Ms. Weed, I don't have any personal experience with buying meds in Canada, but I would do it if I had to and not blink an eye, as long as I kept in mind, "caveat emptor." In my mind Canada has a much better health system than the US, but maybe I'm being too political here. Prescription drug prices are just ridiculous. I'm a biologist and I've heard all the excuses for the high costs and I'm not buying them. But the real reason I wanted to add to this post is just to tell you that you are a real "mensch" for helping out your neighbor. That's Yiddish for a truely decent human being. The great thing about buying online is the meds. would come right to your neighbor's house so the picking up issue would not be there. There is a possibility that she could get a discount through her insurance company for buying online and in three month increments. I know I get somewhat of a discount on my thyroid meds. that way. But that medication is cheap anyway. The problem is when these pharmecutical companies have an exclusive patent on some new drug. I understand a lot of money went into developing the drugs, but I also understand the level of profit Glaxo Smith Klein makes and why they have to make it to survive. But that doesn't bring the greater good for middle income people's health. Like you said, there's help if you are desperately poor, but most people are not in that situation. Instead, they just have to scrape by. I have the same issue with my medications. The doctor gives me heck when I say I don't take this or that medication she prescribes or get this or that test. I tell her to get real. We do what we have to do to get by.

Bumblebeez, it is not "just a skin cream" and prescription strength means just that-you need a prescription. You can buy creams with retinol, but that is not the same.Is retinol the same as Retin-A ( tretinoin)? Many people confuse retinol with Retin-A (tretinoin). Retinol and retinoic acid (tretinoin) are related but distinctly different. Retinol, retinal and retinyl palmitate, do not have the same effect on the skin as tretinoin/ retinoic acid. They first need to be converted by special enzymes into the active metabolite, retinoic acid. Unfortunately , the conversion rate is low and varies among individuals. The other problem is that when retinols are exposed to air, they can become oxidized and degraded. There are some companies that have produced retinol formulas that are more stabilized. In addition, when I just checked eBay as you suggested, whatever they are selling (they call it extra strength retinol)comes from Thailand, Singapore, etc. Not sure I would trust it and very sure you are not getting the same thing as you would get with a prescription. Also, Shee, be sure to use sunscreen with it since it will make your skin more sensitive to the sun.

If you live in CA. they go across border into Mexico & pharmacy is near the border, go around the corner & they have a DR. that will write up prescription but not for narcotics & some other drugs. I told her not to go there but she said she had to have it, crossed the border & was back over here- within the hour. but it wasn't TJ it was towards AZ I think, very small town. If there are busloads they must be doing something similar , I tried to get a drug from Canada that my dr. had been giving me for yrs for migraines but Canadian pharmacy said illegal to take it across border by mail (or any other way).

I don't know the answer to how you get the prescription, but as for your question about insurance; the question is not "will the Canadian pharmacy accept my insurance?". The question is "will my insurance company pay for treatment obtained outside the United States?", and "will my insurance company pay for non-FDA-approved medication?". Insurance companies choose what and who they will pay for, not the other way around. Ask your insurance company. Some policies cover international care if necessary, some don't. My guess is they will not cover non-FDA approved medication, regardless of what country you purchase it in.