Canadian Drug Service Ordered to Close Down

Louisiana Board of Pharmacy Issues Cease and Desist" Letter to Local Storefront Helping Seniors Order Drugs From Canada.

KENNER, LA (PRWEB)October 7, 2003 – After only being open for two months, a Kenner storefront which helped seniors obtain cheaper medications from Canada is being told they must shut down.

The Board of Pharmacy issued the cease and desist" letter to NorthCare Drugs because they were, selling or offering for sale prescription medications originating from Canada" and are therefore practicing as an unlicensed pharmacy.

Stephen Hua, manager of NorthCares Kenner office insists that his company is not a pharmacy, but merely a facilitator of information. We do not stock any medications and we clearly state that we are not a pharmacy on our door before you walk into the office".

Those who visit the small office, located at 3110 Williams Blvd. looking to purchase drugs are often surprised by what is inside. There are no drugs in the store, only a couple of desks and chairs, a computer and a fax machine. Customers bring in their prescriptions and fill out forms, which are then faxed to a licensed Canadian pharmacy, which processes the order and ships the medication to the customers home.

Hua believes that his store is the first and only one of its kind in the state, offering customers face-to-face customer service. The majority of those ordering from NorthCare are seniors who do not have prescription drug coverage, many of whom prefer the more personal aspect of ordering from a storefront.

From the day we opened we have been helping people save money on their medications, if we are forced to close our doors, where else can people go?" Hua said. He goes on to say that the average customer saves 50% on their prescription drug costs.

For years, Americans have been traveling up to Canada to get prescription drugs. Canadian companies buy drugs at a much cheaper price because of government price controls. At first the Canadian pharmacies were mainly using newspapers to advertise their services, providing toll free numbers and websites as a means of contact.

Recently, storefronts like NorthCare Drugs have been opening up all over the country. The storefronts have helped increase awareness in purchasing medications from Canada to the extent of which it is now estimated that over 2 million Americans are ordering drugs from Canada. These storefronts have been met with great opposition from State Pharmacy Boards and FDA officials. FDA officials have already forced several stores in other states to shut down.

The Louisiana Board of Pharmacy has warned Hua that if he does not comply with the directions in their letter that they will have no other alternative than to get the FDA involved.

Despite the pressure in Louisiana, it has not deterred Hua from going ahead with plans to expand NorthCare into other states. Hua says, plans to open five more storefronts in California and Texas before the end of the year will go ahead as planned.

NorthCare also has a storefront in Bay Harbour Islands in Florida and their head office is based out of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Hua is currently seeking legal counsel and has not stated whether or not he will comply with the Board of Pharmacys demands.
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