Archive for the ‘Drug Safety’ Category

Study finds high rate of “Off-Label” use of Prescription Drugs

Posted by on April 25th, 2012

A Canadian study published this week reported that more than 10 percent of prescriptions being written were for drugs that were not approved to treat that patient’s condition. For the study, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, the researchers examined more than 250,000 electronic prescriptions for more than 50,000 patients written from 2005 through 2009 by 113 doctors in a primary care network in Canada and found that about 11 percent of the medications were prescribed for off-label use, and 79 percent of off-label use lacked strong scientific evidence. Previous studies of American patients found slightly lower levels of off-label use, but the study’s authors believe the overall rate of off-label use of prescription drugs in the U.S would mirror the Canadian results.

Off-label prescribing is when a physician gives you a drug that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved to treat a condition that is different than yours. This practice is legal and common. In fact, one out of every five prescriptions written today is for off-label use.

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality suggest that you talk with your doctor if you have concerns about any medicine or treatment, particularly if it may be off label. They suggest that before you go off-label that you ask these questions:

  • Is this the approved use of the medicine? You may not know if the use is off label. This question can help you start the conversation with your doctor about your medicines.
  • Is the off-label use of this drug likely to be more effective than one approved to treat my illness? This is important because the off-label drug may not be as well tested for your condition.
  • What evidence shows that this off-label drug can treat my condition?
  • What are the risks and benefits of off-label treatment with this drug?
  • Will my health insurance cover off-label treatment with this drug?

Consumer Reports also suggests that that while many times that going off-label can be beneficial when done in close conjunction with your doctors treatment recommendations, that consumers should also be wary because of the potential for abuse and paying for costly drugs that may not be needed. Greater promotion of off-label drug uses could have patients reaching deeper into their pockets to cover prescription costs. Health insurance companies closely scrutinize drugs that are used off-label and may result in greater out-of-pocket costs if the insurance does not cover your doctor’s prescriptions.

Canada Drugs, Canadian Pharmacy, can be a source of savings when health insurance won’t cover a doctors off-label prescription recommendation. With direct cash savings of 20%-80% off the U.S retail cost, we offer savings on many of the most common drugs that are prescribed for off-label use. Our pharmacists in consultation with your doctor can help advise you of your options, and help you make an educated healthcare decision when prescribed a medication for off-label use.

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The Safety of Online Pharmacies

Posted by on March 30th, 2012

The Wall Street Journal health blog wrote this week about online pharmacies and asked whether or not American consumers had anything to be concerned about in terms of the quality and safety of the medication available over the Internet.

The answer from a detailed study done by the National Bureau of Economic Research echoed what legitimate, ethical pharmacies like Canada Drugs have been saying for a decade. That if you are an informed consumer and make sure that when you order online, you order from a pharmacy that requires a prescription from your doctor, and is recognized by a independent body like the Canadian International Pharmacy Association and PharmacyChecker.com that you can trust that you are getting a safe, high quality prescription product.

The study looked at 370 brand-name prescription drugs from over 41 different online pharmacies and found that the prescription products that were sold by accredited and credentialed pharmacies were as safe as those sold in your neighbourhood drug store. Where the danger lies is when people purchase their drugs from online pharmacies that don’t disclose where they are located, don’t have a pharmacy license number in their jurisdiction, and don’t require that you send a prescription from your doctor to order prescription drugs. Any online pharmacy that does that is not behaving ethically and may be selling counterfeit medication or stealing credit card and other financial information.

Our Canadian pharmacy has operated safely and ethically since 2001. When you visit our website at Canadadrugs.com, or call us and speak to one of our Patient Service Representatives you are dealing with real people, operating out of a pharmacy that is licensed in the province of Manitoba by the Manitoba Pharmaceutical Association. We are committed to providing the highest level of pharmacy care to our patents and take that responsibility seriously. We believe that ordering online should safe, easy and affordable. Canada Drugs is a certified member of the Canadian International Pharmacy Association (CIPA), the Manitoba International Pharmacists Association (MIPA), the Better Business Bureau (BBB), VeriSign and is a 5 star rated pharmacy from Pharmacy Checker.com.

Ordering drugs online is more affordable, but as with any transaction done on the web, some unethical people try to take advantage of peoples trust.  We are working hard to educate more people of the savings that are available online, and helping people make informed safe choices about where they buy their prescription medication from.

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Top 6 Tips to Avoid Prescription Mix-Ups

Posted by on March 12th, 2012

Safemedicationuse.ca, a website of developed by the Institute for Safe Medication Practices Canada issued a recent alert on how to avoid mixing up pills with others in your family.

With numerous people in many households taking a variety of different medications, many pharmacists and poison control centers get calls quite frequently about innocent mix-ups in medications that can pose serious health risks in some cases. At Canada Drugs Canadian Pharmacy we encourage our patients to consider the risk of medication mix-ups and take a few simple steps to avoid the problem.

• Store family members’ medicines in different locations or in separate baskets. As always, it’s important to choose a spot that’s out of reach of children or any family member who may become confused.

• Be familiar with the appearance of your medicines.

• If more than one family member is using a pill organizer, consider choosing different colors or brands of organizers. Another way to help prevent mistakes is to make sure that each organizer is labeled with the owner’s name.

• Ideally, skip the organizers altogether and leave medicines in their original containers. That way, you can check the label of the container to be sure you are taking the right med.

• Ask your pharmacist to help you prepare a written schedule with a description of each medicine. That way, you can check your medicines against the schedule before you take a dose. CanadaDrugs.com pharmacy team would be more than willing to assist in developing schedules for any of patients.

• If you are having trouble keeping track of your medicines, you can also ask your pharmacist whether it is possible to have your medicines specially prepared in properly labeled blister packs or pill organizers.

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Common Cold & Flu Medication a Danger to your Pets

Posted by on February 3rd, 2012

This time of winter is when the worst of cold and flu season strikes. No one likes being struck down with a cold, surrounded by dirty tissues and fighting off the sneezes, sniffles and sore throats under the blankets. It’s no fun, and that’s why you turn to our Canadian Pharmacy for common over-the-counter medication to help keep that cold at bay and let you get on with your life. One thing that you need to watch however is to be careful with even the most common over-the-counter cold and flu medication can actually be quite deadly for your furry friends at home.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) wants all pet owners to be aware of the dangers and risks that improperly stored or casually placed cold and flu pills can pose to dogs and cats.

Just one tablet of extra-strength acetaminophen, for example, could kill your cat. Cats are especially sensitive to acetaminophen (which is often sold as Tylenol), because it can damage red blood cells and interfere with their ability to transport oxygen, the group says.

In dogs, which tend to be bigger than cats, acetaminophen can cause liver damage as well as red blood cell damage at higher doses.

Pseudoephedrine is a popular decongestant in many cold and sinus products, and acts like a stimulant if accidentally ingested by pets. In cats and dogs, it causes elevated heart rates, blood pressure and body temperature as well as seizures. Ibuprofen (often sold as Advil) and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like naproxen can cause serious problems even in small doses. Pets are extremely sensitive to their effects, the ASPCA says, and may experience stomach and intestinal ulcers and—in the case of cats—kidney damage.

Even the morning vitamin staple of so many people – Vitamin C, can be a deadly pill for your pets. Even small exposures to Vitamin D analogues like calcipotriene and calcitriol can cause life-threatening spikes in blood calcium levels in pets. Clinical signs of exposure—including vomiting, loss of appetite, increased urination and thirst due to kidney failure—often don’t occur for more than 24 hours after ingestion.

In 2007, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center received 89,000 calls related to pets ingesting over-the-counter and prescription medications.

The ASPCA says if you catch your pet gobbling up medication, you should call your vet right away, even if the pet seems fine, since a poisoned animal might appear fine for several hours or even a day or two after the incident. The ASPCA also has a Poison Control Center’s 24-hour hotline at (888) 426-4435. .

Be sure to take the product’s packaging with you to the vet so s/he can see what’s been ingested. And remember to keep all medications tucked away in bathroom cabinets—and far from curious cats and dogs. We might need a decongestant to get going and get on with our day, but that same pill can be deadly for your favorite furry friend.

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Doubling Up Medication is Dangerous

Posted by on October 13th, 2011

We all get forgetful and make mistakes every day. Who hasn’t spent 15 minutes when you’re in rush looking for a missing set of car keys, or accidently added too much salt to a recipe? These types of incidents happen all the time, and the same type of mistakes can happen with medication, and that’s why it’s important to be aware of this and make sure not to forget a dose, or forget that you’ve already taken a dose and doubling up your medication. However, unlike ruining your dinner with the salt overdose, or missing the start of a movie because you couldn’t find your keys, forgetting about medication can cause you real harm.

At Canada Drugs, Canadian pharmacy we are aware that many of the medications our valued patients take can be dangerous if they are taken improperly, that’s why it’s important to make sure that you are being vigilant in how you dose your medication regime.

The Institute for Safe Medication Practices has some helpful tips that we recommended everyone should follow to ensure that you take your medication in a proper and safe manner.

  • Set an alarm to remind you when your next dose of medicine is due. It is best to use an alarm that you carry with you, such as an alarm on your cellular phone or watch. Make a point of taking your medicine as soon as you hear the alarm.
  • Use a calendar to help you keep track of your medicines. Your pharmacist may be able to give you a calendar that lists all your medicines and the times they should be taken. As soon as you have taken a dose of any medicine, check it off on the calendar. Every year Canada Drugs sends a helpful calendar that includes stickers to help you track your medication.
  • Use a pill organizer (also called a dosette) to sort your medicines by days of the week and times of the day. Pill organizers are available from most pharmacies. Being able to see your medicines in an organizer can make it easier to know whether or not you’ve taken a dose.
  • Some tablets and capsules are available in blister packs. Some of these blister packs are designed to help you keep track of the doses you have taken. If you’re taking many different medicines and you’re having trouble keeping track, consider asking your pharmacist whether it is possible to have your medicines specially prepared in blister packs.
  • If you are worried about your ability to keep track of your medicines, talk to your doctor or health care practitioner, like one of our pharmacists here at Canada Drugs.

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