Posted At Aberdeennews.com
BY : Associated Press
A store in Sioux Falls that helps people buy prescription drugs imported from Canada is being shut down.
In court papers filed Monday, Circuit Judge William Srstka ruled Canada Services' work with Medimart in Canada is illegal.
Canada Services, originally known as Canada Drugs, helps customers fill out paperwork to purchase prescription drugs from Canada, where they're typically cheaper.
Last May, the South Dakota Board of Pharmacy filed a lawsuit against Canada Services claiming it is not licensed to do business in the state.
Brent Christopherson, Canada Services president, said he doesn't dispense medicine but only serves as a go-between for customers. He said laws regulating pharmacies should not apply to his business.
"I guess we're a bit surprised by being classified as a pharmacy in South Dakota when we do not retail drugs," Christopherson told KELO-TV.
The South Dakota Board of Pharmacy has said Canada Services is a public health threat because it helps people order prescription drugs without offering medical advice.
The judge's decision probably will mean Canada Services will pull out of South Dakota, said Christopherson. But he also thinks people will continue to use the business through other states.
"My guess is most of these customers will just call our other locations and order through them," he said.
The South Dakota Attorney General's office does not have an exact date for when Canada Services will be forced to close.
Christopherson said he has not decided whether he will appeal the decision.
