Ordering medication from overseas

I’ll check back on Monday to see if we can pull this through via emergency import

Emergency imports only happen if a doctor submits a formal proposal to a hospital board. If they actually approve it, the medication is paid for out of the hospital's own budget. Honestly, getting that approved is going to be an uphill battle since this is just an allergy med and there are already other similar drugs registered here in the States—even if none of them work nearly as well, bureaucracy doesn't care about quality, only paperwork. Plus, the whole process drags on forever and ends up costing more than the actual medicine. That’s exactly why I suggested just picking it up yourselves.

Amanda Lopez7 said:Thanks, Lisa Myers! Honestly, I think I’ll just let it slide and not report him. If they end up tracking him down, I’ll just play dumb! The real issue is that I’m from the Midwest, so customs agents might find it pretty suspicious why I was trekking all the way over to Canada, you know?

What would be weird about that? People cross the border from America to Austria every single day just to grab a coffee, believe it or not. You went to check out some shops, couldn't find what you needed, and now you're heading home... nobody is going to grill you. Just go confirm the Mevorshayer if you need a new dose, just so you don't run into any trouble.

Exactly. If he orders it this way at a local pharmacy, it’ll end up costing us way more than if we just grabbed it in Austria. That goes for most medications, too. I know some things aren't cheaper there either, but with what we're buying, we originally checked with our local pharmacy and the price was for $67 a small pack. Then I emailed some places in Austria to ask around—and they have $83 a large pack that's actually double the size. Since Austria is only a twenty-minute drive away and we head over there anyway for shopping, it’s a total no-brainer. It’s clearly worth it for us.

From what I gather, you can't just order medication from overseas via mail. If Customs intercepts the package, it won't be delivered because individuals aren't permitted to import drugs through the postal service. However, regarding travelers crossing the border personally, the rules are different (source: IRS):

Travelers may bring finished medications for personal use, provided the quantity covers no more than a 30-day supply. These must be approved by the manufacturer's country authorities, and you must carry valid medical documentation, such as a physician's statement or medical records.

Based on that, it looks like you could legally purchase a prescription in Austria and bring it back into the US, as long as you have the paperwork proving a doctor prescribed it. That said, it might be wise to check directly with an IRS agent or a Customs official. It's better to get a definitive answer so you can travel without worrying about your medication being seized.

Thanks, everyone! I actually checked in with a customs officer at one of the border crossings near Canada, and he told me it's perfectly fine to bring the medication over from Canada as long as you have your medical history documentation on hand. Cheers to all!

In the interest of not cluttering things up with a brand-new thread, I have a question for the moderators who clearly know their way around this place...
I was wondering about ordering from Swanson—specifically, how does that process typically go through US Customs? Are there any specific restrictions or bans on importing supplements that I should be aware of? My main concern is whether I might end up getting some sort of notice claiming I’m importing counterfeit pills 🤣 or something along those lines.
To be more precise, I was planning on picking up some Omega-3 Glucosamine, or perhaps something similar if anyone has a solid recommendation on what works best. Also, if they actually decide to open the package, how is the customs duty calculated?

Thanks!

Drew Wright said:In the interest of not cluttering things up with a brand-new thread, I have a question for the moderators who clearly know their way around this place...
I was wondering about ordering from Swanson—specifically, how does that process typically go through US Customs? Are there any specific restrictions or bans on importing supplements that I should be aware of? My main concern is whether I might end up getting some sort of notice claiming I’m importing counterfeit pills 🤣 or something along those lines.
To be more precise, I was planning on picking up some Omega-3 Glucosamine, or perhaps something similar if anyone has a solid recommendation on what works best. Also, if they actually decide to open the package, how is the customs duty calculated?

Thanks!

Look, if the FDA hasn't given the green light to a specific supplement, you aren't going to be able to bring it in legally, and you'll end up broke and empty-handed. From what I've heard, importing those American supplements can be a real headache because their ingredient regulations are way more relaxed than ours, so stuff that’s fine in the States often gets blocked here. Honestly, the smartest move is to just go through a local pharmacy; they'll tell you straight up if it's allowed or not. You might pay a premium for the convenience, but at least you won't get screwed. Your other option is to find someone involved in a local sports club and ask them for a favor. Those guys are always ordering all sorts of stuff and they usually know exactly what clears customs without a hitch. I once had someone grab some D-mannose for me like that.

Angela Wright said:Look, if the FDA hasn't given the green light to a specific supplement, you aren't going to be able to bring it in legally, and you'll end up broke and empty-handed. From what I've heard, importing those American supplements can be a real headache because their ingredient regulations are way more relaxed than ours, so stuff that’s fine in the States often gets blocked here. Honestly, the smartest move is to just go through a local pharmacy; they'll tell you straight up if it's allowed or not. You might pay a premium for the convenience, but at least you won't get screwed. Your other option is to find someone involved in a local sports club and ask them for a favor. Those guys are always ordering all sorts of stuff and they usually know exactly what clears customs without a hitch. I once had someone grab some D-mannose for me like that.

The items I'm looking to order are actually available here, though they are significantly cheaper over there. Has anyone here ever ordered directly from Swanson? If so, could you let me know firsthand whether the shipment actually clears customs without issue?

Drew Wright said:The items I'm looking to order are actually available here, though they are significantly cheaper over there. Has anyone here ever ordered directly from Swanson? If so, could you let me know firsthand whether the shipment actually clears customs without issue?

I’ve ordered eBay L-tyrosine from Swanson before
the first time the shipment value was $20 ,the second time it was 150
I never ran into any issues at all...

George Bishop72 said:I’ve ordered eBay L-tyrosine from Swanson before
the first time the shipment value was $20 ,the second time it was 150
I never ran into any issues at all...

So, did it just sail through without being inspected by Customs, or was it processed but simply went through without any hiccups?
Was this shipped directly from the USA? And how long did it take to arrive?

Drew Wright said:So, did it just sail through without being inspected by Customs, or was it processed but simply went through without any hiccups?
Was this shipped directly from the USA? And how long did it take to arrive?

I ordered them from eBay—twice, actually. I don't think it was even the same seller, though if it was, that's quite the coincidence...
It arrived in about 10 days—maybe even less once
no customs issues at all

George Bishop72 said:I ordered them from eBay—twice, actually. I don't think it was even the same seller, though if it was, that's quite the coincidence...
It arrived in about 10 days—maybe even less once
no customs issues at all

Alright, that’s incredibly helpful, thank you. If anyone else happens to have experience ordering from eBay or Swanson, I would certainly appreciate any further reassurance you might be able to offer...👍

I really need some help here because I honestly don't have the time to be digging through ancient posts all day! I've found some Vitamin B1 on a web shop and I need to grab it ASAP, but I'm freaking out about how the customs process works—is it really just an extra $11 or what?

Benjamin Allen3 said:I really need some help here because I honestly don't have the time to be digging through ancient posts all day! I've found some Vitamin B1 on a web shop and I need to grab it ASAP, but I'm freaking out about how the customs process works—is it really just an extra $11 or what?

I ordered some Glucosamine sulfate recently, which came to about $18 including shipping, and everything went quite smoothly—no issues with customs or anything like that.☕div>

Hey everyone—does anyone know the best way to import a supplement from the States? I'm looking for molybdenum. I really need it for my health, so if you have any tips, let me know.

Hi, has anyone here ever ordered eye drops or artificial tears from overseas?

I’m looking to order a few over-the-counter drops from an online shop based in England or Germany, but I noticed on the postal service website that shipping medications into the USA via mail isn't allowed.

Do eye drops fall under that restriction, or can they be ordered just like regular medicine?

Hey everyone! I’m looking to order some B-complex vitamins in their active form—I can't seem to find what I need in our local pharmacies here in the States—so I was thinking about just grabbing them from the UK via Amazon. This would be my first time ordering supplements or vitamins online, so I was wondering if anyone knows about any restrictions regarding customs or import bans... I mean, it's just a B vitamin, but still... The specific product is Homocystex Plus by Seeking Health
Thanks in advance!

Does anyone actually have a clue what the legal deal is when it comes to importing meds, herbal remedies, supplements, and all that stuff from abroad—and I mean countries outside the US? If someone could be a total lifesaver and drop some info here, I’d really appreciate it. Honestly, we’re all just stumbling around in the dark; we place an order and then pray it doesn't get stuck at customs. One time it slides right through, the next time it gets seized... It's the absolute worst when you've already shelled out the cash for your stuff and then nothing ever shows up at your door. Maybe if we actually understood the procedure for certain things, we wouldn't even bother trying to order them in the first place. Thanks in advance for any answers that actually make sense.

Benjamin Diaz71 said:Does anyone actually have a clue what the legal deal is when it comes to importing meds, herbal remedies, supplements, and all that stuff from abroad—and I mean countries outside the US? If someone could be a total lifesaver and drop some info here, I’d really appreciate it. Honestly, we’re all just stumbling around in the dark; we place an order and then pray it doesn't get stuck at customs. One time it slides right through, the next time it gets seized... It's the absolute worst when you've already shelled out the cash for your stuff and then nothing ever shows up at your door. Maybe if we actually understood the procedure for certain things, we wouldn't even bother trying to order them in the first place. Thanks in advance for any answers that actually make sense.

Any medication or supplement has to be registered within the US. You can check whether something is officially approved by looking up the status on the EMEA website. If a drug isn't registered, it can sometimes be obtained through an emergency import, but that's strictly handled by pharmacies under a doctor's recommendation. Anything else falls into a legal gray area or is completely off-limits.