Medicines are a necessity in today’s world, be it for a specific cure or just to boost daily immunity. Medicines can easily be purchased at drugstores and pharmacies. For some, you may need a written prescription from a doctor. Medicines can be divided into 2 categories, prescription drugs, and over the counter or non-prescription medicines. The latter is mostly used for minor medical issues that you do not need a doctor’s note. Many people keep a supply of these as a part of their first-aid preparation. These are also available in drugstore aisles. Here are some things you must know while buying over the counter medication.
- Following the directions printed on the packaging and reading and understanding the warning is important.
- See the ingredients that are in the medicine to take cognizance that you are not allergic. If many options are available, choose the one with fewer ingredients.
- Be cautious of the expiration date, before consumption it must be checked.
- Storing medicine in a cool, dry area is always recommended. Must be out of children’s reach as well.
How to get a prescription
The simplest way is to go to a doctor. Doctors can give you prescriptions based on what will be best for your particular symptoms. It may be any medical condition like an infection or for your mental health or any other medical condition. You can also request a prescription from a doctor if it is for other kinds of medicines such as birth control.
When telling your symptoms, be honest. Also, include any other medications you may be taking. One medicine can interfere with the working of another and doctors will then prescribe you medicine based on your best interest. It is important because interfering or interacting with medicines can have harmful side effects or make one medicine less efficient. Your information is protected under doctor-patient confidentiality so you can feel free to ask questions or share medical information. You can get a written prescription or your doctor can email it to your regular pharmacist.
How to use a prescription
For using a prescription, or filling a prescription, you have to visit a pharmacy. It is advised to go to the same pharmacy so that your records are better kept and accurate. The visit mostly has to be in person. You will be asked to show some form of identification card, like a health card or driving license.
You do not always have to go to a doctor for prescription medicines. That is the case when the medicine is for the treatment of long term medical issues. For long term conditions, your doctor can add the note in your prescription for refilling. This lets you go to the pharmacy with the same prescription and get a refill on your medication. You can visit in person or call your pharmacy for this. You can even get a refill online if this method is supported by your pharmacy. For smoother transactions, keep an accurate track of your medication information.
How to pay for medicine?
- One way is that you can pay for it out of pocket.
- You can have your medical insurance cover the cost of prescription drug coverage provided in your health plan.
Medicines can be expensive to cover by yourself. Prescription drug prices are high. Your health insurance can be provided by either your employer or your Provincial Government. Make sure to know if your health plan covers the cost of your medication or has a prescription drug plan or not. Ask your doctor to get the coverage approval. Although keep in mind that the cost of full medication is rarely covered by health insurance.
Prescription drug pricing and costs
The amount the Canada Healthcare System spends on drugs and medicines is increasing and accounting for large parts of its budget expenditure. This growth is more than the expenditure on any other healthcare service, even surpassing the budget spent on physician services in hospitals. Below are the main reasons for this increased cost.
- Increasing overall usage of prescription medicines.
- Newer and costlier medicines becoming more frequently used.
The price of medicines in Canada is rising slowly but surely. This means an impact on access to important medicines for Canadian citizens. This also influences the Health Care system of Canada. The Canadian government is working along with the provincial governments to reduce the cost of drugs. Their main objectives are as follows.
- Making prescription medicines more affordable through the Provincial Healthcare System and health plans.
- Lower the prices of commonly used drugs.
- Technical implementations in the monitoring of medicine prices.
- Protecting the Canadian citizens from the high priced drugs.
Prescription drug insurance coverage
Prescription medicine is available to citizens at hospitals at almost zero costs under the Canada Health Act. Governments of provinces and territories in Canada are in charge of the administration of drug plans that are outside the hospital and publicly funded. Through these public drug plans, the Government decides what drugs are covered and under what circumstances a candidate shall receive coverage.
If you are a Canadian, you have access to at least some form of drug coverage through your health insurance, either through your public insurance or your private insurance company. The federal Canadian government and the different Canadian Provincial Governments give different levels of coverage to their citizens. Their policies also vary in terms of who gets the coverage and how much. The differentiation is made based on your needs, age, income as well as a medical condition. Your medical coverage as well as the coverage for your family members is decided on the basis of Employment. It may be the case for some Canadians to have no coverage for medicines and they have to buy drugs at full price.
Travelling with medication
Even if you are travelling with medicines for legitimate reasons or serious health conditions, you can come under the scrutiny of foreign officials. Drugs that are easily available in Canada and legal in the country may not be so in some other countries. You may even require to show a prescription for these. Carrying some of these can even raise the suspicion of local officials, customs officers and immigration authorities. To avoid such surprises, gather information beforehand, contact the Government offices of that country that are accredited to Canada and find out what status your medicine has in that country. Here are some tips that you can follow when travelling to another country from Canada with prescription drugs.
- The two carry-on baggage limit is not applicable if you are carrying medical equipment, healthcare supplies or mobility aids.
- All medicines must be packed in the carry on bag. They should be in their original packet with the labels intact. This will make airport security checks, as well as customs screenings, go quicker.
- The liquid restriction imposed on aeroplanes does not apply to liquid medicines. However, take care to mention their presence to your screening officer and have them scanned separately.
- Combining all your medications into one container to save space in your luggage must be avoided under any circumstance.
- If needed or applicable to you, make use of the family line or the special needs line. The officers there have special training in offering extra assistance when needed.
- If you can be away on your trip for a duration longer than the expected time, have an extra emergency bag of medicines.
- Have a photocopy of the original prescription from the doctor close to you at all times. This must-have on it is the generic and trade name of the medicine you are carrying. This will prove useful in case you lose your medication.
- It is also advisable to have with you a note from your doctor describing why and for what medical condition you are taking the medicine.
- Refrain from purchasing medicines from outside Canada unless you have been given the green signal for the same by your doctor or healthcare professional.
- Be cautious of counterfeit drugs or medicines that do not meet the standards of Canadian healthcare standards.
- In case the medicine you are carrying is rare or unusual, check beforehand if it is legal or easily available in the country you are visiting. You can check this by contacting the foreign Government office of that country situated in Canada. This must be done well before your departure so that you can make sure that the medical necessities you require to take along with you on your trip are allowed in the country you wish to visit.
- Talk with your immigration consultant to be sure of what and what not you can pack and carry in your carry-on baggage.
Bringing prescription medication back to Canada
Health Canada can give you permission to return with certain medicines so that you can avoid any interruptions in the course of your medical treatment. This medicine supply can be for one full course or a supply for 90 days. The lesser one of the two duration is picked by the officials based on the usage directions of the particular medicine or drug. The drug must have been brought for usage by you or a person who is travelling with you or for a person you are responsible for. The original packaging of the drug must be kept and maintained. It must show that you bought the medicine from a hospital or authorised medical facility such as a pharmacy. The packaging must also clearly indicate what the medicine is for and what are its contents.
Bringing over-the-counter medication back to Canada
In the case of over the counter prescription drugs, you will have the permission to import into Canada the supply required for one full course of your treatment or a supply for a 90-day course. The lesser duration time period will be taken into consideration on the basis of usage directions. This must be brought for usage by you or a person travelling with you or someone you are responsible for. The medicines can be shipped back to Canada. If not, you must carry it in the packaging that indicated it was purchased in a hospital or pharmacy. You must retain the original retail package. The original label must indicate clearly what the medicine is for and what are its contents.
