"A licenced Canadian pharmacy is a safe pharmacy"

eDrugSearch.com, a free search engine and online community for Americans interested in purchasing safe, low-cost prescription drugs from prescreened international pharmacies, announced its launch yesterday.

With more than 30,000 drug listings, eDrugSearch.com brings together licensed and accredited pharmacies from around the world in one comprehensive, easy-to-use database.

“Prescription drug prices continue to soar for America’s uninsured and underinsured -- and any relief proposed by Congress is too little, too late,” said Cary Byrd, president of eDrugSearch.com.

“The best solution consumers have today is to order their medicine from Canadian pharmacies and other non-U.S. pharmacies.

eDrugSearch.com is the most effective resource available for helping consumers accomplish this.” More than 65 million Americans – one-fourth of the U.S. population, including millions of seniors – live without prescription drug insurance today. While many are interested in Canadian or other international pharmacies as a means of saving money on their prescriptions, they are often concerned about whether they can trust the quality and safety of the prescription medications they find online.

eDrugSearch.com addresses these concerns by only accepting pharmacies in its database that pass a rigorous prescreening process – including proof of home-country government licensing and third-party accreditations.

“A licensed Canadian pharmacy is a safe pharmacy -- every bit as safe as a licensed U.S. pharmacy. In fact, Canadian pharmacies generally offer identical drugs from identical sources,” said Byrd.

“The pharmaceutical industry has tried to scare people into thinking international pharmacies are dangerous, but this is simply untrue – as long as the pharmacies are properly licensed and accredited.”

In the face of public pressure, the Bush Administration announced last year that it will not enforce regulations that make importing Canadian drugs illegal. According to a Wall Street Journal Online/Harris Interactive Healthcare Poll, four out of five U.S. adults favor allowing the importation of prescription drugs from Canada and other countries. A vast majority (84 percent) believe that the law banning pharmaceutical imports is intended to protect drug companies’ profits. Many of the nation’s leading politicians and consumer advocates agree with this assessment, and have been working for years to legalize drug imports.

“Several state and local governments have lost patience with the FDA and have created Web sites enabling residents or government workers to order Canadian drugs from prescreened pharmacies,” Byrd said. “Our company shares their impatience; it’s time for America’s 65 million underinsured to begin purchasing medications online – safely, affordably and with confidence.”

Byrd said eDrugSearch.com plans to increase prescription drug listings in its database to 100,000 later this year – making it by far the most comprehensive resource of its kind.In addition to its emphasis on safety, eDrugSearch.com offers up-to-the-minute price search, detailed drug information, and other features that make it the most advanced destination for online prescription medication shoppers. eDrugSearch.com’s search features enable members to identify pharmacies with specific licensing requirements, third-party accreditations, Better Business Bureau memberships, and more.

Additional consumer-friendly features of eDrugSearch.com include:

• Personal watch lists. eDrugSearch.com enables members to monitor listings for the medications they take regularly, keeping track of changes in prices, quantities, and dosages at specific pharmacies.

• Rate and review. eDrugSearch.com allows members to rate and contribute candid reviews of participating pharmacies, providing firsthand accounts of their experiences.

• Message board. eDrugSearch.com provides an open forum for members to communicate with one another and with eDrugSearch.com customer support.

Consumers can register for a free membership with eDrugSearch.com at the following url: http://www.edrugsearch.com/members/register-member.php.

About eDrugSearch.com

Based in San Antonio, eDrugSearch.com is the Internet destination for those seeking the cost benefits, enhanced privacy, convenience, and increased access to generic drugs made possible by ordering prescription medications online from licensed international pharmacies, primarily in Canada. eDrugSearch.com’s advanced search features enable members to identify pharmacies with specific licensing requirements, third-party accreditations, Better Business Bureau memberships and more. eDrugSearch.com is an impassioned, informed advocate for consumers interested in lower drug prices.

For more information, visit the company’s Web site at www.eDrugSearch.com or the eDrugSearch Blog at www.edrugsearch.com/edsblog.