AskNadia: Where to Buy Viagra from a Canadian Mail Order Pharmacy
Dear Nadia,
My diabetic husband wants to buy Viagra from a Canadian pharmacy to save money. Which mail order pharmacy do you recommend?
Becky
Dear Becky:
For men suffering from erectile dysfunction (ED), Pfizer’s introduction of Viagra in 1998 was a relief. However, this medication comes with a high price tag, and most insurance companies do not cover it as a prescription item; limiting its availability to those few patients who have insurance coverage or the means to pay for it out of pocket.
The high cost of the medication has become the driving force for Type 1 and Type 2 diabetic men to look for a cheaper alternative. Either a competitive brand, generic medication or a legitimate overseas company with a U.S. regulated dispensary. The good news is it appears the price of Viagra will be driven down shortly.
Viagra is going off patent in the U.S in 2020. Starting in Dec of 2017 Pfizer, the makers of Viagra have licensed an Israeli company Teva Pharmaceutical Industries to manufacture and distribute a generic version of Viagra.
In Canada and Europe Viagra is off patent allowing legitimate foreign pharmacies with U.S. distribution services to provide prescriptions at a lower cost.
Medical Tourism
World travelers have learned from experience that prescriptions tend to be cheaper overseas; leading them to seek other in-service medical care treatments that would otherwise be cost prohibitive for them in the United States.
Insurance Coverage for Erectile Dysfunction
Medicare does not cover Viagra.
Medicare’s Durable Equipment Part B use to pay for erectile dysfunction pumps. Now Medicare subscribers will need to purchase another plan from a private insurance company, contracted with Medicare for the Medicare Advantage plan or Medicare D coverage. Before buying one of these plans, check the prescription allowance list to ensure the medication you want is covered.
Cialis, a second competitive to Viagra, is also prescribed for Benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), a condition that enlarges a man’s prostate gland. Cialis’s dual treatment purpose makes it more likely to be covered by insurance than Viagra. Always confirm your perspective prescription plan covers your medication before buying it. If you have multiple pharmacy orders , these additional plans can save you additional money justifying the copayment of a higher out pocket prescription.
Counterfeit Viagra
Viagra is a common counterfeit drug that can have dangerous health consequences. Some of these blue pills have toxic coloring agents with drywall as a filler. Ensuring your pharmacy is a legitimate source is of the utmost importance. You don’t want to save money at the risk of unintentionally hurting yourself.
A Guideline to Buying Viagra or A Generic Online
Some people prefer buying Viagra online because it allows them to be anonymous. I remember years ago when I sold ED pumps in my diabetes medical equipment store; some men use to wait until the store was clear of all customers before they would lean over the counter and speak to me in a whisper, requesting information on ED pumps. Since then, I have learned that men want privacy when it comes to ED equipment and medication.
Domestic Pharmacies
Go online and search to see what price points American pharmacies are offering Viagra. At a quick glance Walmart, Costco and CVS offer competitive prices. If you have Medicare Advantage or Medicare D, your medication may be covered.
U.S. Off Label Alternative for Erectile Dysfunction
Ask your physician about Sildenafil which is an active ingredient in Viagra and Revatio. As a viable option, Revatio, approved for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension is also prescribed
for Erectile Dysfunction. Dr. Bradley Anawalt, professor of medicine at the University of Washington in Seattle says “Generic Revatio is considerably less expensive, and it is the same drug as Viagra with the same safety and effectiveness,”
If your physician prescribes Sildenafil as an alternative to Viagra, insurance plans including Medicare do cover the generic Sildenafil.
Canadian and European Pharmacies
The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy has a list of online websites sites to be wary of. Before ordering from any site, take a moment to look up the site you are considering placing an online order with to ensure they are a reputable organization.
, a site that compares pricing on legitimate online pharmacies lists:
Canadian Pharmacy World- selling 90 tablets of 100 mg of Sildenafil for $199 U.S. dollars, pricing one pill at $2.21.
Canadian Pharmacy Meds lists branded Sildenafil at $6.75 a tablet for a bottle of 48 tablets that are 100 mg each.
It looks like on the generic side you can pay as low as $2.21 a tablet, or if your husband prefers the branded medication, he can pay as little as $6.75 a pill.
Nadia
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About Nadia
AskNadia (ranked #1 to 10 under Google’s keyword search), named “Best Diabetes Blog for 2017 by Healthline and with 19 nominations from the Western Publishing Association, Nadia Al-Samarrie’s efforts have made her stand out as a pioneer and leading patient advocate in the diabetes community.
Nadia was not only born into a family with diabetes but also married into one. She was propelled at a young age into “caretaker mode,” and with her knowledge of the scarcity of resources, support, and understanding for people with diabetes, co-founded Diabetes Interview, now Diabetes Health magazine.
Nadia is featured on ABC, NBC, CBS, and other major cable networks. Her publications, medical supply business, and website have been cited, recognized and published in the San Francisco Chronicle, The Wall Street Journal, Ann Landers advice column, former Chrysler chairman Lee Iacocca, Entrepreneur magazine, Houston News, Phili.com,
