Can I have my medications mailed from Philippines to Canada?

[megalomax]

I'm trying to find information about this.

The meds are prescription meds. Unfortunately, I'm running out right now and my health card has not yet been delivered. Also, since I'm in quebec, I may not be covered for at least 3 months. I do have private insurance.

Finally, getting an appointment is hard here. I've been trying to get one without success. So, my backup plan is to ask my family in the Philippines to go to my doctor there and have my medications sent through courier.

 

[Bs65]

No you cannot as a resident import drugs by mail or courier that would be illegal and subject to seizure by CBSA. Refer link below (26)

https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publications/dm-md/d19/d19-9-1-eng.html

Personal Importation of Prescription Drugs
Health Canada considers a personal importation as an importation by an individual for their own use or for the use of a person under their care or guardianship and which does not meet the definition of a commercial importation as set out in paragraph 16 of this memorandum.

22. Under C.01.045 of the Food and Drug Regulations, importation of prescription drugs is restricted to practitioners, drug manufacturers, wholesale druggists or registered pharmacists, or a resident of a foreign country while a visitor in Canada. Note that drugs imported by practitioners for treating patients are not considered to be personal importations but rather commercial importation for sale.

Canadian Residents

23. Health Canada may exercise enforcement discretion to permit a Canadian returning from abroad to bring with them, on their person, a single course of treatment or a 90-day supply based on the directions for use, whichever is less, of a prescription drug. This discretion is generally reserved for Canadian residents returning to Canada with prescription drugs which were dispensed for a treatment prior to leaving Canada, or drugs obtained through a filled prescription to treat an illness while abroad.

24. Prescription drugs imported in this fashion must be for the individual's personal use or the use of a person for whom they are responsible and with whom they are travelling.Additionally, all personal importations of prescription drugs must be packaged in the hospital, pharmacy dispensing or retail packaging, or have the original label affixed to it clearly indicating what the product is and what it contains.

25. The CBSA may detain and refer prescription drugs to Health Canada when these conditions are not met.


26. Canadian residents may not import prescription drugs by mail or courier.

 

[panpan]

No you cannot as a resident import drugs by mail or courier that would be illegal and subject to seizure by CBSA. Refer link below (26)

https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publications/dm-md/d19/d19-9-1-eng.html

Personal Importation of Prescription Drugs
Health Canada considers a personal importation as an importation by an individual for their own use or for the use of a person under their care or guardianship and which does not meet the definition of a commercial importation as set out in paragraph 16 of this memorandum.

22. Under C.01.045 of the Food and Drug Regulations, importation of prescription drugs is restricted to practitioners, drug manufacturers, wholesale druggists or registered pharmacists, or a resident of a foreign country while a visitor in Canada. Note that drugs imported by practitioners for treating patients are not considered to be personal importations but rather commercial importation for sale.

Canadian Residents

23. Health Canada may exercise enforcement discretion to permit a Canadian returning from abroad to bring with them, on their person, a single course of treatment or a 90-day supply based on the directions for use, whichever is less, of a prescription drug. This discretion is generally reserved for Canadian residents returning to Canada with prescription drugs which were dispensed for a treatment prior to leaving Canada, or drugs obtained through a filled prescription to treat an illness while abroad.

24. Prescription drugs imported in this fashion must be for the individual's personal use or the use of a person for whom they are responsible and with whom they are travelling.Additionally, all personal importations of prescription drugs must be packaged in the hospital, pharmacy dispensing or retail packaging, or have the original label affixed to it clearly indicating what the product is and what it contains.

25. The CBSA may detain and refer prescription drugs to Health Canada when these conditions are not met.


26. Canadian residents may not import prescription drugs by mail or courier.

I have somewhat of the same question. My grandmother is here in Calgary on tourist visa. She has been here for 6 months now and she brought medication with her for 6 months too. However, she is running out of it now. Is it possible to get her medications sent from the Philippines to here through courier?

 

[canuck78]

I have somewhat of the same question. My grandmother is here in Calgary on tourist visa. She has been here for 6 months now and she brought medication with her for 6 months too. However, she is running out of it now. Is it possible to get her medications sent from the Philippines to here through courier?

No they should be seized whether they will be is another story so you can certainly try. For safety reasons, for protection of the pharma industry in Canada, etc. you can’t send medications in the mail from abroad. CBSA watches out for pills being sent because of things like illegal drug importation so if they see pills on the x-ray they are usually seized.

 

[scylla]

I have somewhat of the same question. My grandmother is here in Calgary on tourist visa. She has been here for 6 months now and she brought medication with her for 6 months too. However, she is running out of it now. Is it possible to get her medications sent from the Philippines to here through courier?

Not possible. As said above, this is illegal and the medication will be seized and confiscated by CBSA.

She needs to get an appointment with a doctor in Canada. She can do this through a local walk-in clinic or with a GP in your area (she will need to pay for this appointment). That doctor needs to write her a prescription for the medication she needs. She then needs to fulfill that prescription through a pharmacy in Canada.