![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 5 to 29 of 29. Go back in thread:
Posted by Mark on December 6, 1999, at 20:07:47
In reply to Re: Purchasing drugs overseas? , posted by Nervous on December 6, 1999, at 18:22:44
If anyone has purchased drugs from other countries and had the drugs shipped to them, please enlighten me: numbers of pharmacies that will do this, legal ramifications, etc. Thanks.
Posted by Phil on December 8, 1999, at 19:10:57
In reply to Purchasing drugs overseas? , posted by Diane on November 30, 1999, at 15:20:17
> Has anyone had ANY bad experiences with purchasing drugs overseas?
>
> Thanks
> DianeDiane, My Reboxetine order arrived at my doorstep today-took 3 weeks. Ordered from IAS.
I have an appt w/ pdoc Monday and am very anxious
to get this show on the road. Nortriptyline, I believe, is beginning to help after a few weeks but if it doesn't do the trick, I'll drop it or talk w/ doc about augmentation...or whatever. Phil
Posted by Zeke on December 13, 1999, at 11:37:17
In reply to Re: Purchasing drugs overseas? , posted by saint james on November 30, 1999, at 20:47:06
James is basically right -- you have to have a prescription. I say basically because often the script can be obtained from a foreign physician at the pharmacy.
I'm not saying this is proper or safe but then again Rx prices in the US are similarly outrageous! (You'd also get a better deal if you were a dog than aperson -- veternary forms of Rx drugs are cheaper too.) I also question if all the oversite on noncontrolled drugs is necessary. (For that matter they sell codeine tabs OTC in Canada and I don't know of a glut of codeine junkies up north. Actually its a C5 drug here in some forms -- most people just don't know that.)
More about this can be found here: http://www.customs.ustreas.gov/imp-exp/trade/tools/archives/vol1n03/presmed.htm
That is the official customs site so probably more crediable than others. The only misinformation there is that unapproved are in fact being allowed in without red tape, essentially as a reaction to desperation of folks with AIDS. (Don't know how this plays with the script necessity since a US doc can't prescribe an unapproved drug.) Note also that the 90 day supply often mentioned is disclaimed on the Customs site.
Packages from overseas are checked RANDOMLY. However the government also keeps a special eye on packages from certain senders -- as possible.
Posted by andrewb on December 13, 1999, at 13:43:29
In reply to Re: Purchasing drugs overseas? , posted by Zeke on December 13, 1999, at 11:37:17
"....a US doc can't prescribe an unapproved drug", "...the 90 day supply often mentioned is disclaimed on the Customs site."I am confused now Zeke. I keep on reading that a 90 day supply of medicine for personal use (as long as it is not a controlled substance) can be ordered or brought in from overseas, even if the medicine isn't approved of in the US. Whether a prescription is required depends on whether the country of origen requires a prescriptiion. For example, many drugs that require prescriptions in Switzerland don't require prescriptions in Thailand.
Also, I thought US doctors can prescribe medicines that aren't approved for use in the US. My psychiatrist checked on this and then prescribed me amisulpride which doesn't have US approval.
Can anybody clear up this confusion. Is there an official and unofficial US Customs policy concerning medicines?
Posted by Bruce on December 14, 1999, at 7:03:58
In reply to Re: Purchasing drugs overseas? , posted by andrewb on December 13, 1999, at 13:43:29
>
> "....a US doc can't prescribe an unapproved drug", "...the 90 day supply often mentioned is disclaimed on the Customs site."
>
> I am confused now Zeke. I keep on reading that a 90 day supply of medicine for personal use (as long as it is not a controlled substance) can be ordered or brought in from overseas, even if the medicine isn't approved of in the US. Whether a prescription is required depends on whether the country of origen requires a prescriptiion. For example, many drugs that require prescriptions in Switzerland don't require prescriptions in Thailand.
> Also, I thought US doctors can prescribe medicines that aren't approved for use in the US. My psychiatrist checked on this and then prescribed me amisulpride which doesn't have US approval.
> Can anybody clear up this confusion. Is there an official and unofficial US Customs policy concerning medicines?
US docs can prescribe medicines that are unapproved in the US. They can also prescribe medicines approved for one illness to treat a second illness. The treatment of the second illness is unapproved by the FDA, but permitted by law.My understanding of the FDA's position is that you are allowed to import a small amount of drugs (uncontrolled substances of course) for personal use; the 90-day supply is used as an example of what the FDA had in mind. Sometimes Customs will confiscate the drugs and then it is up to you to go to court to force them to give it back, or at least convince them of your need. The folks at one site say that "traditionally, US CUSTOMS has allowed the importation of drugs for personal use.."
Tradition isn't much to hang your hat on.
Bruce
Posted by andrewb on December 14, 1999, at 10:56:04
In reply to Re: Purchasing drugs overseas? , posted by Bruce on December 14, 1999, at 7:03:58
Thanks for your response Bruce, it cleared things up a bit.
Are you still on Reboxetine? How is it going?
Posted by Diane on December 17, 1999, at 14:36:18
In reply to Re: Purchasing drugs overseas? , posted by Zeke on December 13, 1999, at 11:37:17
I'm considering ordering Buprenorphine (a schedule V drug) from
http://www.feral.org/vitality/plist_active.htm but am scared of possible package
seizures.Are seizures and criminal charges a COMMON occurrence? What are that chances of me loosing it all?
I just skimmed thru the US FDA Guidelines as posted at
http://www.feral.org/vitality/us_fda.htm Man! what a pain in the rearend.I'm trying to skirt the doctors script.
Posted by andrewb on December 17, 1999, at 17:40:06
In reply to Drugs overseas & possible package seizures?? , posted by Diane on December 17, 1999, at 14:36:18
> I'm considering ordering Buprenorphine (a schedule V drug) from
> http://www.feral.org/vitality/plist_active.htm but am scared of possible package
> seizures.
>
> Are seizures and criminal charges a COMMON occurrence? What are that chances of me loosing it all?
>
> I just skimmed thru the US FDA Guidelines as posted at
> http://www.feral.org/vitality/us_fda.htm Man! what a pain in the rearend.
>
> I'm trying to skirt the doctors script.I have ordered a number of things from vitality including buprenorphine and everthing has gotten through ok. Get the insurence if you want to feel safer.
Posted by Alice on December 19, 1999, at 19:23:52
In reply to Re: Drugs overseas & possible package seizures?? , posted by andrewb on December 17, 1999, at 17:40:06
What exactly is buprenorphine? Could it help with anxiety and social phobia? Isn't it possible to get arrested for doing that?
Posted by saint james on December 27, 1999, at 1:21:11
In reply to Re: What is buprenorphine? , posted by Alice on December 19, 1999, at 19:23:52
> What exactly is buprenorphine? Could it help with anxiety and social phobia? Isn't it possible to get arrested for doing that?
James here....Having scheduled meds onhand w/o doc's script is a felony and mailing them overseas is a really big felony.
j
Posted by Alice on December 31, 1999, at 23:18:28
In reply to Re: What is buprenorphine? , posted by saint james on December 27, 1999, at 1:21:11
> > What exactly is buprenorphine? Could it help with anxiety and social phobia? Isn't it possible to get arrested for doing that?
>
>
> James here....
>
> Having scheduled meds onhand w/o doc's script is a felony and mailing them overseas is a really big felony.
>
> j>>James, I figured as much! I hate the way the US treats us like such babies when it comes to controlled substances. Damn, in Canada, you can buy Codeine over-the-counter! *L*
>>>Alice
Posted by Stephanie L. on January 1, 2000, at 17:22:37
In reply to Re: Purchasing drugs overseas? , posted by Bruce on December 14, 1999, at 7:03:58
> >
> > "....a US doc can't prescribe an unapproved drug", "...the 90 day supply often mentioned is disclaimed on the Customs site."
> >
> > I am confused now Zeke. I keep on reading that a 90 day supply of medicine for personal use (as long as it is not a controlled substance) can be ordered or brought in from overseas, even if the medicine isn't approved of in the US. Whether a prescription is required depends on whether the country of origen requires a prescriptiion. For example, many drugs that require prescriptions in Switzerland don't require prescriptions in Thailand.
> > Also, I thought US doctors can prescribe medicines that aren't approved for use in the US. My psychiatrist checked on this and then prescribed me amisulpride which doesn't have US approval.
> > Can anybody clear up this confusion. Is there an official and unofficial US Customs policy concerning medicines?
>
>
> US docs can prescribe medicines that are unapproved in the US. They can also prescribe medicines approved for one illness to treat a second illness. The treatment of the second illness is unapproved by the FDA, but permitted by law.
>
> My understanding of the FDA's position is that you are allowed to import a small amount of drugs (uncontrolled substances of course) for personal use; the 90-day supply is used as an example of what the FDA had in mind. Sometimes Customs will confiscate the drugs and then it is up to you to go to court to force them to give it back, or at least convince them of your need. The folks at one site say that "traditionally, US CUSTOMS has allowed the importation of drugs for personal use.."
>
> Tradition isn't much to hang your hat on.
>
> Bruce
Bruce:
I read your recent posting saying that US Docs
can prescribe medicines that are not approved
in the US. I know that my Doc does not know this, and I want to bring him this information. Do you know where I can get a written policy regarding this? I know my Doc will insist on seeing something in writing, from a recognized authority (person or group) source. Thanks for your help.
Posted by Bruce on January 2, 2000, at 21:34:45
In reply to Re: Purchasing drugs overseas? , posted by Stephanie L. on January 1, 2000, at 17:22:37
> Bruce:
> I read your recent posting saying that US Docs
> can prescribe medicines that are not approved
> in the US. I know that my Doc does not know this, and I want to bring him this information. Do you know where I can get a written policy regarding this? I know my Doc will insist on seeing something in writing, from a recognized authority (person or group) source. Thanks for your help.
This is from the FDA, and is their policy on personal importation.
http://www.fda.gov/ora/compliance_ref/rpm_new2/ch9pers.html
In deciding whether to exercise discretion to allow personal shipments of drugs or devices, FDA personnel may
consider a more permissive policy in the following situations:1. when the intended use is appropriately identified, such use is not for treatment of a serious condition,
and the product is not known to represent a significant health risk; or2. when a) the intended use is unapproved and for a serious condition for which effective treatment may
not be available domestically either through commercial or clinical means; b) there is no known
commercialization or promotion to persons residing in the U.S. by those involved in the distribution of
the product at issue; c) the product is considered not to represent an unreasonable risk; and d) the
individual seeking to import the product affirms in writing that it is for the patient's own use (generally
not more than 3 month supply)and provides the name and address of the doctor licensed in the U.S.
responsible for his or her treatment with the product, or provides evidence that the product is for the
continuation of a treatment begun in a foreign country.
Note especially the sentence about the 'physician responsible for his or her treatment with the product'.
The FDA *expects* medical guidance for unapproved drugs. I am sure each and every one of us on this board is following that advice. Ahem.In general a physician may prescribe any substance that he deems helpful to his patient's illness.
I will search further for a more concrete example. That could take awhile (most laws are of the form "Thou shalt not" instead of "Thou can do")I know in the past I have been prescribed vitamins and OTC substances for which a prescription is not necessary - a weak form of a doc writing a prescription for an unapproved drug.
Bruce
Posted by saint james on January 2, 2000, at 23:53:21
In reply to Here you are(at least a start), posted by Bruce on January 2, 2000, at 21:34:45
> I will search further for a more concrete example. That could take awhile (most laws are of the form "Thou shalt not" instead of "Thou can do")
>
James here....It's called off label perscribing. Fhen/Phen would be a good example. Stims for adult ADD till reciently. Using anti-sezure meds for moods.
j
Posted by Bruce on January 3, 2000, at 8:16:16
In reply to Re: Here you are(at least a start), posted by saint james on January 2, 2000, at 23:53:21
> > I will search further for a more concrete example. That could take awhile (most laws are of the form "Thou shalt not" instead of "Thou can do")
> >
>
>
> James here....
>
> It's called off label perscribing. Fhen/Phen would be a good example. Stims for adult ADD till reciently. Using anti-sezure meds for moods.
>
> jYeah, that's a good example. Another example is treating premature ejaculation with SSRIs.
If I read her post correctly, I think Stephanie wanted assurance that her doc could prescribe a drug that is unapproved for ANY condition in the US.
Sort of like the situation with moclobemide, which is not approved for use in the US for anything at all (depression or otherwise). I have asked a physician and been told
that he could prescribe it anyway - the difficulty then becomes obtaining it. She wants a more concrete quote/example/reference than my say-so...I think.Bruce
Posted by Stephanie L. on January 4, 2000, at 16:53:27
In reply to Re: Here you are(at least a start), posted by Stephanie L. on January 4, 2000, at 16:45:38
> > > > I will search further for a more concrete example. That could take awhile (most laws are of the form "Thou shalt not" instead of "Thou can do")
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> > > James here....
> > >
> > > It's called off label perscribing. Fhen/Phen would be a good example. Stims for adult ADD till reciently. Using anti-sezure meds for moods.
> > >
> > > j
> >
> > Yeah, that's a good example. Another example is treating premature ejaculation with SSRIs.
> >
> > If I read her post correctly, I think Stephanie wanted assurance that her doc could prescribe a drug that is unapproved for ANY condition in the US.
> > Sort of like the situation with moclobemide, which is not approved for use in the US for anything at all (depression or otherwise). I have asked a physician and been told
> > that he could prescribe it anyway - the difficulty then becomes obtaining it. She wants a more concrete quote/example/reference than my say-so...I think.
> >
> > BruceBruce:
Your interpretation of what I'm looking for is exactly right. To give you a little more detail --
the drug is reboxetine, and I obtained some from England. I'm on four medications already
for depression and hesitate to try the drug
on my own. I want my Doc to be involved, but he will need proof that it's ok. thanks again.
Posted by obilot on February 10, 2000, at 2:52:28
In reply to Drugs overseas & possible package seizures?? , posted by Diane on December 17, 1999, at 14:36:18
> I'm considering ordering Buprenorphine (a schedule V drug) from
> http://www.feral.org/vitality/plist_active.htm but am scared of possible package
> seizures.
>
> Are seizures and criminal charges a COMMON occurrence? What are that chances of me loosing i
>
> I just skimmed thru the US FDA Guidelines as posted at
> http://www.feral.org/vitality/us_fda.htm Man! what a pain in the rearend.
>
> I'm trying to skirt the doctors script.Yes!!! I have had packages from thailand seized. actually, empty package sent to me with note from customs inside saying drug had been seized -ultram, with threatening letters from customs warning of legal consequences, unless i signed a waiver forfeiting the drug. couldn't get my $ back either, co. claimed it wasn't their problem-since they did deliver, guess they had a point. no prescription- can't get a dr. to prescribe opiates in sufficient amounts for pain relief, let alone for depression. are we allowed to bring codeine back from cananda in small amounts?
Posted by harry b. on February 10, 2000, at 21:13:34
In reply to Purchasing drugs overseas? , posted by Diane on November 30, 1999, at 15:20:17
> Has anyone had ANY bad experiences with purchasing drugs overseas?
>
> Thanks
> DianeWhenever I get to Mexico I stock up on antibiotics.
I did buy Klonopin online from a co. in Thailand.
It took 3 months before I received it and there
was definite evidence that it was opened by US
Customs. They did not seize it though.
Posted by mike on March 11, 2000, at 16:01:37
In reply to Re: Purchasing drugs overseas? , posted by Mark on December 6, 1999, at 20:07:47
> I need the basic info on how to find sources
Posted by Pat on April 10, 2000, at 20:35:16
In reply to Re: What is buprenorphine? , posted by saint james on December 27, 1999, at 1:21:11
>Having been on an FDA trial in New York back in the early 90's, I have some answers about buprenorphine
that you still may be looking for. I have used a long list of antidepressants, benzos, antiseizure,
"Major Tranqualizers" as well as narcotics for my depression. Let me know if I can help.
Posted by Lil on January 31, 2001, at 14:11:33
In reply to Re: Purchasing drugs overseas? , posted by saint james on November 30, 1999, at 20:47:06
Sorry Saint James, but your info is wrong. Even with a prescription it is illegal to bring all prescription medication into the US from Mexico as of the instant you set foot on the US side of the border. The US border patrol guards can knowingly pass you through and then arrest you the minute you're on US soil - unfortunately I saw it happen! They don't always do this -- it's like playing Russian roulette with your freedom.
Posted by judy1 on January 31, 2001, at 14:17:29
In reply to Buying drugs in Mexico, posted by Lil on January 31, 2001, at 14:11:33
Do you know where that person's prescription originated? I have never had difficulty going to a Mexican pharmacy, asking for a prescription and being sent to one of their doctors, who for about $40 gives me one. I then go to the pharmacy to fill it and declare my 90 day personal supply to the border agents. -judy
Posted by Neal on January 31, 2001, at 22:43:05
In reply to Buying drugs in Mexico, posted by Lil on January 31, 2001, at 14:11:33
Have things changed since this ABC news report?
http://www.abcnews.go.com/sections/us/DailyNews/drugs000510.html
______________________________Medical Road to Mexico
Pharmacies dominate a mall immediately across the United States border in Tijuana, Mexico where cheaper prices are attracting customers from United States.
Seniors Find Prescription Bargains South of the Border
By Amy Collins
May 10 — At age 71, Arizona resident Carol McLean isn’t waiting for the U.S. government to bring down the price of her prescription drugs. She goes to Mexico instead.In 10 days, she’ll pay $20 to board a familiar bus with the familiar faces of other seniors to make a day-trip south of the border to stock up on perfectly legal prescription drugs. She needs two blood pressure medications, a cholesterol drug and her ulcer pills.
“If I got them here, it would take my whole Social Security check,” McLean said. “For the trip there, it’s well worth it.”
“I go to Wal-Mart before I go to Mexico to check the prices of my drugs,” she said. Before her last trip, 60 pills of the world’s top selling prescription drug, Prilosec ulcer medication, would have cost her $224.94 at Wal-Mart, she said. But in Mexico, she paid $25.Sold-Out Bus Trips
Judy Plett, the office manager at Casino Fun Express in Lake Havasu City, Ariz., says the company has been making regular trips to Mexico for about 10 years, but the service has grown tremendously as prescription drugs costs have climbed.
In the winter, the company takes a packed 52-passenger bus twice a week from Lake Havasu City to Algondones, Mexico. Sometimes the demand is so high and the company offers a second bus, so 104 can go in a single trip.
For $20, seniors gather in the parking lot of Casino Fun Express or at a handful of RV parks where the bus stops, and then the coach heads out of town for the three-hour drive to Mexico. Once there, bargains can be had on dental care, alcohol, and increasingly, prescription drugs.
“I have a fairly good idea that this has happened because of the Medicare situation in the United States,” said Plett, who used to drive one of the buses to Mexico.
And there is competition between bus companies making the Mexican treks.
John Gallup, the owner and president of Blue River Tours in Lake Havasu, says his business to Mexico has peaked in the past two years. They go not just for drugs, but also dental and optical work. He runs buses every other week, to Algondales and San Luis, with about half the riders in pursuit of medicine.
“You can buy a three months’ supply for the cost of one month (in the U.S.)” Gallup said.
The seniors in Arizona are not alone. In the southwest, and especially in Southern California, Mexico is a popular destination for bargains. But to the north, the Canadian border proves a similar lure, officials said.
“In Canada, you’re supposed to have a prescription signed by a Canadian doctor,” said Bette Cooper, the director of communications of the National Council of Senior Citizens. “But some of the pharmacies have been sympathetic and have handled the prescription (without a Canadian doctor’s approval.)”Stretching the Budget
Brad Williams, an associate professor at the University of Southern California’s School of Pharmacy and the School of Gerentology, said people in the Los Angeles area, which is only two hours Tijuana, find a number of reasons to go. Some are doing it strictly because of the cost, but some have family in Mexico and stock up while visiting relatives, and some are doing it to keep up with their friends who brag about the great deals.
“Not all of them are poor or cut off from insurance. It’s a way to stretch your budget a little,” he said. “This is nothing new for Los Angeles,” he said. “I’ve seen it for the past 20 years. But I would suspect it is growing some.”
Numerous studies show over and over again how prescription drugs sold in the Unites States are more expensive than the exact same drug sold in another country by the exact same company. Part of the problem is that other governments offer steep subsidies to consumers, and the other is the time-consuming and expensive process pharmaceutical companies face in order to get permission to sell a new drug in the United States.The Gold Standard
“The FDA has the toughest standards in the world,” says Susan Cruzan, a spokeswoman for the Federal Food and Drug Administration.
The FDA does not prohibit anyone from bringing the drugs into the country, Cruzan, but has several guidelines about how it should be done. Generally, consumers are allowed to bring back a three-month supply of prescribed drugs for personal use. However, there have been cases where people have been prosecuted for transporting drugs in bulk to sell at Southern California swap meets.
Greg Reaves, a spokesman for the New Jersey-based pharmaceutical giant Merck & Co. said it usually takes a new drug 12 to 15 years to pass the FDA’s scrutiny, which he characterized as the international “gold standard” stamp of approval for a medication.
The problem with buying drugs across borders, he said, range from possible counterfeit medications to the reduced supervision for patients. “Many seniors take multiple drugs,” he said, citing the possibility of negative interactions among prescriptions.
Williams at USC agrees. “I don’t encourage going down there,” he said.
“It’s not the product safety issues. The product I have seen coming back from Mexico, from many of the patients I’ve seen, they’re coming in the manufacturers’ containers,” Williams said. “They’re professionally labeled. The package inserts are in Spanish.”
The problem is not so much with counterfeiting or quality, he said, but that the patients will miss a sometimes imperative link to a medical professional. A patient is less likely to find out about side effects and dangerous interactions with other drugs or conditions. And in older patients, they are sometimes reluctant to tell even their regular doctor they have gone to Mexico to buy their medications.
“You’re relying entirely on the patient to accurately get what they need,” he said.
But for McLean, a retiree in Lake Havasu, Ariz., she says she has little choice. She has no medical coverage and an offer through the American Association of Retired Persons didn’t come close to saving what she could in Mexico.
“I don’t understand why they do it to us,” McLean says. “It is terrible what they do.”Good Business, South of the Border
Reaves said Merck and other pharmaceutical companies believes the answer lies in expanding prescription drug coverage through Medicare and that recent agreements among Republicans and Democrats could lead to meaningful reform. “The seniors who do have coverage aren’t going over the border,” Reaves said.
But until that happens, it means good business for towns just over the Mexican border.
At least one local shopper magazine in McLean’s Arizona community is picking up increasingly bigger advertisements from Mexican pharmacies. They tout the prices of their drugs, and eyeglasses in a distinctly American way: “All competitors’ coupons honored,” “We’ll beat any price!”
Patty Leal, the receptionist at Algondes Optical, said the doctor’s office where she works caters to travelers coming to Mexico for services. “This time of year, we’re not very busy,” she said, estimating they only have 80 foreign customers a week during summer months. “In winter, we get about 60 a day.”
The customers, mostly seniors, come from nearby Arizona and in the winter, frequently from Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Canada as well. They come for eye exams, new lenses and complete glasses. Some people have their own prescription, some come for the eye exam,” Leal said. “Compared (to the United States) they save about $150,” Leal said.
But because political wheels turn slowly, and because people have multiple reasons for crossing the border, Williams predicts less than a total staunch to the travels. “If prices come down, this would come down proportionately. But I don’t think you’d eliminate it completely,” he said.
Posted by Looper on February 20, 2001, at 8:43:23
In reply to Re: Buying drugs in Mexico, posted by Neal on January 31, 2001, at 22:43:05
Was trying to determine whether mail delivery of controlled substances from overseas pharmacies is legal or not...came upon this..might answer your questions about bringing prescription drugs in from Mexico,,,but still haven't figured out all the specifics of mail order.
---Looperhttp://www.customs.ustreas.gov/impoexpo/impoexpo.htm
Warning: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) < http://www.fda.gov > prohibits the importation, by mail or in person, of fraudulent prescription and nonprescription drugs and medical devices. These include unorthodox "cures" for such medical conditions as cancer, AIDS, arthritis, or multiple sclerosis. Although such drugs or devices may be legal elsewhere, if the FDA has not approved them for use in the United States, they may not legally enter the country and will be confiscated if found, even if they were obtained under a foreign physician’s prescription.
new federal ruling allows U.S. residents reentering the United States at international land borders to bring back, without a prescription, up to 50 dosage units of medications on the Drug Enforcement Agency's (DEA) controlled substances list, Schedules 2 through 5. < http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/concern/abuse/chap1/contents.htm > You may bring in more than 50 units if you have a prescription written by a U.S.-licensed physician whom DEA has authorized to prescribe these medications.
Please note that this rule applies only to medications that can be legally prescribed in the United States. You still can't bring back drugs or medications not permitted in the United States, such as anabolic steroids, laetrile, or heroin.
If you are returning by a land border and you are bringing back medications that qualify under this rule, you must declare them. Also, they must be for your own personal use, and they must be in their original container. Finally, you should be aware that drug products not approved by the FDA may not be allowed under this rule. Such unapproved drugs are often of unknown quality, may have been manufactured under inferior conditions, and may not be as safe or effective as their U.S. counterparts, even when they have the same name. Take the generic drug diazepam, for example. It is manufactured in the United States, Canada, and Mexico as Valium. But it’s also sold in Canada under the names Neo-Calme and Rival, and in Mexico as Pacitran and Relazepam. Are all these brands equally effective or safe? Not necessarily.
For specifics about DEA’s controlled substances list, call (202) 307-7977 or
(202) 307-1000. For additional information about traveling with medication, contact your nearest FDA office or write Food and Drug Administration, Division of Import Operations and Policy, Room 12-8 (HFC-170), 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857 or visit: < http://www.fda.gov/ora/compliance_ref/rpm_new2/ch9pers.html >
Posted by Looper on February 20, 2001, at 9:10:28
In reply to Re: Purchasing drugs overseas? , posted by Stephanie L. on January 1, 2000, at 17:22:37
< http://www.fda.gov/ora/import/pipinfo.htm >
That said, FDA's guidance for coverage of personal importations of unapproved drugs identifies several factors that should be considered by FDA personnel when determining whether to exercise enforcement discretion and refrain from taking action against the importation of unapproved drugs. The General Guidance Section states that FDA should consider not taking enforcement actions against such importation:
"when 1) the intended use [of the drug] is unapproved and for a serious condition for which effective treatment may not be available domestically either through commercial or clinical means; 2) there is no known commercialization or promotion to persons residing in the U.S. by those involved in the distribution of the product at issue; 3) the product is considered not to represent an unreasonable risk; and 4) the individual seeking to import the product affirms in writing that it is for the patient's own use (generally not more than 3 month supply) and provides the name and address of the doctor licensed in the U.S. responsible for his or her treatment with the product or provides evidence that the product is for the continuation of a treatment begun in a foreign country." (Emphasis added)
...............
----found this..might help..Looper
This is the end of the thread.
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