Canadian drugs are typically exported across the world. Whether they are produced in Canada or exported in, many of the prescriptions highly desired in the United States and Europe are exported out of Canadian Provinces due to the price rulings imposed by Health Canada.

These rulings prevent extortion of prescription drug prices by pharmaceutical companies, which permits more individuals to have access to the drugs that they need.

However, Canadian drugs have the disadvantage of being so heavily regulated. Unlike in the United States, there are many types of drugs that have not yet met the vigorous regulations imposed by Health Canada. The affected drugs span over the counter medications as well as prescription drugs.

By taking a hard line stance on the regulation of Canadian drugs, Health Canada guards the individuals of Canada from exposure to drugs that have unwanted health problems associated with their dosages. By heavily regulating who can take untested drugs, Health Canada has stopped some instances of drug manufacturers selling products to the general public that have not proven safe for use in the long term. However, it is this same stance that prevents many from having the ability to take experimental drugs that might make the difference in life or death treatments of rare or difficult to treat diseases and illnesses.

Sending Canadian drugs to foreign countries may not assist you in getting the low cost prescriptions you want or desire. While this may work for some people looking for specific prescriptions, the importation of these prescriptions into the United States is regulated. In many cases, the levy placed on prescriptions entering the United States will put those prescriptions at equal price with what you pay in the drug stores. Instead of paying the excess amount to the drug manufacturers, you pay taxes to government instead.

As the rulings imposed by Health Canada are strong, there are less drug manufacturers located in Canada than in the United States. Canadian drugs manufactured by these drug manufacturers tend to have a higher reputation of quality and control. However, this is not always the case. In some instances, such as in government regulated and produced medicinal marijuana, the quality is lower than can be obtained on the illegal markets.

There are some instances where you can purchase high strength Canadian drugs over the counter without doctor approval. The availability of these drugs is limited by province and availability. Transporting these medications out of country can also cause some problems. If you're considering exporting these medications back for self use, please keep the receipt, as you will require it at any border crossing where you might undergo questioning.