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info@drugsbycanada.comIs CIPA Certification Required to Order Prescription Drugs from Canada?
Is CIPA Certification Required to Order Prescription Drugs from Canada?
Published by the Canadian Medication Knowledge Centre at DrugsByCanada
Americans looking to order prescription medications from Canada often come across the Canadian International Pharmacy Association, better known as CIPA.
CIPA has been involved in the Canadian international pharmacy industry for many years, and its certification can be one useful way for patients to evaluate an online pharmacy. But there is an important distinction that is often misunderstood:
CIPA certification is not the same thing as a Canadian pharmacy licence.
In Manitoba, where DrugsByCanada operates, pharmacies are regulated by the College of Pharmacists of Manitoba (CPhM). The College even has a specific regulatory component for pharmacies providing prescription services to patients outside Canada: the Distance Care International Prescription Service (IPS) component. This distinction matters because patients and even healthcare providers sometimes assume that an online Canadian pharmacy must be CIPA certified to legitimately provide international prescription services.
That isn’t the case.
Understanding who actually regulates the pharmacy, where your medication is coming from, and whether the medication is authorized for sale in Canada can give you a much clearer picture of the pharmacy you’re considering.
What Is CIPA?
The Canadian International Pharmacy Association (CIPA) is an association representing certain Canadian pharmacies and websites that provide prescription medications to Canadian and international patients.
CIPA operates a certification program, and websites accepted into the program can display the CIPA certification seal.
CIPA requires its members to meet a number of standards, including requiring valid prescriptions, providing access to licensed pharmacists, maintaining patient medication information and following privacy and safety procedures.
These are valuable safeguards, and it is important to understand what the CIPA seal represents.
CIPA is an industry association and certification program. It is not the government body responsible for licensing pharmacies in Canada.
Pharmacy regulation in Canada generally occurs at the provincial level.
For a Manitoba pharmacy, that regulator is the College of Pharmacists of Manitoba.
Does a Canadian Online Pharmacy Have to Be CIPA Certified?
No.
CIPA certification can provide an additional layer of private verification, but CIPA membership is not what grants a Manitoba pharmacy its licence to operate. A pharmacy also does not become unlicensed simply because the website through which it provides services is not CIPA certified.
When evaluating a Canadian online pharmacy, one of the most important questions to ask is: What licensed pharmacy is actually dispensing my prescription?
You can then determine which provincial pharmacy regulator oversees that pharmacy and verify its credentials. For pharmacies operating in Manitoba, patients can look to the College of Pharmacists of Manitoba. This is an important distinction for both patients and physicians. A CIPA seal may be one factor to consider, but it shouldn’t replace verifying the actual pharmacy and its regulatory status.
What Is an International Prescription Service (IPS) Pharmacy?
Manitoba has a regulatory framework specifically addressing pharmacies that provide services to patients outside Canada.
The College of Pharmacists of Manitoba currently distinguishes between two types of distance care pharmacy components:
Distance Care is for pharmacies serving out-of-province patients within Canada.
Distance Care International Prescription Service (IPS) is for pharmacies serving patients outside Canada.
The College also establishes specific requirements for these pharmacies. For example, its published guidance requires distance care pharmacies to maintain minimum operating hours, ensure distant patients can contact the pharmacy with reasonable ease and have a pharmacy professional available to respond to patient inquiries.
For pharmacies serving patients outside Canada, additional requirements apply, including a Council-approved disclaimer relating to the pharmacy’s Manitoba licensing authority.
In other words, international prescription service isn’t something Manitoba pharmacies simply invented as an online business model. There is a specific regulatory framework for pharmacies providing these services.
That is why we believe patients should ask about regulatory licensing rather than relying solely on whether a particular certification logo appears on a website.
CIPA Certification vs. Pharmacy Licensure
The easiest way to understand the difference is to think of them as two separate layers.
CIPA certification is provided by a private industry association after a participating business meets CIPA’s membership requirements.
Pharmacy licensure is provided by the applicable provincial pharmacy regulator and determines whether the pharmacy is licensed to practise within that jurisdiction.
For DrugsByCanada patients, the second distinction is particularly important. We work with pharmacies licensed through the College of Pharmacists of Manitoba with the appropriate regulatory components for providing international prescription services. If you ever have questions about the pharmacy dispensing your prescription, call us.
We want patients to know who they are dealing with. Our team can help you understand where your prescription is being filled, where the pharmacy is physically located, which licenses or components it holds and how you can independently verify this information.
Does a "Canadian Pharmacy" Always Ship Canadian Medication?
This is another area where there can be considerable confusion.
A website can have “Canada” or “Canadian” in its name without every medication it offers necessarily originating in Canada.
In fact, CIPA itself makes this distinction clear.
According to CIPA’s current FAQ, its members sell Health Canada-authorized medications from licensed pharmacies in Canada, but CIPA members may also have relationships with regulated international pharmacies and fulfillment centres located elsewhere in the world. Those medications may be delivered directly to patients from the countries where those pharmacies or facilities are located.
This doesn’t automatically make an international medication inappropriate. Different countries have their own drug approval systems and pharmacy regulations. But patients should know what they’re purchasing. If your intention is specifically to purchase Canadian medication from a Canadian pharmacy, don’t assume that a Canadian website address or CIPA certification automatically answers the question.
Ask where your medication is actually coming from.
Why the Origin of Your Medication Matters
A medication with the same active ingredient may be manufactured or packaged differently depending on the country in which it is sold. Brand names, packaging, manufacturers, strengths and labelling can also differ between markets.
At DrugsByCanada, our focus is straightforward: Canadian medications dispensed through licensed Canadian pharmacies.
That allows patients to look for another important piece of information on their medication: the Drug Identification Number, or DIN.
Health Canada assigns an eight-digit DIN to drug products authorized for sale in Canada.
According to Health Canada, a DIN identifies characteristics including the product name, manufacturer, active ingredient, strength, pharmaceutical form and route of administration.
Health Canada also maintains the Drug Product Database, where patients and healthcare professionals can search for drugs authorized for sale in Canada.
That provides patients with something much more meaningful than simply seeing the word “Canada” on a website.
It provides a way to independently verify the Canadian medication itself.
A Real-World Example of Why These Distinctions Matter
A historical case involving TotalCareMart.com illustrates why patients shouldn’t treat an industry certification as a substitute for understanding the actual pharmacy and medication supply chain.
In 2015, CBC News reported that TotalCareMart.com, a Winnipeg-based business represented by CIPA at the time, was advertising medications that were not approved by Health Canada.
The report noted an important distinction: TotalCareMart.com itself was not licensed as a pharmacy by the College of Pharmacists of Manitoba. According to the report, it operated as a prescription referral service and was associated with Westview Pharmacy, which was licensed in Manitoba.
The College issued TotalCareMart a cease-and-desist order, according to the CBC report, and Health Canada investigated the advertising of drugs that had not been approved for sale in Canada.
The point isn’t that CIPA certification has no value, nor is a historical regulatory issue with one business evidence about every CIPA member.
Rather, the case demonstrates exactly why patients should understand the different layers involved.
The website, CIPA certification, licensed dispensing pharmacy, pharmacy regulator and country of origin of the medication are not necessarily the same thing.
In fact, TotalCareMart’s website today continues to describe itself as a prescription referral service that contracts with Canadian and international pharmacies or other approved facilities, while also displaying CIPA certification.
Transparency about these distinctions allows patients to make a more informed decision.
How Can Americans Verify a Canadian Online Pharmacy?
If you’re considering ordering prescription medication from Canada, don’t base your decision on one logo or certification alone.
Here are some questions worth asking.
1. Is There a Real Canadian Pharmacy Behind the Website?
You should be able to determine which pharmacy will actually dispense your prescription. Look for a physical Canadian presence, contact information and access to pharmacy staff. If you can’t determine which pharmacy is responsible for dispensing your medication, ask before ordering.
2. Is the Pharmacy Licensed?
Find out which provincial regulatory authority oversees the pharmacy. For Manitoba pharmacies, that is the College of Pharmacists of Manitoba. Patients should be able to verify that the dispensing pharmacy is licensed with the appropriate provincial regulator.
3. Does the Pharmacy Hold the Appropriate International Prescription Service Component?
If a Manitoba pharmacy is providing services to patients outside Canada, ask whether it holds the appropriate Distance Care International Prescription Service (IPS) component. This is different from belonging to a private industry association.
4. Can You Speak to a Licensed Pharmacist?
A legitimate pharmacy should provide patients with access to a pharmacist. This is particularly important when ordering medications internationally. If you have questions about your medication, its appearance, directions, storage or potential interactions, you should be able to speak with a pharmacy professional.
5. Does the Pharmacy Require a Valid Prescription?
Be cautious of websites offering prescription medications without requiring an appropriate prescription. A legitimate prescription service should have a process for obtaining and reviewing your prescription before dispensing prescription medication.
6. Where Will Your Medication Actually Come From?
This is one of the most important and overlooked questions. Ask whether your medication will be dispensed and shipped from Canada or sourced through an international pharmacy or fulfillment centre in another country. If you’re specifically looking for Canadian medication, make that clear.
7. Does the Medication Have a Canadian DIN?
If you’re purchasing a Canadian medication, look for its eight-digit Drug Identification Number. You can search the DIN using Health Canada’s Drug Product Database to confirm information about the medication. This can help verify that the product has been evaluated and authorized for sale in Canada.
8. Can You Independently Verify the Business?
Regulatory verification should come first, but independent reputation signals can provide additional information. Look at established third-party review and reputation platforms such as Trustpilot, Shopper Approved, Scam Detector and other independent sources. Don’t rely solely on testimonials displayed on the pharmacy’s own website. At the same time, online reviews should never replace verification of the pharmacy’s license, location and regulatory status. Think of reviews as another piece of the puzzle, not the entire picture.
CIPA Can Be Helpful, But It Isn't the Only Thing to Look For
CIPA certification can be a useful signal when evaluating an international pharmacy website. However CIPA certification should not be confused with pharmacy licensure, and the absence of CIPA certification does not by itself mean that a Canadian pharmacy is unlicensed or illegitimate.
For Manitoba pharmacies providing services internationally, patients can look at the regulatory status of the actual dispensing pharmacy and whether it holds the appropriate International Prescription Service component through the College of Pharmacists of Manitoba.
Patients should also verify where their medication is being dispensed, whether they can speak with a licensed pharmacist and, when purchasing Canadian medication, whether the product has a valid Canadian DIN.
Ultimately, the question shouldn’t simply be:
“Is this website CIPA certified?”
A better set of questions is:
Who is actually dispensing my prescription? Is that pharmacy licensed? Where is my medication coming from? And can I independently verify what I’m being told?
Those questions give patients a much clearer picture of who they’re trusting with their medication.
This article is intended for general informational purposes and does not constitute medical or legal advice. Patients should consult their physician or pharmacist regarding their medications. Pharmacy regulation and cross-border medication requirements may change over time.
Sources and Further Reading
College of Pharmacists of Manitoba
Information on pharmacy licensing and Distance Care International Prescription Service requirements.
Canadian International Pharmacy Association (CIPA)
Information about CIPA certification, member standards and international dispensing arrangements.
Health Canada Drug Product Database
Search Canadian medications by DIN, product name, manufacturer and other information.
Health Canada: Drug Identification Numbers (DINs)
Information about how DINs are assigned and what they tell patients about medications authorized for sale in Canada.
CBC News, August 2015
“TotalCareMart.com of Winnipeg advertising unapproved drugs online, CBC News finds.”
About DrugsByCanada.com
Based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, DrugsByCanada.com helps Americans access affordable prescription medications from licensed Canadian pharmacies. We proudly serve patients throughout the United States, and every article in the Canadian Medication Knowledge Centre is reviewed by one of our licensed pharmacists before publication to help ensure the information is accurate and up to date.
Published on August 8, 2026