Frequently Asked Questions

Why are your drugs so inexpensive?

Pharmaceutical prices in the US are the highest in the world.  Many drugs in the US are sold at 10,000 or even 100,000 times the cost of production.  Most governments have regulated the markup drug companies are allowed to impose but the US has not.  Additionally, lower incomes in the majority of the world make huge markups impossible.  Our mission has been to find the markets with the lowest priced, highest quality products and make those products available to our customers.  For many products, Bangalore is the best choice.  India now has the second most US FDA approved pharmaceutical manufacturing units (after the US).  For other products Canada, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, or Eastern Europe are the best options.  As such, we’ve tried to develop strong relationships with major manufacturers and distributors in as many of these markets as possible.

 

Additional cost savings come from our more direct sales model.  We buy from large, reputable distributors, or directly from the manufacturer whenever possible, and cut out the middlemen.  In addition to reducing our costs, it also provides additional quality assurances.

Do I need a prescription?

Yes. The FDA requires a prescription to accompany each drug that is ordered. This can be a copy of the original prescription or a copy/picture of the prescription pill bottle if your prescription has already been filled. We only need a copy of your prescription the first time you place an order for each drug. There are many ways to provide us with a copy of your prescription. The easiest and quickest way is to take a digital picture of your prescription or your prescription pill bottle and email it to us at prescriptions@progressiverx.com. You can also email us a scanned copy, or fax your prescription to us toll-free at 1-888 753-6401.

Where do your drugs come from?

ProgressiveRx has operations in Canada, Singapore and Bangalore.  We own a retail pharmacy and pharmaceutical distribution center, and we have developed distribution relationships with a number of the largest companies in the industry.  Our drugs come from many of the world's largest pharmaceutical manufacturers: Aventis, Abbott, AstraZeneca, Cipla, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck, Pfizer, and Ranbaxy, to name a few. Some are manufactured in America, some in Europe, and some in Asia. All are high quality pharmaceutical manufacturers, who are either certified by the US FDA or meet the World Health Organization's "Good Manufacturing Practices" (GMP) standards.
 
Our headquarters is in Bangalore because India now has the largest number of FDA-approved manufacturing units [for prescription drugs] outside the US. Some of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world are based in Asia; India alone has over 70 FDA approved plants and another 200 manufacturing units that comply with GMP standards. Many of these companies sell directly to US consumers or sell raw ingredients to Western pharmaceutical manufacturers such as GlaxoSmithKline, Merck, and Pfizer.  Some Asian pharmaceutical companies also have manufacturing plants in the US. Articles and additional information on Asian pharmaceutical manufacturers are available here.

How long does will it take for my order to arrive?

We offer two flat-rate shipping options:

 

• Express Mail Service (EMS) is 8-12 Business days for $18.00
• International First Class Mail (IFCM) is 14-21 Business days
  • Without tracking for $5.00

 

EMS is an international partnership of mail services that includes the US Postal Service. While these rates may still seem high to some (and we certainly wish would could reduce them further), most couriers rates from Asia start above $50 for the first pound (e.g. FedEx).  While shipping prices may seem high, the prices are actually below our cost.

Is this legal?

In the late 1980s, the FDA put a policy into place which allowed US consumers to import up to a 90-day supply of prescription drugs for personal use (i.e. not for resale).  This policy was designed to allow AIDS patients and others who suffered from chronic illnesses to import drugs which had not yet undergone FDA approval. 

 

With the emergence of the Internet, many companies began to offer US consumers less expensive prescriptions from abroad.  Western pharmaceutical manufacturers have done everything possible to curtail drug importation because of the enormous profits they make in the US market (in 2002, the top 10 pharmaceutical manufacturers made more money than all other Fortune 500 companies combined!). The FDA has followed the drug companies’ lead, asserting that they cannot guarantee the safety of drugs imported from abroad (FDA statements are available below).

 

Congress has responded by authoring a number of bills in favor of importation.  While the FDA is clearly opposed to importation, the agency rarely interferes with importation for personal use as long as the purchaser has a prescription for the drugs being imported, it’s for personal use, and it’s not a scheduled drug (a drug that has strict prescribing and availability criteria because of its potential for addiction or abuse).

 

In fact, some local and state governments in the US buy prescription drugs for their public employees from abroad in order to cut costs.  In 2005 Illinois created a website that allowed its residents to import prescription drugs from abroad, which Wisconsin, Kansas, Vermont and Missouri later joined. Vermont sued the FDA because their request to import directly from Canada was denied.

 

Importing prescriptions has been a hot political topic for the past decade, receiving a lot of attention in Congressional and Presidential elections. Organizations such as the AARP have lobbied vigorously to expand the options available to US consumers.

 

As long as tens of millions of Americans are without prescription drug benefits, we are committed to providing a low-cost alternative.  We do not believe Americans should have to choose between paying for basic life necessities (food and rent) and paying for the prescriptions they need.  It is a risk to the public health and welfare that ProgressiveRx seeks to alleviate.

 

For further information on current legislation and the legalities of importing prescription drugs for personal use, we have provided several links below:

 

Congressional Legislation:

• Amendment to Allow for Importation of Prescription Drugs
• Affordable Medicine Safety and Access Act
• Preserving Access to Safe, Affordable Canadian Medicines Act
• Importation of Prescription Drug Bill #H.R.1
• Prescription Drug Parity for Americans Act
• Save Our Seniors Act

 

FDA Statements:

• Importation Policy
• Statement on Vermont's Lawsuit on Importing Prescription Drugs from Canada
• July 27, 2005 Letter from the FDA to Greg Abbott of Texas regarding prescription importation
• Consumer Education: Buying Medicine from Outside the United States

I don't see the drug I need. Can I request it?

Yes. If you don't see your prescription listed, please email us at help@progressiverx.com. If you request a drug that we do not currently sell and we are able to provide it to you, we will give you a coupon for $10 off of your first order of that prescription.

How can I pay for my order?

We accept every major credit card as well as checks and money orders.

Do you accept health insurance for payments?

We wish that it was possible to work with heath insurance plans. Unfortunately, in nearly all cases, this is not possible.  Our hope is this will change in the future.

Can refills be sent automatically?

Yes. You can either check the "Auto Refill" box when placing your order or email us at refills@progressiverx.com and let us know what prescription you would like to have automatically refilled. We will ship your refill orders so that they will arrive at least a week before your previous order expires, to ensure that you will not run out of your prescription.

Can I place an order by phone?

Yes. The number is 1-800-400-0707.  We are still a small business so our customer service line has limited hours.  It’s open 9am - 5pm Pacific Time, Monday through Friday.  If you are calling after hours, please leave a voicemail and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.

Is there a quality guarantee with the prescriptions?

Yes.  If you are unhappy with the quality of the product for any reason, contact us within 30 days of delivery and we will refund your money for all remaining pills.

Do you offer free shipping?

Yes.  We provide free shipping on orders over $99. This offer is valid only with IFCM - International First Class Mail.

Is there a delivery guarantee?

Yes. We will reship your order at our expense if it is not delivered.

Can I cancel my order after I have paid?

It is possible to cancel your order until it has actually been shipped. Please email or call us immediately if you need to cancel your order. Unfortunately, after the order has been shipped cancellation is not an option.

 

If you have a question that is not answered on this page, please email us.