. Many of our pharmacies have chosen not to sell insulin given PharmacyChecker.com’s strict policies on shipping temperature-sensitive medications. We hope Canadian pharmacies will supply insulin to U.S. customers with a valid prescription in the near future.
I am in desperate need of Humalog or Novolog. Can I order from Canada and ship to the US?
Hi Dona–Check out price comparisons for Humalog among verified international online pharmacies here: https://www.pharmacychecker.com/listing.asp?Search=1&criteria_1=Humalog&x=22&y=22 Here’s a link for Novolog: https://www.pharmacychecker.com/listing.asp?Search=1&criteria_1=NovoLog&x=22&y=22 You can order Novolog and/or Humalog to ship to the U.S. through any of these online pharmacies.
apparently PharmacyChecker does not list any pharmacies which sell either Humalog or Novolog
There are currently no PharmacyChecker-verified pharmacies shipping insulin to patients in the U.S. We hope Canadian pharmacies will supply insulin to U.S. customers with a valid prescription in the near future.
Insulin is a temperature-sensitive medication and requires cold chain management during shipment. To best guarantee safe shipment, pharmacies in the PharmacyChecker Verification Program must ensure that shipments of insulin are not exposed to temperatures below 2 degrees or above 8 degrees Celsius. That requires very fast delivery times. Unfortunately, it is not clear whether major private mail couriers with the capability for overnight delivery, such as Federal Express and UPS, will ship insulin and other medical products from pharmacies in Canada to people in the U.S. Allowing Canadian pharmacies to do so would enable them to meet PharmacyChecker’s standard for shipping products, such as insulin.
For more information, please see our blog post: https://www.pharmacycheckerblog.com/buying-insulin-canada-safety-standards
Mark’s Marine Pharmacy will ship in a temperature controlled manner
I need to buy 7 vials of humalog insulin. what will it cost to buy it from canada
Hi Thomas, We recommend you call a pharmacy in Canada to check pricing before driving there to buy your Humalog. https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=rexall+drugs+canada There are currently no PharmacyChecker-verified pharmacies shipping refrigerated products internationally to patients in the U.S. https://www.pharmacychecker.com/humalog/
We want to purchase Humilin R ( regular ) 100 ml in cartridges with a pen that will administer 1/2 units. Only vials found in the US. Can you advise of a pharmacy in Canada that can ship to us in Texas US? Thanks!
Hi Wendy– You can compare prices for Humulin among verified online pharmacies here: https://www.pharmacychecker.com/brand/price-comparison/humulin+r+cartridges/100+u&252ml/ Just click the logo of the pharmacy of interest and order through their website. You must have a prescription.
Hello,
Just to share my experience, For past 3 months i have driven to Canada across the border 3 times and bought Humalog – KwikPen for my mom. The price in US is north of 400 even with insurance. In canada I pay approx $70 for exact same thing. On my third trip to same pharmacy they (diff pharmacist) asked me for prescription. I advised them my mom had run out of insulin and needed temporary supply (which is the reason i had been giving them on all my previous trips) until she got to doctors again. I have not told them explicitly i am from US. I fear they will not sell it to me. However the pharmacists told me that they have no dosage record in their system and while she has the authority to dispense and sell insulin, its a liability for them and said i need to get Doc prescription next time. I dont know if this was just this particular pharmcist who took this stance or its common practice. What i plan to do is purchase insulin through a online Canadian pharmacy using US prescription and have it shipped to a Canadian address. I can just drive over one weekend and pick it up from my friends place. Is that possible? Any reputable online Canadian pharmacy?
Hi Jason–Thanks for your story. I did suspect that the practice of Canadian pharmacists selling insulin to Americans without a prescription would vary from pharmacist to pharmacist. If you order through a Canadian online pharmacy verified by PharmacyChecker, you must provide a prescription and address from the same country. So if you live in the United States, you must get a prescription from your U.S. doc and provide a U.S. address to send the medication. You can find reputable online pharmacies here: https://www.pharmacychecker.com/online-pharmacy-ratings.asp Compare prices for Humalog Kwikpen: https://www.pharmacychecker.com/listing.asp?Search=1&criteria_1=humalog&x=0&y=0
Im almost 68 years old. I use humalog (10u) and lantus solostar(50u). Im almost in the top to cover my Medicine and my health insurance can’t cover for it. Those medication gere tge prices i can’t afford vecause is too high. I was looking for where i can buy it cheaper. economically its what i only can do to help myself. I need you tell me how much vials i need for 3 month and hiw much i need to pay yo. I can give a medical order from my doctor. I hope you can answer my doubts. Thanks a lot.
Hi Edith- PharmacyChecker.com is not a pharmacy. We verify online pharmacies to ensure your safety when shopping for meds online. Compare prices among international online pharmacies for Humalog here: https://www.pharmacychecker.com/brand/price-comparison/humalog/100+unit&252ml/ for Lantus Solostar here: https://www.pharmacychecker.com/brand/price-comparison/lantus+solostar/3+ml/
I use to buy insulin with global pharmacy plus in Canada
They don’t sell anymore insulin
I use to buy Humulog and lantus
Use I can buy with guy
Let me know
Hi Ivana! Here is a list of the best online pharmacies with the lowest drug prices that meet critical safety standards to protect patient health when buying medication online: https://www.pharmacychecker.com/online-pharmacy-ratings.asp We suggest using one of these pharmacies.
I’m getting conflicting messages when researching this issue. I’ve read – and it directly states – that buying online from US to Canada (with prescription) is ILLEGAL. Yet going across the border to buy insulin with or without a prescription is fine and no problems at customs. The basic question is the buying online from US to Canada (with prescription). Legal or Illegal???
Thanks
Hi Sheilagh – There are laws that may technically forbid you from importing a genuine, safe and effective medication for personal use that you should know about – but it’s important to know that people in the U.S. are not prosecuted for doing so. Millions do so each year. Read more here: https://www.pharmacychecker.com/us-pharmacy-regulations.asp
I couldn’t care less about any idiotic regulations that the US to protect big Pharm profits on whether it is legal or not.
However,I do want know how insulin is shipped from Canada to the U.S. bring that insulin needs to be refrigerated.. How is the insulin kept cool during shipping?
Thanks,
Jon
Hi Jon, Please check out our recent post that details our insulin refrigeration policy: https://www.pharmacycheckerblog.com/buying-insulin-canada-safety-standards
I have contacted THREE pharmacies here in Quebec asking for lantus without a prescription and they have all refused me or say that I need to consult a QUEBEC dr. So what do I need to do. I am in desperate need of Lantus for my diabetes.
Hi Lisa, Which pharmacies did you consult? Are you currently residing in Quebec?
There are cheaper long acting insulins than lantus. There are also much cheaper insulins than Novolog or humalog if you’re willing to adapt to a short acting insulin(30min – 5hrs)like humilin R. Novel of/humalog are fast acting(15 min – 2hrs) U should talk to a doctor but if you’re smart about managing your own insulin, it’s a simple adaptation. US price list for research here: https://m.goodrx.com/insulins