International Online Pharmacies Offer Relief as Medicare Prices Remain Sky-High Ask PharmacyChecker

October 25, 2023

Trelegy Ellipta is the only FDA-approved once-daily 3-in-1 treatment for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This medication can be used to treat asthma in adults, as well as the long-term symptoms of COPD, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Read More

November 23, 2022

International pharmacies sell and ship Rybelsus for as much as 82% off the average U.S. retail pharmacy price. Read More

August 27, 2024

Based on PharmacyChecker price comparisons, Entresto is as low as $1.21 per 24/26mg tablet via an international online pharmacy. If you are in the U.S., we compare coupon prices among independent and chain pharmacies, such as Walgreens and CVS. The lowest coupon price is around $11 per tablet. Read More

November 29, 2022

Importing medicine for personal use in Australia is legal but with important caveats. Australia’s government warns consumers against ordering medicine online because of the dangers of rogue online pharmacies. Read More

November 01, 2023

Dr. Berge Markarian, a retired Floridian OBGYN, is sick of high drug prices in the United States. His solution? Read More

September 06, 2022

This PharmacyChecker report identifies drugs most likely to be eligible for negotiated pricing under the IRA in 2026 based on (1) the top drugs by total expenditures in Medicare Part D in 2020, (2) dates of initial FDA approval, and (3) projected year for generic availability.... Read More

July 02, 2024

Vigilance regarding the appearance of the solution itself, in addition to the labeling and key facts about its manufacture is crucial for patient safety. Read More

October 16, 2024

Sending prescriptions electronically across borders is currently quite limited due to differences in healthcare regulations, data privacy laws, and prescription systems between countries. Read More

October 04, 2021

Canadian and other international online pharmacies can help you (and have already helped millions of Americans) save a lot of money. How much are we talking here? Read More

March 08, 2021

Adderall (mixed amphetamine salts combo) has been around long enough to have a few duplicates on the market, Adderall XR included. Read More

April 30, 2024

Notorious for its cheap production costs, many consumer products in the United States are “MADE IN CHINA.” There are long-held concerns when it comes to this dynamic: about our national security, the economic well-being of the American middle class, how poor labor conditions amount to those online d... Read More

January 02, 2024

Many times when a drug product becomes trendy, consumers need to be extra cautious of how and where they obtain it. Read More

October 03, 2024

The notorious online pharmacy dispenses to Americans from Canada; however, these websites are increasingly working with dispensing partners in India. Read More

May 08, 2024

Why are your medication prices so high? For one, because there are no regulations in the U.S. to cap the price of prescription drugs, your particular therapy may lack the competition in the marketplace necessary to lower its cost. Read More

March 30, 2022

Federal Law and Drug Labeling: Differing Definitions of An Imported Drug. Read More

March 04, 2021

Eating disorders have many etiological parents, from anxiety disorders to environmental stimuli. Thus, treating them is not always direct. Read More

February 05, 2024

There is enough uncertainty and stress resulting from a breast cancer diagnosis, but the United States healthcare system adds an extra layer to the physical and emotional devastation: Financial strain. Read More

February 14, 2022

Gabe Levitt, co-founder and president of PharmacyChecker.com, answers your most frequently asked questions regarding the highly publicized new Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company. Read More

June 16, 2021

High cholesterol affects about 38% of all adult Americans. Too much cholesterol in your body can increase the risk of stroke and heart disease, two of the top causes of death in the United States. Read More

May 06, 2021

When Americans order prescription drugs online from a Canadian pharmacy, if they are buying from a reputable online pharmacy, they must submit a valid prescription. However, that prescription is often written by a U.S. doctor. Read More

January 11, 2024

David Mitchell, president and founder of the advocacy organization Patients For Affordable Drugs, recently told Politico’s Prescription Pulse he used PharmacyChecker.com to find a reputable online pharmacy from which he could order affordable Eliquis.... Read More

January 12, 2022

Most of the expensive brand name drugs Americans purchase from local U.S. pharmacies are not made here. Our research “Not Made in the USA,” published last week, addresses the pressing issue of prescription drug affordability in America - and Big Pharma’s campaign to stop drug importation.... Read More

March 03, 2021

Pantoprazole (Protonix) and omeprazole (Prilosec) are proton-pump inhibitors that treat various forms of gastrointestinal discomfort, including gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), heartburn, stomach ulcers, and esophagitis (inflamed esophagus). Read More

February 16, 2023

Pharmacies across the border that cater to U.S. tourists have been found to be selling single pills without a prescription requirement, a majority of which are laced with illicit drugs. Read More

July 12, 2022

This month’s PharmacyChecker drug price report analyzes both the price and country of origin of 30 inhalers listed by the U.S. Read More

March 30, 2021

Muscle relaxers help us recover from chronic or severe pain. Severe pain can seriously affect your quality of sleep, causing uncomfortable cranky mornings. Read More

March 30, 2021

Xeljanz (tofacitinib) is nearly a household name, thanks to a few ubiquitous commercials. It is also — and, put a tin hat on me, I think these facts are connected — exceptionally expensive, running an average of $113 per tablet in the United States. Read More

August 07, 2024

How can we tell which online pharmacies are trustworthy and which are peddling scams? PharmacyChecker’s own Dr. Ross Phan sat down with Dr. Phil’s Morning on Merit Street to explain how the latest frenzy around Ozempic is a breeding ground for counterfeit activity (and creativity). Dr. Read More

March 24, 2023

I am in line at the pharmacy counter and stifle a gasp when the person in front of me is presented with a $1200 prescription. He pays by credit card with, what appears to me, great hesitation. I’m next. Read More

January 26, 2023

In the year 2023, in the richest nation in the world, millions of Americans continue to struggle to afford their prescription drugs. Massive drug companies have effectively captured the U.S. market demanding your money or your health. Read More

August 06, 2021

For 20 years, from the late 1990s until it lost patent protection in the U.S. in 2017, Viagra (sildenafil citrate) was an extraordinary cash cow for drug company Pfizer. It has generated about $34 billion worldwide. Read More

December 20, 2023

The United States Pharmacopeia and Health Canada require that refrigerated medications maintain certain storage conditions throughout shipment and receipt by a patient. Read More

November 09, 2023

I'm 75 with an autoimmune disorder, diabetes, hypertension, and a few minor medical issues. Read More

May 01, 2023

After over 30 years as a pediatric nurse, I decided to retire 18 months ago. Given my long career, I thought I knew my way around insurance and how to manage prescription costs. Read More

November 16, 2022

Xifaxan is a very popular medication and the pharmaceutical industry is cashing in. The average retail price for 60 Xifaxan 550 mg tablets sold at U.S. pharmacies is $3,271.84 – a steep 22% increase from the average price in 2019 ($2,686.95). Read More

October 04, 2022

CIPA and PharmacyChecker both endeavor to provide information about safe international online pharmacies that are accessible to and affordable for patients, most of whom are seeking lower prices on prescription drugs. Read More

August 18, 2022

You may have heard that the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) will lower drug prices in America. Let’s cut the politics and lay down the facts here. I’m going to start with the good news: What you’ve heard is true! Read More

April 07, 2021

To some folks, the word “globalization” has a negative ring to it: the idea that America should focus on its own people and not the rest of the world; lost factory jobs; United Nations bureaucrats; and international elites. Read More

March 05, 2021

Elected leaders of state governments recognize that prescription drug prices are out-of-control expensive in America. After all, the same and most expensive prescription drugs sold here cost on average 75% lower in other high-income countries. Voters are rightfully fuming. Read More

March 07, 2024

This past year, generic version approvals of Farxiga, Forxiga, and Forziga (all are dapagliflozin propanediol; shortened chemical name: dapagliflozin) have made a swift rollout across many countries. Read More

October 18, 2023

Pirfenidone (marketed under brand names Esbriet, Etuary, Pirfenex, Pulmofib, KitosCell LP, and Pirespa) is one of just two expensive medications available globally that can treat symptoms of an incurable lung disease called idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Read More

October 12, 2023

Despite fear tactics wielded by pharmaceutical companies and their PR teams, our prescription drug marketplace is global in practice, and experts contend explicitly expanding that global access through safety assurances could lower drug prices here in the United States.... Read More

February 10, 2023

Before there was FDA-approved Creon (pancrelipase), an expensive combination of pancreatic enzymes that require a prescription, there were over-the-counter (OTC) treatments for the same condition, exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI). Read More

December 03, 2021

If you decide to buy a medication from a pharmacy in Canada and you have a prescription with a U.S. pharmacy, you'll most likely need to request a new prescription from your provider. Canadian and International Mail Order Pharmacies That Accept U.S. Prescriptions. Read More

June 04, 2021

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) is attempting to halt a rule issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under former President Donald Trump that would allow states to import drugs from Canada. Read More

February 23, 2021

Can you take Advil/Motrin and Tylenol at the same time? What is the difference between acetaminophen and ibuprofen? How much ibuprofen and Tylenol can I take together? How do you alternate Tylenol (acetaminophen) and ibuprofen for pain? Read More

May 02, 2024

Ross Phan, PharmD, has decided to take her expertise to PharmacyChecker to lead its International Pharmacy Verification Program arm. The program was established in 2003 to help consumers identify trustworthy online pharmacies that work with licensed dispensing partners. Read More

October 03, 2023

This PharmacyChecker report suggests price targets that Medicare should consider in its negotiation, comparing Medicare 2021 per dosage spending with the per unit prices of drugs available for purchase at Canadian pharmacies.... Read More

September 18, 2023

In recent months, we have become aware of websites with names and appearances mimicking the branding of PharmacyChecker.com but are not associated with our service. Watch out for these sites! Read More

April 18, 2023

Arizona licensed pharmacy technician, Jordan Burns, has spent 15 years in the world of pharmacy, tackling everything from retail pharmacy technician management to leading inpatient pharmacy compliance teams. Read More

March 21, 2023

PharmacyChecker data shows that U.S. pharmacy coupons helped U.S. consumers save an average of 72.49% off average retail pharmacy prices at their local pharmacies.... Read More

March 08, 2023

America’s opioid problem isn’t an international mail issue, yet the FDA keeps asking Congress to increase funding in order to expand efforts to seize shipments of opioids.... Read More

September 28, 2022

In PharmacyChecker’s view, online pharmacy safety exists for patients who purchase medicines from websites that transparently market and sell government-regulated prescription drugs, made in accordance with good manufacturing practices, which are filled by duly inspected and licensed pharmacies that... Read More

June 22, 2022

Senator Tim Kaine’s father is certainly not the only American who imports prescription medication from another country. Millions of Americans each year rely on filling their prescriptions internationally. Read More

May 24, 2022

An analysis of government data published in Health Affairs shows that more and more Medicare patients are taking new higher-priced specialty drugs, which has substantially increased Medicare’s spending on brand name drugs. Read More

May 16, 2022

Well, I’ve been writing about this topic for close to 20 years. Year after year, Congress after Congress, Democratic and Republican majorities, the call to arms against Big Pharma came to virtually nothing. Read More

April 25, 2022

With newly-approved effective treatment options, comes the inevitable online scam artists trying to sell fake Covid treatments, which can be detrimental to your health and/or finances. Read More

April 06, 2022

When it comes to prescription drug affordability in 2022, Canada isn’t always the answer. If a patient is prescribed a generic medication, the coupon price at their local pharmacy often beats out the potential savings that await them at online pharmacies. Read More

March 10, 2022

On March 2nd, PORTAL (Program On Regulation, Therapeutics, And Law) Research, led by Dr. Aaron Kesselheim, MD, JD, welcomed Gabriel Levitt, president and co-founder of PharmacyChecker.com, as the meeting’s guest speaker. Read More

March 09, 2022

We looked at the top 20 most sought-after medication on PharmacyChecker.com in 2022 so far, and the savings patients are achieving is unreal. Americans potentially spent an average of 87% less on their prescribed medication when they compared medicine costs on PharmacyChecker.com. Read More

February 14, 2022

The U.S. drug supply chain relies on pharmaceuticals produced in other countries and drugs are priced much lower in those foreign countries. Read More

February 08, 2022

The finding in this report, that 78% of APIs for the dataset of 100 drugs are imported, appears to corroborate the FDA’s ubiquitous datapoint of 80%, but this dataset consists only of brand name drugs. It is likely that an even higher percentage of generic drugs are imported. Read More

February 03, 2022

Year after year, Americans ring in the new year with report after report of drug price hikes in the United States. Read More

January 25, 2022

Which prescription drugs are most important to Americans in relation to the issues of drug importation, prices, safety – and even national security? This was a question we asked ourselves when thinking about the impact of our report, Note Made in the USA. Read More

January 18, 2022

In 2018, columnist and journalist David Lazarus from the Los Angeles Times wrote about how difficult it was to find out where prescription drugs are made. His article was called, “ Where do prescription drugs come from? Read More

January 17, 2022

Price comparisons of the most searched prescription drugs on Pharmacychecker.com in 2021 showed patients saved an average of 78% off what they would pay at their local U.S. pharmacy by opting to order internationally from accredited websites. Read More

January 05, 2022

Pharmaceutical Companies Don’t Manufacture Your Drugs in the United States. PharmacyChecker published a report called Not Made in the USA: The Global Pharmaceutical Supply Chain and Prospects for Safe Drug Importation. Read More

December 23, 2021

With opioid deaths only surging during the Covid-19 pandemic, this sounds like an excellent idea. But here’s the thing: the FDA already has a program for tackling online opioid drug dealers. So what’s this really about? Read More

November 24, 2021

“Can physicians accurately estimate a patient’s out-of-pocket expenses if they are given all the necessary information about a drug’s price and the patient’s insurance plan?” This is the question a recent Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) study sought to answer, finding that only 21... Read More

November 17, 2021

Highlighting reporting on prescription drug prices in the United States is, to put it plainly, quite depressing. Read More

November 09, 2021

The world of international online pharmacies is growing at an extremely fast pace. It is important to know how to distinguish a rogue online pharmacy from a legitimate online pharmacy. Some bad actors are very easy to spot: if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is! Read More

September 20, 2021

“Catastrophic” health coverage never had the best branding. It is, as its title suggests, available and helpful only in the case of true catastrophes. Read More

July 19, 2021

If you ask me, “pay for delay” is a little too cutesy a term for a practice that places medicine more and more out of patients’ financial reach. More than a quarter of Americans stated they or a family member have been unable to afford a prescribed medication over the past year. Read More

July 07, 2021

Patents have expired on two competing insulins produced by Eli Lilly (Humalog) and Novo Nordisk (Novolog). Read More

July 07, 2021

Pharmacist Jeffrey Poirier has had a long, impressive career in various health care settings. Now, he takes on leading the PharmacyChecker Verification Program, through which online pharmacies, international and domestic, are assessed for compliance with high accreditation standards. Read More

June 07, 2021

As a patient consumer looking for information about more affordable prescription drugs on the Internet and from other countries, you may be interested to know the status of a lawsuit brought by the Pharmaceutical Researchers and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA or “Big Pharma”). Read More

June 03, 2021

Ensuring that people access only safe websites for abortion consultation and prescriptions is critical to reproductive health. Read More

May 16, 2021

When costs get out of hand, the natural next step of a savvy shopper involves comparing costs online. Perhaps, like many Americans, the autopilot answer to our financial woes is Amazon. Read More

May 11, 2021

Before and during menopause, estrogen and progesterone hormones fluctuate quite a bit resulting in unpleasant symptoms, such as hot flashes and vaginal discomfort. Hormone replacement therapy replenishes these hormones providing relief. Read More

April 29, 2021

Last night, in his speech before Congress, President Biden called for allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices to bring down the cost of drugs in the United States. Before thinking this is some liberal vs. conservative, Democrat vs. Read More

April 21, 2021

FDA-Approved and Working Johnson & Johnson Covid Vaccines Are Foreign Made. Read More

April 05, 2021

Retail pharmacists are the most accessible drug gurus in every community. You are able to ask your local pharmacist questions about your medications and general health concerns any day of the week. We’re here to listen and help. Read More

March 30, 2021

Seniors, or those above the age of 60, are taking prescription medication, and, more often than not, they’re taking more than one medication. According to the CDC, 85% of the U.S. population above 60 took medication in the years 2015 - 2016. Read More

March 24, 2021

I have dispensed thousands of Viagra and Cialis prescriptions to patients throughout my career. In all my consultations, some men have success with Viagra, while others swear by Cialis. Some just go with whichever is cheapest. Read More

March 22, 2021

Most Americans have either experienced firsthand or know about the problem of high prescription drug prices. Drug prices are three times higher in the U.S. than in other countries. Moreover, for years they have increased much faster than the rate of inflation. Read More

March 19, 2021

Prescription drug prices are a symptom of a greater disease — greed and its effect on the U.S. healthcare system — but, oh, are they a nasty symptom. Read More

March 15, 2021

The enrollment period for marketplace health insurance is typically in late winter, traditionally closing in December. The COVID-19 crisis, which began in March 2020, has ushered in a new “special enrollment period” from February 15, 2021 to May 15, 2021. Read More

February 09, 2021

About Pregnancy & Prescription Medication: Teratogenic Medications. What medications are safe during pregnancy? What is the safest way to take medication during pregnancy? Which painkiller is best? Read More

February 05, 2021

The Rand Corporation has released an impressive study showing that brand name drugs cost far more in the United States than in other countries – on average 344% more. Read More

February 04, 2021

A urinary tract infection (UTI) occurs when bacteria from the environment — from your rectum or from a sexual partner, for example — get inside your urethra, leading to an infection in the bladder. How do you treat UTIs? What is the best over-the-counter UTI treatment? Read More