Did you know that insulin was discovered a hundred years ago, in 1921? Up until the time the drug was found, people with diabetes mellitus had a very low life expectancy and were forced to be on a diet that didn’t exceed 500 calories a day. Therefore, insulin is regarded as a life-saving medication.
However, not each and every person with diabetes mellitus can afford to buy insulin these days. Thus, a great number of people are looking for a way to save money on it. And one of such ways is to order insulin from Canada.
So, is it easy to buy Canadian insulin? Let’s figure it out together by means of going through this article.
A few words on insulin
Above anything else, it is important to take a closer look at insulin by means of discussing what it is, how it regulates blood sugar levels and is there any difference between the U.S. and Canadian insulin.
What is insulin?
In basic terms, insulin is diabetes medication. It regulates blood sugar levels (or blood glucose levels, as they are also called).
P.S. The above-mentioned definition characterizes insulin as a medication. However, the human body is also capable to produce natural insulin. So, it might also be defined as a hormone produced in the pancreas in order to transport sugar-gained sugar from the blood to body cells.
There exist several types of insulin medication. Namely, you might come across rapid-acting, regular, intermediate, mixed, and long-acting insulin. While each above-mentioned type of medication has its own duration of action and other peculiarities, it has to be prescribed by a health care practitioner.
P.S. Regular insulin is also sometimes referred to as fast-acting insulin.
As well, there exists a whole bunch of insulin brands, such as Apidra, Humalog, Humulin, Novolin, Tresiba, and so on. They are sold in different forms, like a syringe, vial, pen, pump, and many more.
How can insulin regulate blood sugar levels?
Insulin, no matter whether we are talking about medication or natural hormone, has the power to regulate blood glucose levels in the following way:
- Whenever people eat, they get sugar from the gained food. This sugar goes directly to the blood;
- Meanwhile, it is insulin that transports the sugar from the blood to body cells, where it is transformed into energy.
While healthy people acquire insulin that is produced by their pancreas, people who live with diabetes mellitus have to undergo insulin injections.
P.S. Diabetes mellitus is a chronic and debilitating disease that is characterized by high blood sugar levels. There exist two main types of this health condition, namely, type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes (which is also called insulin resistance). If being left untreated, they might lead to serious complications, like kidney disease, heart disorder, vision problems, or even death. Diabetes mellitus might affect both old and young people.
What is the difference between the U.S. and canadian insulin?
Practically speaking, the only substantial difference between the U.S. and Canadian insulin lies in their price. They are not distinct in their quality, efficiency, or safety. However, insulin products in the U.S. tend to cost more than in Canada.
The main reason for it is that the Canadian government (unlike the U.S. Food and Drug Administration) strictly regulates the price of medications and does not allow them to become too high. Therefore, Canadian drugstores offer lower prices for insulin than American pharmacies.
Several things to know about buying canadian insulin
So, if the insulin price tag in Canada is substantially lower than in the U.S., why would not all people order it from there? Well, it might be explained by the fact that there exist several things a person should know before buying insulin from Canadian suppliers.
#1: It is legal to buy insulin at Canadian pharmacies
Despite the fact that a great number of people supposes that getting insulin shipped from Canada is illegal, it is not absolutely so. Let’s clear things up:
- On the one hand, the FDA considers it technically illegal for people to purchase their insulin from Canada, mainly because of its wish to regulate imported drugs;
- On the other hand, however, it’s absolutely legal for any Canadian pharmacy (in eastern, western, or central Canada) to ship insulin and other medications directly to residents in the U.S.
Therefore, it is legal to order insulin from Canadian drugstores.
#2: You will need a valid prescription from a doctor to order Canadian insulin
Any trustworthy Canadian drugstore offers a prescription referral service. Therefore, you will need confirmation from a doctor in order to buy insulin.
The primary reason for it lies in your safety: depending on your diagnosis and health condition, a doctor will prescribe the needed dose of insulin to regulate your blood sugar highs and lows. If your disease progresses, the needed quantity of the preparation for diabetes management might change (namely, you might either need less or more insulin).
Thus, it is vital to consult with health care professionals concerning the peculiarities of your diabetes treatment and ask them to provide you with an insulin prescription.
#3: You might buy a three-month supply of Canadian insulin at once
In order to remain within the norms of the law, diabetics will have to buy not more than a three-month supply of insulin for their personal use from Canadian drugstores. This way, they will cover their individual needs by means of having enough insulin for the time period of three months for life-saving prices.
P.S. The courteous service tailored to clients’ needs is the top priority of most Canadian drugstores. Therefore, they ensure the product integrity of every single vial during the shipping process that is performed by a delivering professional in a timely manner.
Final words
All in all, it is pretty easy to purchase insulin from Canadian suppliers. However, you should pay attention to several above-mentioned rules and limitations. When following them attentively, you are not expected to have any problems when ordering insulin for reasonable prices.
Story by Jenifer Reeves
Share
Contributors
