Re: Has anyone tried getting Enbrel from Canadian pharmacies?

[Guest guest]

Janet, I've ordered methotrexate and Celebrex from Canada Meds - much

cheaper!

Jan Dean

>Hi all,

>I was wondering if anyone on this list has gotten Enbrel or any other

>RA drugs from Canadian pharmacies. I heard on NPR that many people

>from the US are going to Canada to get their medicines because they

>are so much cheaper there. I am trying to figure out what I will do

>when my COBRA in insurance runs out in March. Thanks Janet

[Guest guest]

Janet,

I would be really careful about trying to mail order Enbrel or other

biologic agents from Canada, since it is essential that they be kept

refrigerated during shipment. The US mail order pharmacies send them

overnight delivery packaged in ice, but there are reports of Canadian

pharmacies not being as careful. You don't want to pay for a supply

and find out that it's ruined and unusable when you receive it.

Prior to your COBRA insurance running out, you should start looking

into other options. If the plan that you are on COBRA from was

insured, then that company typically has to offer you conversion to

an individual plan. If it was self-insured (meaning that the plan

sponsor paid the actual claims, rather than purchasing a product from

an insurance company), there's often (but not always) a state

insurance pool that has to provide coverage to you. The key is to

not have any lag time between when one policy ends and the other

starts. It's never too early to start exploring your options. If

for some reason you do end up without insurance, Enbrel (and other

companies) have some plans to provide the product at free or reduced

cost.

Beth

--- In Rheumatoid Arthritis , " janetlou59 " <janmdtn@x>

wrote:

> Hi all,

> I was wondering if anyone on this list has gotten Enbrel or any

other

> RA drugs from Canadian pharmacies. I heard on NPR that many people

> from the US are going to Canada to get their medicines because they

> are so much cheaper there. I am trying to figure out what I will do

> when my COBRA in insurance runs out in March. Thanks Janet