Setting aside some of the horror stories you might hear about buying prescription medications from a Canadian pharmacy, there are legitimate licensed online pharmacies in Canada where you can legally get quality prescription medications. Many of these Canadian pharmacies are accredited by or members of professional organizations such as the Canadian International Pharmacy Association. Such pharmacies usually display accreditation logos to help new customers assure themselves of the pharmacy’s legitimacy. However, accreditation is not the same as licensure. You can check the pharmacies licensure online so that you know they are a legitimate, legal Canadian pharmacy with the right to dispense prescription medication.
To verify licensed online pharmacies in Canada, first look at the pharmacy’s website. Most legitimate pharmacies will list the licensing body under which they operate. For example, NorthWestPharmacy.com lists on their homepage the College of Pharmacists of British Columbia. The College of Pharmacists of British Columbia as a feature on their website where you can check for a list of licensed community pharmacies as well is a list of licensed hospital pharmacies for which they are the licensing body. You can use this list to verify a particular pharmacy’s licensure status. You can also learn about the requirements for licensure as well as filing a complaint.
Another method to verify that a Canadian pharmacy you are considering is one of the licensed online pharmacies in Canada is to look for the Provincial Pharmacy License number for your pharmacy. Each province in Canada has its own licensing body for pharmacies. However, many pharmacies participate in the Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites from the National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities. The NAPRA provides a clearinghouse of information for all of the provincial licensing bodies in Canada. They also provide the ability to verify a participating pharmacy’s provincial pharmacy license. However, not all licensed pharmacies participating in this program.
There are many ways that you can verify the Canadian pharmacy online with whom you are conducting business is one of the licensed online pharmacies that legitimately operate in Canada. As a responsible consumer, it is your responsibility to ensure that you fully research any discount pharmacy, online pharmacy, or other Canadian pharmacy advertising their services online. Not only should the pharmacy provide information on their website about the licensing body under which they operate, but they should also be able to provide you with information for verifying the validity of their license.