Buying Hormones on the Internet Per www.annelawrence.com

Updated April 6, 2002.

I have received several favorable reports concerning Internet-based pharmacies that provide products of interest to transsexual women, and I am continuing to pass these along to consumers. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of the reports below, and buyers should exercise appropriate caution. Also please note that I cannot comment on legal questions concerning ordering hormones from overseas sources.

For US consumers, the pharmacies listed below will typically offer substantial savings over the cost of equivalent medications available in the US. This is the primary reason I am presenting this information. Some of these pharmacies reportedly will provide hormones without a prescription to transsexual women who decide to take hormones without medical supervision. As I have repeatedly stated elsewhere on this web site, I believe that taking hormones under medical supervision is by far the best and safest course. However, if transsexual women decide for whatever reason to ignore my advice, I would prefer that they obtain brand-name medications of known purity from recognized international sources, rather than buying hormones of doubtful origin and purity from vendors on street corners. This is a secondary reason why I am presenting information about Internet hormone sources here.

Note that as of April 2003, the PharmacyCare website is down. Consumer experience with PharmacyCare is archived here.

I have received positive recommendations concerning the following companies:

Inhouse Drugstore and Inhouse Drugstore UK (UK)

"After being burned by PharmacyCare last year, I turned to ordering from InhouseDrugstore.com. I placed my last order on a Saturday night and received my order just 10 days later (I live in Oregon). Very impressive, and such a relief! I'd definitely recommend their services to US consumers." (March 17, 2003)

"Since PharmacyCare closed I have been using Inhouse Drugstore in the UK, and have found them to be fast and very helpful, with no problems experienced to date. I hope that other transsexuals will find them as helpful as I have." (January 8, 2002)

"After PharmacyCare shut down I tried Inhouse Drugstore. The prices are excellent (better than I can get here in the U.S.), the on-line customer service was prompt and courteous (I made a mistake on my order and sent an e-mail correction - they acknowledged within 12 hours and fixed the order), and shipment was also prompt. Interestingly, the medication (estradiol) was shipped from Vanuatu, and was from Novo Nordisk, Aukland, manufactured in Denmark. This is the exact medication PharmacyCare formerly shipped, and from the exact same place. This pleases me greatly, as I don't have to worry about an off-brand." (January 6, 2002)

"I have had very satisfactory purchase experience with Inhouse Drugstore UK. An order for oestrogen placed on the 26th of December arrived on the 3rd of Jan. This was to an address in Scotland. They tell me they have had no problem with supplying people in the UK with prescription medicine. They mark packages 'health products.'" (January 6, 2002)

Inhouse Pharmacy (UK)

"I've previously seen a few reports on Inhouse Pharmacy regarding their accountability and I thought that I'd share my experiences with them. I've ordered Spiro and Premarin from them a number of times. It done quite efficiently via the Net; the order usually arrives within a week, and is usually unopened by customs. My last order arrived exactly seven days after placement but had been examined by US Customs (I do have a prescription, but I did not provide it to Inhouse). I suppose with the tightening by the government this will be happening more often. Anyway, I just wanted to let everyone know that even after a ‘search,’ it was still allowed through." (September 26, 2002)

"If you ask them to, Inhouse Pharmacy will set up a "standing order" for you - they'll automatically regenerate your order whenever you specify until you tell them to stop. This has helped me maintain a steady source of hormones without having to manually re-order each month. They're very helpful. I have my order generated on the 1st of every month. I had to cancel one of the orders for one month, and they took care of that for me, no hassle." (August 29, 2002)

"In my continuing search for the best online source for feminizing hormones, Inhouse Pharmacy now ranks #1 with me. No prescription is necessary and this is stated at their website. Inhousepharmacy.com is the cheapest I have found so far, and the information provided for each hormone contains a lengthy discussion of the contents and probable results and effects." (January 4, 2002)

"After PharmacyCare closed, I was referred to Inhouse Pharmacy, and immediately ordered from them. It was just as easy as when I had ordered from PharmacyCare. They were very polite, and had the exact same prescriptions from the same very reputable pharmaceutical companies." (December 8, 2001)

"I ordered estradiol from Inhouse Pharmacy and was very satisfied. They are in Britain, but the estradiol came from a name-brand manufacturer in New Zealand. Within eight days from the time I ordered I had the estradiol (I live in the mid-Western U.S.). The company sent me emails notifying me of when the estradiol was shipped." (December 5, 2001)

"My order for Estraderm patches, placed with Inhouse Pharmacy on October 14, arrived on October 24, postmarked from a South Pacific island nation. The parcel contents were described on the customs declaration as 'Health Products'. The package did not seem to have been examined by U.S. Customs." (October 24, 2001)

MedicaPharma.Com (Thailand)

"I have just received my hormones from MedicaPharma. They were sent on June 4 and arrived June 13. It was so helpful, as I am far away from my endocrinologist." (June 13, 2002)

"I have now bought two lots of Estrofem from MedicaPharma.com. So far they have been very reliable, prompt, and they keep you up to date with your order, e.g. date shipped. I recommend them within Australia, where I am. I also like drugbuyers.com to check up on the online pharmacies." (May 24, 2002)

"Since the Pharmacycare site in New Zealand was discontinued, I have ordered my Estrofem (a form of estradiol) through medicapharma.com. The last batch I ordered had a return address of Wellington, NZ. In early November the total cost from Medicapharma was $34 for 3 x 28 tabs of 2 mg each, which included shipping." (December 15, 2001)

"I was obtaining estradiol and spironolactone from Pharmacycare until they shut down. I have just received the same products from Medicapharma, and they seem OK. I placed the order on November 15, paid by Western Union the next day, and received the order on December 3. The price was essentially twice that of Pharmacycare. The estradiol was from the same manufacturer. The only hassle was that Medicapharma only ships to U.S. via Registered Mail, and had a little problem picking up the package at the Post Office: I ordered under my feminine name, but was in guy mode at Post Office, since that is the only real I.D. I have." (December 4, 2001)

#1 Drugstore Online (Thailand)

"I successfully ordered 1.25 mg Premarin (Wyeth-Ayerst Thailand) and 2 mg Estrofem from #1 Drugstore Online. Inside the package was a piece of paper from U.S. Customs, stating that they had inspected the package. When you order from #1 Drugstore using a credit or debit card the charge will appear on your account as pending, then disappear; this is for funds verification only. Then, after your shipment arrives in the US or at some later date, the amount verified upon ordering will be deducted from your account. If funds are not available, you could be in for delays." (August 28 and 30, 2002)

"The Thai online drugstore, #1 Drugstore Online, had no problem delivering Progynon Depot (estradiol valerate) to the States in less than two weeks." (January 30, 2002)

"I was unable to get spironolactone from Inhouse Pharmacy (which I also recommend), and so I tried #1 Drugstore Online. I was equally satisfied with them. However, the spironolactone took three weeks to get to me. It came from Thailand, so this may account for some of the delay. The drug was name-brand." (December 5, 2001)

"I placed an order with #1 Drugstore Online when Pharmacycare shut down. Not only did they ship promptly, they sent an e-mail when my order was shipped, and provided a tracing number so I could check on the order status. Credit card information is encrypted. I recommend them." (November 1, 2001)

4 Corners Pharmacy (UK)

"Praises need to go to the friendly folks at 4Corners Pharmacy, wherever they are. I placed an email order for Estraderm patches last Tuesday, and received notification that the order was processed and shipped within 24 hours. Eight days later, I received my order in the mail. It was labeled discreetly and shipped by airmail, as promised." (January 15, 2003)

"4 Corners Pharmacy has been fairly reliable for my meds over the last four months. When an order didn't arrive they sent a replacement. The customer service was prompt in changing delivery instructions, requesting that the parcel not be left at the door or in the lobby of the apartment building I live in." (September 19, 2002)

Masters Marketing (UK)

"There's an online pharmacy called Masters Marketing, based in the UK, that I've done business with several times. They are courteous and fast - I get my products within a week. If there's a problem with your order, just email them and they'll take care of it. I've only noticed one restriction on orders - You can't get more than 3 months worth of any one medicine per order, which really isn't a big deal because I can just make another order as necessary." (August 29, 2002)

[Note that although the Masters Marketing website states, "We will not supply. . .sex hormones," they do carry ethinyl estradiol, cyproterone, and medroxyprogesterone, as well as spironolactone.]

Pharma Group (central Europe; country unspecified)

"I also suggest Pharma Group. I have ordered from them many times, and have received prompt and reliable service." (November 17, 2001)

Karachi Pharmaceutical Company (Pakistan)

"This firm provided good service, no questions asked. Their web site is not as sophisticated as others. Here is the result of a recent search for estrogen [under 'Products A-H']: estradiol valerate, estradiol/norgestrel, estrofem, estrogens conjugated. For ordering they use e-money or wired funds." (February 16, 2002)

U.S. consumers should be aware that the U.S. FDA has been aggressively sending "cyber letters" to overseas on-line pharmacies, warning them of possible violations of FDA import policies. On-line pharmacies providing hormones without prescription to U.S. customers are not likely to last long in this environment.

Readers of this site should remember that the newest HBIGDA Standards of Care now permit physicians to prescribe hormones without a recommendation from a mental health professional for persons who are already taking hormones without medical supervision. Individuals who have been taking hormones from Internet pharmacies without supervision should consider using this opportunity to seek medically prescribed, medically supervised hormone therapy. Some clinics in major U.S. cities will prescribe under this so-called "harm reduction" model, as will some private practitioners, including myself.

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