May 23, 2010
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The cost of prescription drugs prompted retired North Allegheny teacher Sharon Wize to look north for a solution.

For the past 10 years, the McCandless resident, 62, has ordered her medications through the Universal Drug Store, a mail-order business run by the Canadian International Pharmacy Association.

The Winnipeg-based association of licensed, retail pharmacies fills prescriptions for "maintenance" medications for conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol at reduced prices. It does not ship narcotics or other controlled substances.

Ms. Wize figures she has saved $50 on a 90-day supply for an oral medication she takes for her diabetes. "Everything's gone very well. So far, I feel that dealing through the Canadian pharmacy is the most economical way for me to go."

Her refill order, which takes seven to 10 days to arrive, has been delayed only once in 10 years, she said.

"It wasn't their fault. It was the anniversary of 9/11, either 2002 or 2003, and they were really checking everything that was coming across the border," she said.

Tim Smith, the pharmacy association's general manager, said the group has had no health safety problems to date while shipping medications to about 1 million Americans, including 40,000 Pennsylvanians.

"That's a fraction of the U.S. market, so there's great potential for growth."

Source: http://http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10143/1059966-28.stm?cmpid=business.xml.html#