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Dec Canadian Pharmacy News
Issue #5, December 2003
Seasons Greetings from the Staff at MediSave
MediSave Wishes You a Happy and Healthy
Holiday Season
The MediSave staff would like to thank you for
your loyalty and good wishes. We wish you a happy and joyous holiday
season and look forward to providing you with the safest, most affordable
medication for 2004.
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MediSave Holiday Business Hours
Dec 24th = Closed for new orders at 2:00pm
Pacific Standard
Dec 25th = Closed for new orders
Dec 26th = Closed for new orders
Dec 27th = Closed for new orders
Dec 28th = Closed for new orders
Jan 31st = Open half day until 12 noon Pacific Standard Time
Jan 1st = Closed for new orders
During the Holiday Season, as the mail systems are significantly
backed up it is especially important to make sure to get your order
in at least 3-weeks before you run out of your meds. Our customer
service center is open Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m.
Pacific Standard Time to answer any questions you may have and you
can order 24hrs a day online on our website.
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What's the Difference Between a Brand Name
and a Generic Name Drug ?
Source: Canadian Generic Pharmaceutical Association 2003
What's the difference between a brand name
and a generic drug?
There are no differences as far as quality, purity, effectiveness,
and safety between generic drugs and higher-priced brand name drugs.
All drugs sold in Canada must be approved by the federal Therapeutics
Products program. Each product must also meet the strict regulations
established by The Food and Drug Act, and both generics and brand
name drugs are subjected to the same rigorous standards. It's in
the price you'll see a big difference. Generic drugs cost much less
on average.
What about the ingredients?
The active ingredient in a generic drug and branded drug must meet
the same scientific norms and standards set by the Therapeutics
Products program. The excipients - or fillers - used in generic
and branded medicines come from a limited range of available products
and, in many cases, come from the same supplier.
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Will the generic drug work as well as the brand name drug?
You may find that the generic drug has a different name and looks
a little different, but it works the same as the brand name drug
you have been using. When applying to sell a generic equivalent
of a brand name drug, the manufacturer must prove that the product
is as safe and effective as the branded version. The manufacturer
must also prove to the Provincial Ministries of Health that the
active ingredients in the medicine are as pure, dissolve at the
same rate, and are absorbed in the same manner as the original product.
Will the generic drug work as well as the brand name drug? A: You
may find that the generic drug has a different name and looks a
little different, but it works the same as the brand name drug you
have been using. When applying to sell a generic equivalent of a
brand name drug, the manufacturer must prove that the product is
as safe and effective as the branded version. The manufacturer must
also prove to the Provincial Ministries of Health that the active
ingredients in the medicine are as pure, dissolve at the same rate,
and are absorbed in the same manner as the original product.
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Whom do I ask about getting low cost generic drugs?
Ask your doctor or your pharmacist. You may already be receiving
a generic drug. If not, it may be because a generic equivalent of
the drug prescribed by your doctor is not yet available. These health
professionals can answer questions about generic drugs.
Who makes
Canada's generic drugs?
The generic manufacturing companies are independent Canadian companies
who research, develop and manufacture drugs in Canada. They employ
sophisticated scientific and advanced manufacturing technology to
develop products, which include generic pharmaceuticals, fine chemicals,
innovative medicines, nonprescription and private label medications.
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Quality
There is only one standard for drug quality in Canada. Generic products
are the same quality and efficacy as branded drugs. Generic companies
have sophisticated laboratories and state-of-the-art manufacturing
facilities.
Availability and Affordability
Generic drugs are carried in retail pharmacies in Canada. Canadian
hospitals and all provincial drug plans use them to help control
skyrocketing drug costs. More than 40 percent of all prescriptions
in Canada are filled with generic drugs, but a generic equivalent
is not available for every brand name drug. Under the Canadian Patent
Act, brand name companies have a lengthy period of patent protection
to sell their products without generic competition.
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Generic Drugs are:
- Quality medicine
- Much lower in price than brand name drugs
- Used to fill over 40% of all prescriptions in Canada and USA
- Saving CNortha Americans billions of dollars annually
For the Health of all North Americans
Generic drug manufacturers have helped Canadians enjoy affordable
health care for more than thirty years by offering quality medicine
at substantial cost savings. Skyrocketing health care costs means
controlling drug prices is essential. Greater use of generic drugs
is one way to save our health care system money while preserving the
level of service to which Canadians have become accustomed.
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Exercise
and Heart Disease
Source: American Heart Association
The American Heart Association has now added " lack of exercise" to the list of major risk factors for heart disease. The other risk factors are smoking, high blood pressure, and high blood cholesterol.
Exercise not only helps fight heart disease, but for sedentary people, just adding a little exercise to your daily routine reduces the risk of high blood pressure, osteoporosis, breast and colon cancer, depression, anxiety and stress. Ideally, you should exercise three to five times a week for 20-50 minutes within your target heart rate. However, your health can benefit simply by accumulating 30 minutes of moderate activity per day, such as stair climbing, walking to work, or gardening.
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Also, it is not just aerobic exercise such as walking, cycling, jogging and swimming that is recommended.Resistance training, or weight lifting, is an important component of a good fitness program because it increases your strength, leads to decreased body fat and helps improve blood cholesterol levels.
Benefits of Regular Exercise
- Improves heart and lungs
- Decreases resting blood pressure
- Decreases body fat Decreases total and LDL cholesterol ("bad cholesterol")
- Raises HDL cholesterol ("good cholesterol")
- Increases energy level Increases tolerance to stress and depression
- Controls or prevents the development of diabetes
- Decreases risk of orthopedic injury
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Guidelines for Safe Exercise Frequency
- 3-5 times a week
- Duration - 20-60 minutes
- Intensity (how hard) - within your target heart rate
- Calculating Your Target Heart Rate 1) 220 - age = MHR (maximum
heart rate) 2) MHR x 0.6 = _____ (this is the low end of your
target HR) 3) MHR x 0.8 = _____ (this is the upper end of your
target HR) Example: If you are 40 years old, your MHR is 220 -
40 = 180. 180 x 0.6 = 108 180 x 0.8 = 144 Therefore, your Target
Heart Rate is between 108 and 144 beats per minute.
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Treat Osteo Arthritis with Synvisc or Neovisc
Osteoarthritis knee pain doesn't
have to keep you from enjoying life. Synvisc and Neovisc are both
a 3-injection viscosupplement that can provide up to 6 months of
knee pain relief. Synvisc is easy to use and with one course of
therapy can provide pain relief and increased mobility for many
OA patients. The earlier Synvisc and Neovisc treatment is given
the greater the possibility of treatment success. So don't wait.
Make Synvisc or Neovisc your course of action for months of relief.
Synvisc and Neovisc are both indicated for the treatment of pain
in osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee in patients who have failed to
respond adequately to conservative nonpharmacologic therapy and
simple analgesics, e.g., acetaminophen.
Order Synvisc or Neovisc
Online Today
No Prescription Required
Synvisc
|
Neovisc
|
- OTC
- No Prescription Required
- Lubrication
For Your Knees
- Helps
Osteo Arthritis
- Injections
Into Joint Gives
More Than 6 Months Relief
- 3 disposable
syringes of 2 ml
each Contains 8mg of Hylan per ml
- To administer
see your
health care professional
|
- OTC
- No Prescription Required
- Lubrication
For Your Knees
- Helps
Osteo Arthritis
- Injections
Into Joint Gives
More Than 6 Months Relief
- 3 disposable
syringes of 2 ml
each Contains 8mg of Hylan per ml
- To administer
see your
health care professional
|
|
Sold in USA and Canada
|
Sold only in Canada
|
|
$445.00 US
|
$359.00 US
|
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Let Us Know What You Think
We would love to hear what you think of this issue of
our newsletter and our prescription service. And of course, if you
have any suggestions for upcoming issues that you'd like to share
with us, please send those too! E-mail us at customerservice@MediSave.ca
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