What is the difference between a generic drug and a brand-name drug?

Comprehensive Pharmacy FAQ & Safety Protocols

Contact Us

How do I contact Canada Online Health?

Please contact us using the contact information provided at the bottom of this page or our contact us page.

How can I email someone at Canada Online Health with my questions?

Please email our friendly staff at [email protected]. This will ensure your questions is forwarded to the appropriate staff to handle your inquiry. Patient comments and feedback are welcomed and ensure continuous quality improvement to our product offerings, policies, and procedures.

How long will it take to get a response to my email inquiry or fax

Part of our World Class Customer Service includes the quickest possible response times to your inquiries. We will do our absolute best to respond within 24 hours of receiving your email. Faxes are processed throughout regular business hours. National or civic holidays may extend this time.

How to Order

Do I need a prescription?

Yes! We require a legal, valid prescription from a licensed physician in for any products that require a prescription in the USA or in your country of residence. The requirements are the same as if you were to visit your local pharmacy.

Your valid prescription must have the following:

doctor's name and contact information
drug name, strength, quantity, and directions for usage
doctor's signature

Please note: Your unfilled prescription is valid for six months from the date it was written.

How can I send my prescription to you?

You may provide a copy of your prescription on our website by uploading your document here or by email, fax, or mail. If you provide a copy of your prescription using these methods, you are still required to mail the original copy to us.

If you prefer, our pharmacy will contact your doctor's office to request a new prescription directly. Simply let us know if you would like our pharmacy to submit this request to your physician, and we would be happy to do so.

Can I speak directly to a pharmacist to ask questions about my medications?

Yes! We offer free counseling with our licensed pharmacists in Canada.

Our pharmacists are available Monday to Friday from 9:00am to 3:00pm (CT).

Can I speak to a doctor and get a prescription?

We don’t have that service at this time. If you need a prescription you must go to your medical provider or we can contact them on your behalf to obtain a valid prescription. Once we have your prescription, we can assist you with placing an order.

How much medication can you supply at once?

We can fill and ship a maximum of 3-month supply at a time to the United States for every prescription medication. If your prescription exceeds this supply, we can provide refills when they are due.

Patients living in countries outside of the USA may be able to obtain larger volumes, such as a one-year supply, to be shipped. However, to ensure the medication will last that period, we will need to verify the expiry date of the lot being shipped. Please contact us for more information.

I am on five different medications, and you don’t seem to list them all. Can you ship them?

If one of the medications you are looking for is not available, we will add your information request to our Unavailable Drug List. We can check with our pharmacy partners to determine if they are able to ship the product and will contact you if it becomes available. We do carry most brand name and generic medications.

We do not ship or sell any controlled substances or narcotics.

Will you accept my insurance?

We do not work directly with insurance companies. If you order from us, you will have to pay out-of-pocket. Please contact your insurance and verify if they will reimburse you when you order your medications from us.

How does your price match guarantee work?

We can price match prescription products sold by CIPA (Canadian International Pharmacy Association) approved companies.

To qualify, it must be an identical product that is in stock, available to ship, and requires a prescription. Products must have the same drug name, strength, manufacturer, country of origin and dispensary.

Competitor’s shipping fee will be applied as total cost of the medication. All products that are price matched does not qualify for any other discounts/coupons.

Please call us for more information regarding our Price Match Policy.

How do your promotional codes work?

Promotional codes received through our emails or from our digital calendar can be entered when you place your order online. If you are placing your order over the phone, please inform one of our patient service representatives and we will apply the code to our system. Please note all coupons are valid until the expiration date listed.

Why do you need my height and weight when I create an account?

Entering in your exact height and weight is important as this will affect your medication dosage. Please ensure the information you enter when creating your account is accurate.

Can you fill prescription for a pet?

Yes, if there’s a valid prescription for the pet.

Can I request my medication be sent without a child resistant cap?

Currently, the pharmacy regulations require that our pharmacy dispense medications in a child resistant container where suitable. For us to dispense medications without child resistant containers to you from our pharmacy, please contact us and we will provide a child resistant cap authorization form in your next shipment.

How do I pay for my order?

You can pay for your order using American Express credit card, electronic debit from your checking account, mailing a check/money order. You can also use wire transfer but there may be additional fees, we would be pleased to speak with you about it if you feel that this would work best for you.

Why doesn’t Canada Online Health accept Mastercard or Visa payments?

We don’t accept these cards due to strict U.S. compliance regulations for online pharmacies, high transaction fees, and increased fraud risks. These factors make it challenging to keep our operations efficient and prices competitive. Read the whole article here.

Our Policies

What is Canada Online Health privacy policy

Keeping your confidential information safe and protecting your personal information is a top priority. We are committed to meeting or exceeding the privacy standards in place with Canada’s Privacy Act. The Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) sets out the ground rules for how our organization can collect, use, or share personal information. Please visit our policy page for more information

What is Canada Online Health return policy?

You have 90 days to return your medications from the date your order ships for a full refund. We accept returns if any mistake has been made on our part during dispensing, or if any damage or issues occurred during shipping that affected your order.

To authorize a return, please call us at our toll-free number for instructions on where to mail the product back and receive authorization for a refund of your shipping cost (up to $12.95 USD).

After your medications have been received at the original dispensary (place your order was shipped from) you will be issued a full return credit on your account.

What is Canada Online Health shipping policy?

All orders are shipped with tracked shipping at our regular tracked shipping price. We’ve chosen tracked for all orders to ensure our customers can follow their orders during the shipping phase.

What is Canada Online Health medication recall policy?

Our first step upon receiving a recall notification is to review current inventory and determine if it is affected by the recall. Next, purchases from the past three months or within the time frame noted on the recall are reviewed to determine if any action is required. Any incoming medication lot numbers and expiry dates are cross referenced to the recall to ensure only non-recalled products are received. Any recalled medications are held in quarantine or returned to the wholesaler or manufacturer as instructed on the recall notice.

If Health Canada or a manufacturer notifies our Canadian pharmacy, a list will be generated including any patient’s that may have received the recalled product. Canada Online Health will contact each patient by telephone to alert them of the recall. Several attempts to contact the patient will be made with a message left for the patient to contact Canada Online Health. If contacting the patient by phone is unsuccessful, an email will be sent to inform the patient of the recalled product.

If the recall notice applies to product that has been shipped to you, Canada Online Health.com will contact you to provide details on how to return any recalled product that you may have. Our pharmacy team will be available to provide counseling on any medication related issues.

What is your policy on products containing pseudoephedrine?

We do not offer any pseudoephedrine containing products.

What is your policy on narcotics and controlled substances?

We do not offer any products containing narcotics or controlled medications.

What are the terms and conditions for using this site?

Please see our terms and conditions page.

What are your terms of sale?

Please see our terms of sale page.

What is your policy regarding shipping multiple medications in one order?

We can place an order for more than one product at a time. If your medications are dispensing from different countries, you will receive multiple shipments. Products from the same dispensary will be shipped together.

Is canadaonlinehealth.com a pharmacy?

No. Canada Online Health is a global leader providing access to online prescription medications from around the world. We work closely with our Canadian pharmacy and other licensed pharmacies in New Zealand, Australia, and Britain (UK) to help customers find prescription medications that are safe, high quality, and affordable.

Is Canada Online Health one of the best accredited pharmacies in Canada?

Canada Online Health is a fully licensed pharmacy in Canada that has been specifically licensed to sell medications outside of Canada and internationally. We take pride in working with one of the best-accredited pharmacies in Canada, ensuring highest standards of quality and safety for our customers.

Product Questions

Why do some Canadian drugs have different names?

Manufacturers register trade or brand names for their products in each country. Often the drug manufacturer will use different trade names in different countries. The medication itself may look the same and have the same medicinal ingredient, but the brand name associated with it may be different. For example, Farxiga (U.S.) and Forxiga (Canada), or Zetia (U.S.) and Ezetrol (Canada).

Are all drugs less expensive in Canada?

The majority of medications from Canada are less costly than in the US. However, not all products from Canada are less expensive.

What are generics?

Generic medications contain the same active ingredients and strengths of the name-brand products but will differ in their shape colour size markings and non-active fillers or excipients. We have carefully selected these generic products to ensure you're purchasing only the highest quality medications. By choosing to buy a generic product you are not buying an inferior medication; rather, you are simply choosing to save money on a product that has the same therapeutic effect to the name brand equivalent. So many of our customers are taking advantage of these quality products that some of the generics we offer are now more popular and the brand name items. If you'd like more information on these products, please don't hesitate to contact us.

What is the difference between a generic medication and a brand name medication?

Generic and brand-name medications are therapeutically equivalent. They contain the same active ingredients and concentrations. They may be different in color, size, shape, and non-active fillers.

What is a parallel import medication?

Parallel imported pharmaceuticals our original brand-named medicines being sold to a specific country. The wholesalers in these countries can purchase these brand name products and sell them to other countries such as the UK. Because some countries can purchase brand name medication at less of a cost compared to the UK, these countries are able to sell these products to the UK and these products are made available buy specialized wholesalers in the UK. For example, a brand name product in Italy, with Italian language labelling, can be sold to the UK, and this product must be re-labeled in English in order to be made available for sale in England. The re labeling process is strictly regulated and this means these products may have a foreign language on them in addition to the English language relabelled on these products.

Why can’t I buy Neurontin (gabapentin), Vicodin or similar products from Canada Online Health?

Canada Online Health does not sell any products that are considered controlled substances or narcotics. We also do not carry medications that have the potential to be drugs of abuse.

Are all medications available in Canada?

Not all medications are available from our Canadian pharmacy, but most are. If you are looking for a medication that is not available from Canada, please call us and one of our Patient Service Representatives will be happy to tell you if we carry the medication you are looking for.

Why does my medication look different from the one I purchased locally?

Regulations and patent laws differ from country to country. Products can differ in size, shape, color, and markings from country to country. If you receive a medication that looks different than what you have been receiving previously, please give us a call and one of our Patient Service Representatives will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Where do you get your medications from?

Our patient’s safety is our primary concern. We source medications from Canada, the United Kingdom, the EAA (European Economic Area), the USA, Australia, and New Zealand. These countries have strong regulatory processes in place and adhere to Good Manufacturing Processes (GMP) which assures us that our dispensary partners are receiving and supplying the best quality medications.

Will I always get a better price from Canada Online Health?

Our prices are very competitive but occasionally you may find your medication at a better price locally. Prices vary from state to state, country to country, and even pharmacy to pharmacy. By ordering from us you will receive a high quality medicine at a low price without the hassle of shopping around. Some of our patients combine ordering medications from their local pharmacy and ordering from us. Every situation is different. Our World Class Customer Service Representatives would be happy to provide you with a price quote!

Do you source medications from India?

India is the largest provider of generic drugs globally. Many of the generic medications found for sale in the USA and in Canada have been manufactured in India. In fact, Indian pharmaceutical companies supply over 40% of generic demand in the United States. Indian exports meet the standards and requirements of highly regulated markets of USA, UK, European Union and Canada. Companies like Sun Pharma, Dr Reddy’s, and Cipla, just to name a few, are well established manufacturers located in India and are known around the globe. We do work with our existing dispensaries to find top quality medications that may have been manufactured in, or originate from, India. We only work with our trusted and time-tested dispensaries to provide these top-quality medications at a significant cost savings to our patients. Patient safety and product quality is very important to us.

Will you ship any prescription medications?

We do not carry all prescription medications that are available around the world. But we do carry most generic and brand name prescription medications.

We also do not ship or sell any controlled substances or narcotics.

Why do the pills I received look different than the ones I get from my local pharmacy?

Products can differ in size, shape and color depending which country it is coming from due to regulations and patent laws. If you have any concerns on the product that you receive, please contact us, we have pharmacists that can answer any of your questions or concerns.

Do your partnered dispensaries source medications internationally?

Yes. We have partnered with licensed pharmacies in Canada, U.S.A., United Kingdom, Australia, Mauritius, and New Zealand.

Where are your government approved dispensaries located?

Our dispensaries are in Canada, U.S., United Kingdom, New Zealand, Mauritius, and Australia.

Where can I find Canada Online Health reviews from other customers?

You can find Canada Online Health reviews and testimonials from other customers on our website. These reviews can help you learn about the experiences of others with our drug store. https://www.canadaonlinehealth.com/reviews

Returns and Cancellations

Can I cancel my order at Canada Online Health once it has been submitted?

We may be able to cancel an order once submitted depending on where your order is in processing. If you want to cancel your order, please call us immediately at 1-800-226-3784 (1-800-CAN-DRUG) to speak with one of our patient service representatives.

Please note: We do not guarantee that we will be able to cancel an order once submitted.

Can I cancel my order at Canada Online Health if I change my mind?

Yes, you can cancel your order at any time before it has been shipped. Please call us immediately at 1-800-226-3784 (1-800-CAN-DRUG) to speak with one of our patient service representatives.

What do I do if I received the wrong prescription or wrong dosage?

Please call us at our Toll Free 1-800-226-3784 (1-800-CAN-DRUG) right away if you received the wrong prescription or wrong dosage. Pending our investigation, we may process a reshipment order free of charge or we may send you a refund. We will accept full responsibility if we have made an error.

What is Canada Online Health return policy?

To authorize a return, please call us at our toll-free number for instructions on where to mail the product back and receive authorization for a refund of your shipping cost (up to $12.95 USD).

After your medications have been received at the original dispensary (place your order was shipped from) you will be issued a full return credit on your account.

How can I track the status of my return and cancellation request?

You can track the status of your request by contacting our patient service representatives through our website or by phone. We will provide regular updated on the progress.

Are there fees associated with cancellations and returns?

We do not charge any fees for cancellations or returns due to damaged or incorrect items. Your satisfaction is our priority. Specific details, such as number of days for returns or the exact refund processing time may vary. Always refer to Canada Online Health website or contact our patient service representative for most up-to-date information on their policies.

Referral Rewards

How does your Referral Program work?

Refer any of your friends, family, or anyone! Once they are signed-up, they will be linked to your account as your referral. For every order they place, your account will automatically be credited 5% of the amount of their order.

If your referrals start signing up their friends and family, you will then get 2.5% cashback from the orders of their referrals.

Want to know more? Talk to us! Call us and we’ll be happy to explain our Referral Program!

Can I use my pet as a referral?

Although pets are considered part of our families, they are not eligible to participate in the Referral Rewards Program.

Can I use my referral rewards to purchase medications or products from Canada Online Health?

Yes, you can usually use your referral credits to purchase items from our company. We want to make it easy for you to access the products you need.

Can I withdraw my referral credits?

Referral credits may only be used to pay for your order with us and cannot be withdrawn but with your authorization, referral credits can be transferred to your family member who has an account with us.

Are there any restrictions on who I can refer?

You can refer friends. Family, or anyone interested in purchasing from our Canadian Drugstore. There are typically no restrictions on who you can refer.

How do I know if my referral was successful?

You can call us at our toll-free number 1-800-226-3784 (1-800-CAN-DRUG) and our patient service representative will check if you were credited when your referral successfully completes a purchase.

Are there any limits on the number of referrals I can make?

There is no limit on the number of referrals you can make. You can refer as much as you want to get more referral credits!

How do I sign up my friends and family?

After you complete your first order, you can have your friends and family place their first order by: creating one online on our website or calling us at 1-800-CAN-DRUG (226-3784). They simply need to give us the Name, and one of the following (Phone Number, Mailing Address, or Email Address) of the person referring them to us; that person being “YOU”! Your referral savings will start with their very first order.

Can I be sent a check for earnings?

Yes! Once your rewards grow to be $50 or more you can choose to have us send you a check in the mail. Individuals who choose to cash out their Canada Online Health Referral Rewards are subject to a $10 Cash Out Fee that will be deducted from their account balance. This covers all administrative, printing, and the mailing costs associated to sending out a check to you. Also, the maximum cash payout is capped at a $500 USD per month.

How much can I earn?

Quite simply the more people you refer, the more you earn in referral rewards! And when your family and friends sign up you will earn more with every person who joins Canada Online Health as a Customer. The maximum cash payout is capped at a $500 USD per month.

Am I charged anything to cash out my referral earnings?

There is a $10 service fee to have your referral money paid out. This fee is to cover the administrative costs associated in preparing and mailing the check to you. However, there is no cost to use your rewards dollars as credit towards purchases.

Can I transfer my referral earnings to my spouse or someone else?

Yes! You can ask for your earnings balance to be transferred to another person’s account with us.

Patient Security & Privacy

How does Canada Online Health prioritize patient security and privacy

At Canada Online Health, patient security and privacy are our top priorities. We employ advanced security measures and adhere to strict privacy policies to protect your information and ensure a safe online shopping experience. We are committed to the strict standards of Canada’s Personal Information Protection and Electronic Document’s Act. Further details are available on our Privacy Policy page.

Is it safe to use my credit card?

Yes. We have a secure platform that protects your credit card information. Additionally, credit cards use online security features like encryption and fraud monitoring to keep your accounts and personal information safe.

What measures do you take to secure online transactions at Canada Online Health?

We employ industry-standard security measures to protect your payment information during online transactions. This includes encryption and secure payment gateways.

Are Canada Online Health customers’ medical records kept confidential?

Yes, we maintain strict confidentiality of all medical records and personal information is never shared without your consent.

How do you handle prescription orders to protect patient privacy?

Prescription orders are processed with the utmost care to protect patient privacy. We use discreet packaging to maintain confidentiality.

Shipping and Tracking

What is the tariff compliance fee?

This tariff compliance fee covers the cost of the tariff compliance software that manages tariffs and helps determine duties based on the contents of your shipment. The fee supports tariff management, duties and tax calculations, and ensuring compliance for shipments from anywhere in the world, including Canada, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand. The tariff itself may be 0% or more, but this fee still applies. It is not a tax or a tariff. If you have any questions about this fee, please contact our customer service representatives.

How long will my order take to arrive?

Once the order is processed and shipped via regular mail, your package will normally take 14 to 28 days to be delivered right to your door. Express shipping normally takes 8-10 days from Canada.

Please note: Due to some factors beyond our control, on rare occasions, delivery times may take longer. We advise all our customers to place their orders 8 weeks prior to running out of their medication(s).

Are there any additional charges?

Tracked shipping fee will be applied to all orders. For international or expedited shipping services, there will be varying charges. Rest assured; we will communicate all charges with you before confirming your order.

Do you ship to the United States from Canada?

Yes, we provide shipping to the United States. Our pharmacy in Canada ships to the US, ensuring you get the medications you need conveniently.

Where else do you ship aside from the United States?

We can ship products globally with some restrictions. Please call us to verify if we can ship to your country of residence.

What guarantee do you offer to ensure I receive my order?

If you did not receive your order within our current reshipment guarantee time frame, we will reship your order to you. Please contact us right away to set-up a reshipment. We don’t charge for reshipments, but if you receive both products and decided to keep both, you will have to pay for both orders.

What is the cost of shipping?

All orders are shipped using tracked shipping services. The cost of this service is as posted when you order is being priced. We’ve chosen tracked for all orders to ensure our customers can follow their orders during the shipping phase. For expedited and international shipping options please contact one of our Patient Service Representatives.

How can I track my order?

All orders will be shipped using tracked services. Once order is shipped, you will receive an email with the tracking number and the link for tracking. Alternatively, feel free to contact us, and we can provide you with the latest tracking updates.

Do you offer overnight or 2-day delivery?

Not at this time. Our orders pass through customs which can take a few days. We have no control over US customs processes and cannot provide this level of service guaranteed. Our current quickest delivery option is from Canada using Expedited delivery service through Canada Post.

How do you ship your orders?

Our orders are shipped using the dispensary’s local postal service. Upon entry into the USA, the United States Postal Service takes over the final portion of delivery to your door. This includes orders with tracked shipping or expedited shipping services added.

What is your shipping time frame?

Our regular shipping time frame averages between 14-28 days. Order shipped with expedited shipping from Canada usually take 8-10 business days to arrive. We work with all our shipping and logistic services and strive to get orders to you in 28 days or less.

Can I change my shipping address after placing an order?

To ensure accurate and secure delivery, we recommend contacting our patient service representative as soon as possible if you need to change your shipping address. Our Toll-free number is 1-800-226-3784 (1-800-CAN-DRUG).

What should I do if there are shipping delays or issues with my order?

If you encounter any shipping delays or issues with your order, please contact our patient service representatives at 1-800-226-3784 (1-800-CAN-DRUG). We will assist you in resolving any concerns.

US Tariffs

What determines the tariff on my medications?

The tariff is determined by the country of manufacture (the country where the medication is produced), not by where it is shipped from or to. Tariffs follow current US policy for each country of manufacture. For details, see https://www.canadaonlinehealth.com/faq.

Are there offsets or discounts on tariffs?

No. Our policy does not include offsetting or discounting tariffs. The tariff amount is added based on the country of manufacture.

What are the current country-of-manufacture tariff rates?

Illustrative current rates by country of manufacture (these can change with policy updates):

India (IN): 50% (includes current penalty imposed by the US for India’s purchase of Russian oil.
Switzerland (CH): 39%
Canada (CA): 35%
European Union (EU): 15%
Israel (IL): 15%
New Zealand (NZ): 15%
Turkey (TR): 15%
United Kingdom (GB): 10%
United States (US): 0%

Tariffs are shown as an amount on the checkout line item that represents a percentage of the product value.

How are these charges shown at checkout?

You will see a clear, itemized breakdown that includes:

Medication price
Tariff by country of manufacture (shown as an amount that represents a percentage of the product value)
Other standard charges (e.g., shipping)

The total payable is displayed before you place your order.

Can you give me examples of how this works?

Example 1: Medication shipping from Canada and manufactured in Canada

Tariff amount: shown as an amount representing 35% of the product value
Shipping: included in the standard shipping fee
Total charges at checkout: product price + tariff amount + shipping

Example 2: Medication shipping from UK and manufactured in India

Product manufacture: India
Tariff amount: shown as an amount representing 50% of the product value
Shipping: included in the standard shipping fee
Total charges at checkout: product price + tariff amount + shipping

How do you determine country of manufacture?

The country of manufacture is the country where the medication is produced. If a medication is manufactured in one country but sourced from another, the tariff rate is determined by the country of manufacture as defined by our policy and regulatory rules.

Are tariffs the same for all medications within a country of manufacture?

Tariff rates are fixed by the country of manufacture and are the same for medications produced in that country, subject to regulatory updates. Some medications may be classified differently under applicable law, so rates can vary by medication category as defined by policy.

How will I know if rates change?

We publish updates on our tariff information and reflect any material changes in checkout notices. You’ll also see the updated rates reflected in medication pages and the tariff explanation here: https://www.canadaonlinehealth.com/faq.

Do these charges apply to all shipments?

Tariffs apply to medications that are imported and are determined by country of manufacture, for orders shipping to the United States only. The standard shipping fee applies to all shipments as part of the checkout charges.

Are there any exemptions or waivers?

At this time, tariffs are fixed by country of manufacture and offsets are not offered. If any exemptions or policy changes occur, we will clearly communicate them at checkout and on the FAQ page.

Where can I find more details?

See our Tariffs by Country of Manufacture information on our FAQ page: https://www.canadaonlinehealth.com/faq. For a detailed explanation, visit our article Explaining Our Shipping Fee Increase and Country-of-Manufacture Tariffs. If you have questions about a specific order, contact our Customer Support with your order number.

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