The internet has revolutionized multiple industries over the past few years, including the medical sector. Not only is it easier now than ever to find the right doctor or dentist with a few searches, but it is also easier to find prescription drugs online. While this has been used for drug trafficking purposes, it has also been a way for people to have their prescriptions deliver to their doors and without effort.

One of the main reasons many Americans choose to buy their drugs online is the fact that they can be much cheaper than purchasing them through a pharmacy. Between taxes, fees added on by the pharmacies, and the cost of the drugs themselves, 35 million Americans do not fulfill their prescriptions. Buying drugs online can have a lower sticker price while also saving users a trip to the local pharmacy to pick items up.

The costs of drugs on the American marketplace is also a big factor into why Americans are choosing to look northward to finding the right drugs for them. Canada offers some comprehensive websites with a full list of prescription options ranging from Zoloft to HGH. With a few clicks and the okay from their doctor, patients can have their needed drugs sent to their addresses for a fraction of what they would expect to pay normally.

America pays more for prescription drugs than any other country in the world, and this access to other purchasing options can offer hope to many who might not have been able to afford drugs without alternative methods. While President Trump plans on implementing a plan to lower the cost of prescription drugs, it seems unlikely that an entire industry will change within a few years and with the way the system has been created.

Currently, there are no restrictions on the incentives major pharmaceutical companies can offer doctors who prescribe their product, which allows medical practitioners to get a major cut once they prescribe a drug to a patient. When it comes down it, however, this ends up hurting the one receiving the drugs more than the person who is giving them out. This is why many have tried to bypass the system altogether and find other options online and in foreign markets.

“For years millions of Americans have turned to international sources for their daily prescription medications. In particular, many people safely purchase their daily prescription medications from licensed Canadian pharmacies at considerable savings,” writes Tracy Cooley for the Huffington Post.

This unfortunately has also encouraged a new level of drug trafficking. While law enforcement has been working to crack down on offenders buying drugs from black market, online stores, much of it still remains unregulated. As a result, it might soon become that this exchange is shut down and many Americans will be left without a method of getting their medications at a reasonable price.

Time will only tell if our medical system will be able to help those who need prescriptions at a fair price, or if the people who need the most help will be the ones who end up suffering from high prices and a broken system.