Prescriptions
Posted date : Nov 6, 2017.
Dear Bird Talk,
This will be our first time being snowbirds for a couple of months. We are wondering how people deal with their repeat prescriptions?
Ken Cunningham
Simcoe, ON
Response:
Ed: That’s an easy one, at least in Ontario. Simply have your doctor prescribe enough medication for your entire trip, with a little extra to allow for possible delays.
The Ontario government now allows up to 200 days for travel purposes and is looking at increasing this to 212 days − to cover a full seven months away from home. Call your pharmacist first, as he or she may want extra documentation such as a travel insurance policy or a letter from your doctor to justify the large amount.
Every province is a little different and CSA is working hard to get them all to the same standard. Just a word of caution – keep all of your medications in their original containers; carrying a copy of the prescription is a good idea, too. Some border guards are very sticky on prescription drugs, especially at the U.S./Mexico border. They believe that cheap Canadian and Mexican drugs cost U.S. jobs, and the many counterfeit prescription drugs can cost U.S. lives, so there is some justification for their occasional harsh positions.
