Posted by Cam W. on August 22, 2001, at 17:32:59
In reply to Re: Cam! - Advisability and Legality of Importing, posted by JohnL on August 22, 2001, at 17:11:01
John - In Canada, the importation of medications requires a doctor's prescription and indications for use. What is the big to-do in the U.S. with the FDA clamp down on importing medication from interent sites without a prescription? Does the FDA directive only cover medications in the US that are already available on prescription?
Still, it seems to me that self medication is risky (but that is only my personal observation). What if someone became (oh, let's say) manic from using unprescribed medications from overseas and caused harm to someone else? I doubt that the person would be exempt from prosecution, because the medication they were taking was not prescribed to them. I guess it would be treated much the same as an alcohol-related incident. I don't think that (for me) the liability would be worth the risk.
Thinking out loud. - Cam
>
> In the USA it is legal to import medications under the following constraints:
> 1. They are for personal use and not for resale.
> 2. They are not commercially promoted.
> 3. They are of less than 3 months supply.
> 4. They are not classified as controlled substances.
>
> Here's something real interesting. Did you know...that any government official who tries to deny an American their right to import legally within the above contraints can be fined up to $10,000 and imprisoned not more than 10 years, or both. 18USCC Section 241 and 242.
>
> In other words, it is not the patient who is at risk of going to jail for importing a legal unscheduled medication, but rather any government official who stands in the way who is at risk of going to jail, especially if they haven't studied basic laws that apply to them.
poster:Cam W.
thread:75697
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010822/msgs/76017.html