ThriftyMeds.com claims to be a licensed Canadian online pharmacy, but some details around the domain and physical address create an immediate sense of distrust. Should you use this company? They seem to provide some evidence that proves they are legitimate in terms of being based in Canada and working alongside doctors. Not everything lines up, however.
| Domain Info | |
| Registration Date | 2002-08-09 |
| Location | Canada |
| Business Info | |
| Name | Thrifty Meds Now |
| Address | |
| Phone Numbers | 1-866-999-7928 1-204-272-3781 |
| Regulatory Bodies | |
| CIPA | ✗ |
| NABP | ✗ |
| PharmacyChecker | ✗ |
| LegitScript | Status: Unapproved |
| Payment Options | |
| Cards | ✓ |
| E-check/Check | ✗ |
| Bitcoin | ✗ |
| Shipping Options | |
| Airmail | ✓ |
| EMS | ✗ |
| Free Shipping | ✓ |
Domain Info
At first glance, the details seem reassuring for this pharmacy. The domain was registered back in 2002 and the registration is not due to expire until 2024. We would expect something like that for a trustworthy online pharmacy. The site does have a Canadian domain and is registered in Toronto.
However, the owner’s name is redacted, which can often be an indication that the company is not totally above board.
The physical address linked to the domain is not a pharmacy but appears to host a number of websites for various products and services, not just drugs.
This lack of specialization could suggest someone trying to cast their net wide and hook in customers interested in different products.
Business Profile
The company sells generic pharmaceutical products at discount prices, You can order online or offline via phone or fax, and refer a friend. They claim that all drugs sold are approved by the Canadian Health Protection Branch and are only shipped from Canada.
This company does ask for some medical background on new customers and company policies are easy to find which seems to point to a more legitimate set-up than is often the case with such websites.
They state that a doctor reviews the orders and the company obtains a prescription for the patient but the doctor does not physically assess that customer so this seems suspect.
However, it gives a physical address that not only doesn’t match the one in the domain but appears to be a public library on the local map. The website address doesn’t match the name of the company on the home page, which seems to be Thrifty Meds Now.
Regulatory Approval
This pharmacy flags up as ‘not recommended’ by the NABP. It states that such a website may help patients buy prescription drugs without a valid prescription and therefore without due regard for patient safety. It also suggests that a ‘not recommended’ website may be operating without a valid license in all areas.
This contradicts the company’s claim that it is licensed. It is possible that the company is telling a partial truth in that it is licensed in some jurisdictions but not others. They claim to be licensed by the College of Pharmacists of Manitoba.
Products and Pricing
There are over 4000 products in the database. The customer simply types in their medication and it will come upon a table with the price next to it. Some products have been discontinued. One product I typed in was not available in a certain dose but they recommended splitting a higher dose in half which does not seem accurate or safe.
Products are not ranked but they include:
- Male health products
- Eye drops
- Pain killers
- Insulin
The price ranges from $15 dollars to over $1000 dollars so there is a wide range a customer can expect to pay.
Payment and Shipping
The company takes payment from either credit cards, a money order payment, or a certified check. Shipping is either free if you are in the USA or there is a flat rate of $10 if the order is below $100. You can also ship to any address even if it is not linked to the credit card and a shipping cost will be applied once you give your address and location if outside of the USA.
The pharmacy claims that most shipping will be completed in 18 days or less. It is very easy to enter details into the shopping cart and could be easily done by anyone with access to the card details and the patient’s address.
There doesn’t seem to be any evidence of secure payment and data protection when handling a patient’s financial data.
Delivery Details
Packages can be tracked via Canada Post and you must call the company for a tracking number. The order will go to the address stated when the customer pays. The pharmacy stated that it takes 12 business days to deliver to the continental USA and 6-8 weeks outside of the continent. There does not seem to be an express option for those with urgent medication requirements.
Reviews
Yelp accuses the parent company linked to the domain name of running scam websites. They claim that products paid for were not delivered. Another user claimed the company sent him a scam email. It has few visitors according to ScamAdviser, and there are no reviews on Trustpilot of the pharmacy.
There are not even any testimonials on the home page, which suggests a quick sale is a key. Not much time and effort has been spent on the look of the website.
Conclusion
The inclusion of company policies and some attempts to reassure patients that their case will be reviewed by a Canadian doctor makes the site appear to have some accountability and ethics. However, a number of very poor reviews on Yelp suggest that the parent or ‘host’ company operates fraudulently. There are too many inconsistencies in their identity and there is only the company’s word for it that patient safety is taken into account.
We do not recommend that you trust this pharmacy.
