Is It Illegal for Doctors to Purchase "Botox" from Canada?

Thank you for your question. Physicians are required to prescribe or buy medications such as Botox that are FDA approved. So they should not be purchasing Botox from sources in Canada or outside the US.  

Physicians in the U.S. should only use FDA approved medicines and not transport non-FDA approved medicines.

Yes, it is illegal.  Medical professionals are held to a high ethical standard and code of conduct.  Therefore, bending the rules to make more profit may seem harmless, but these types of actions calls into question the integrity of the entire practice.  One cannot pick and choose when and how to be honest and lawful.

Pricing is important, but when consumers shop for the cheapest Botox, they should consider placing more value on the service and reputation of the one doing the treatment.

 

I am not sure whether it is legal practice or not but good practice would be to purchase Botox through Allergan (the company that makes Botox).

Every week our office gets a fax about how we can obtain low cost Botox from Canada.  There are a few problems with this.  One does not know if this is legitimate Botox, or counterfeit from China or Turkey.  There have been incidents of this. Further, if there was an issue with the Botox, (not working, etc).  Allergan, (the company that makes Botox), will not stand behind it.  I have also been advised that importation of Botox across the border is illegal.  We see ads in the back of local fitness magazines for ridiculously low prices, (below Allergan cost).  We don't know how they are doing this, but it concerns us that patients could get hurt.  Please go to a legitimate practitioner that uses the real Botox.  Cheap usually turns out to be more expensive in the end, with revisions or corrections.