With skyrocketing drug costs, Americans are becoming somewhat desperate. Canadian online pharmacy websites are doing brisk business as U.S. citizens flock to them to order much needed prescription drugs. Canadian pharmacies offer all drugs at cheaper prices thanks to government laws that have capped the prices that drug manufacturers are able to charge. However, extra savings are available if customers choose to order generic alternatives to brand name drugs.
Generic drugs are equivalent to their brand name counterparts in most respects. When a brand name drug is tested and approved for sale, it is marketed with a patent protecting it from being replicated by other companies. When the patent expires (approx. 20 yrs), other drug manufacturers are free to manufacture the same drug and market it using a different (generic) name. The manufacturer of the generic drug must prove that it is equal to the brand name in every respect regarding its performance and the generic drug still undergoes rigorous testing before being approved for sale. There may be small differences in the shape and colour of the generic product but essentially it is the same. The regulations regarding generic drugs are almost identical in Canada and the United States.
Pricing Comparison – Brand Name vs. Generic
The big difference between generic and brand name drugs is the price. Generics are much cheaper in both Canada and the U.S.A. The chart below compares the price of generic and brand name drugs at a Canadian online pharmacy and an American online pharmacy.
Prices as of January 20, 2011 (U.S. $)
| Drug Names | U.S. Online Pharmacy drugstore.com |
Canada Online Pharmacy NorthWestPharmacy.com |
| Prozac(brand) 20mg Fluoxetine(generic) 20mg |
90 $600.34, $6.67 ea 100 $56.63, $0.57 ea |
90 $89.49, $0.99 ea 100 $34.99, $0.35 ea |
| Tenormin(brand) 50mg Atenolol(generic) 50mg |
100 $181.97, $1.82 ea 100 $19.99, $0.20 ea |
98 $69.99, $0.71 ea 100 $16.99, $0.17 ea |
| Zocor(brand) 20mg Simvastatin(generic) 20mg |
100 $511.08, $5.11 ea 100 $82.19, $0.82 ea |
120 $124.99, $1.04 ea 90 $38.99, $0.43 ea |
Prozac (Fluoxetine) is used in the treatment of depression, Tenormin (Atenolol) is used to treat blood pressure and Zocor (Simvastatin) is used to lower cholesterol. It is obvious that there are large differences when comparing Canadian and American prices of brand name drugs. However, as illustrated, there are also savings when comparing the prices of the generic medications. For those Americans operating on a budget, generic drugs from Canada is the way to realize big savings.
Where to Find the Cheapest Generic Drugs
After checking several online Canada pharmacies, I found that NorthWestPharmacy.com offered the lowest prices on both brand name and generic medications guaranteed. NorthWestPharmacy.com is a well established licensed online pharmacy operating under all the legal and ethical guidelines that have been set out for online pharmacies. This Canadian pharmacy has a large selection of high quality prescription and over the counter medications available on its user-friendly website. NorthWestPharmacy.com belongs to The Canadian International Pharmacy Association (CIPA) and holds an accreditation seal from Shopper Approved.com, a tamper-proof ratings system posting reviews from online customers. Customer service at this Canada pharmacy is top notch.
If you are struggling to make ends meet, visit NorthWestPharmacy.com, you will be very pleased with the service and savings offered.