Prescriptions#

1. Choose a treatment or test panel on teletest.ca and pay the consultation fee.
2. Complete your health-history intake.
3. Submit your intake. A clinician (physician or nurse practitioner) reviews it and responds by secure message - almost always within a few hours. You can also opt into a real-time chat if you'd like to talk through anything live.
4. Once the clinician approves the prescription, it's faxed directly to your chosen pharmacy.

When is the prescription issued? It depends on the panel:

• Treatment panels (e.g., birth control, period delay, acne, eczema) - the prescription is issued during the consultation itself if the clinician determines it's appropriate.
• Testing + treatment panels (e.g., STI Testing and Treatment) - treatment can be issued during the consultation, even before your results are back; see the STI-specific section below.
• Results-based panels - the prescription is issued only after results come back abnormal (e.g., follow-up treatment for an abnormal screen).

We prescribe medications across a range of common treatment categories. Browse the panels on teletest.ca to see what's available for your specific concern.

Skin and dermatology

• Acne treatments (topical and oral)
• Eczema and psoriasis treatments
• Rosacea treatment
• Seborrheic dermatitis and dandruff treatment
• Athlete's foot, jock itch, nail fungus, and other fungal skin infection treatments
• Contact dermatitis and poison ivy/sumac treatment
• Razor bumps (folliculitis barbae)
• Keratosis pilaris treatment
• Anogenital wart treatment
• Cosmetic dermatology (melasma, wrinkles and fine lines, eyelash growth)

Sexual and reproductive health

• Birth control and emergency contraception
• Period suppression / period delay
• Treatment for confirmed bacterial sexually transmitted infections
• Antiviral treatment for herpes outbreaks and suppression
• PrEP renewal and post-exposure preventive treatment for bacterial STIs
• Urinary tract infection (UTI) treatment
• Bacterial vaginosis (BV) and yeast infection treatment
• Vaginal estrogen, prenatal vitamins, and pregnancy prescription renewals

Men's health

• Hair-loss treatment
• Erectile dysfunction treatment
• Balanitis treatment
• Hormone therapy renewal (for patients already on therapy elsewhere)

Allergy and respiratory

• Asthma inhalers
• Allergy treatment (eye drop, intranasal, oral)
• Epinephrine auto-injector prescription (for severe allergic reactions)

Metabolic and chronic disease renewals (for patients already on therapy)

• Blood pressure, cholesterol, gout, diabetes, and thyroid medication renewals

Digestive

• Acid reflux (GERD) treatment
• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) treatment
• H. pylori treatment

Other

• Smoking cessation
• Canker sore treatment
• B12 injection prescriptions
• Weight-management consultations and renewals

Vaccines (we issue the prescription; a pharmacist administers)

• Travel vaccines (Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis A + B combo, Traveller's Diarrhea)
• Adult-routine and catch-up vaccines (MMR, Varicella, Meningitis ACYW-135, Pneumococcal, HPV, Shingles, RSV for age 60+)

We do not prescribe certain categories of medication - see the lists at the bottom of this page.

Often, yes - it depends on what you're being treated for.

• Sexually transmitted infections: Treatment can usually be started before your test results are back if you have symptoms, a known exposure, or other risk factors. See the STI-specific section below.
• Other conditions: Some pathways issue the prescription during the consultation (e.g., birth control, acne, eczema, period delay), and some only after an abnormal test result. The intake will be clear about which pathway applies.

Allow 30 to 45 minutes between the prescription being faxed and contacting the pharmacy. After that, call the pharmacy to confirm they've received it.

Tips when you call:

• If it's your first time at that pharmacy, mention you're a new patient and share the approximate time the prescription was sent.
• Ask staff to check the fax machine directly - sometimes the prescription is on the fax but hasn't yet been entered into the pharmacy's system.

Most pharmacies don't automatically notify you when a prescription is ready, so you'll need to follow up with them yourself.

Yes - you have full choice. TeleTest does not lock you into any particular pharmacy. During your consultation (or in the portal), you tell us which pharmacy to send your prescription to. You can pick:

• Any local pharmacy in Ontario or BC - big chain, independent, grocery-store pharmacy, or Costco.
• A pharmacy that offers home delivery - either a local pharmacy that delivers in your area, or a telemedicine pharmacy that mails Canada-wide.

Why this matters: prices for the same medication can vary significantly between pharmacies. Choosing your pharmacy lets you shop for the lowest total cost (drug + dispensing fee + any delivery fee).

Local pharmacies almost always offer the lowest out-of-pocket price. A few reasons:

• No delivery fee built in. When you pick up in person, you're not paying for shipping or courier service.
• Pharmacy-to-pharmacy price competition. Local pharmacies (especially independents and smaller chains) often have lower dispensing fees and drug markups than larger chains or online services. It's worth calling two or three nearby pharmacies and asking what they'd charge for your specific medication.
• Some telemedicine/online pharmacies mark up drug costs. The convenience of mail delivery sometimes comes with higher unit pricing on the medication itself, on top of any delivery fee. Compare the total cost (drug + dispensing fee + shipping) before committing.
• Costco pharmacies are open to non-members and often have notably lower prices on generics.
• Government and private drug plans are accepted at almost all local pharmacies; your out-of-pocket cost may be near-zero depending on your coverage.

Tip: Once your prescription is at a pharmacy, you can ask any other pharmacy to transfer it - just call your preferred pharmacy with the original pharmacy's name and phone number, and they'll handle the transfer.

TeleTest does not ship medications directly, but you have a few delivery options.

In Ontario:

• Pace Pharmacy partnership. We've partnered with Pace Pharmacy for home delivery of select medications across Ontario. If you'd like Pace to fill and deliver your prescription, you can choose them as your pharmacy at checkout.
• Other delivery options. You can also use any other delivery-capable Canadian pharmacy - including online/telemedicine pharmacies like Pocket Pills, Pillway, Pharmex, Telus Health Pharmacy, Mednow, and Well.ca, or a local pharmacy that offers delivery in your neighbourhood (many chains and independents do).

In BC:

• The Pace Pharmacy partnership is not yet available in BC. You can still get home delivery through any BC-based pharmacy that offers it, or through a national online pharmacy that mails to BC.

A note on price: delivery isn't always the cheapest option. Local pickup at an independent or Costco pharmacy is often the lowest total cost (see the "Where will I get the best price?" accordion above). Pick the pharmacy that works best for your budget and convenience.

Absolutely. During your consultation (or in the portal), select a local pharmacy where the prescription will be faxed. Pick it up in person after the 30-45 minute fax-processing window.

Your prescription is dispensed the way the clinician writes it. The pharmacy follows the quantity and refill instructions on the prescription itself.

A few common patterns:

• Birth control written as 3 packages with 3 refills (12 months total): the pharmacy should dispense the 3 packages at once when you fill it, and the 3 refills cover the rest of the year.
• A 3-month supply written as one fill: the pharmacy dispenses the full 3-month quantity.
• Some medications are intentionally written for shorter intervals. For example, weight-management injectables are often written to dispense one month at a time - this is usually to manage cost (you don't pay for a full multi-month supply up front) or to allow dose adjustments at follow-up. The dispensing pattern is built into the prescription.

If you'd like a different dispensing schedule (e.g., smaller batches to spread out cost), ask your pharmacist. They can dispense in smaller portions within the limits of what the prescription allows. If a change to the prescription itself is needed, you'd submit a new consultation through TeleTest.

Faxes can take a little time to process, so first wait the 30-45 minute window. If they still don't have it:

• Ask the pharmacist to check the fax machine directly (not just the computer system).
• Use our contact form if they confirm they haven't received it. We can re-fax or follow up with the pharmacy on your behalf.

A few options:

1. Try a different pharmacy. Pharmacy chains in Canada (Rexall, Shoppers Drug Mart, Pharmasave, London Drugs, etc.) have different supplier agreements - if one is out of stock, another may have it.
2. Request a pharmacy-to-pharmacy transfer. If Pharmacy A (where we sent your prescription) doesn't have the medication but Pharmacy B does, contact Pharmacy B and ask them to request a transfer from Pharmacy A. The pharmacist will handle it.
3. Ask us to re-fax. If you find a pharmacy that has the medication but cannot accept a transfer, use our contact form with the new pharmacy's name and fax number, and we'll send a copy directly.
4. Request a substitute. Some medications have therapeutic alternatives. Use our contact form to ask about substitutes.

If your current pharmacy hasn't dispensed yet or has remaining refills, contact your preferred pharmacy and ask them to request a prescription transfer from the original pharmacy. The pharmacist at the new pharmacy will handle the transfer for you.

If your previous prescription has no remaining refills, you'll need to book a new consultation through TeleTest and select your preferred pharmacy at that time.

Our system sends prescriptions as a digital fax directly to your pharmacy of choice (in Ontario or BC). Prescriptions are not available for direct patient download from the portal at this time.

For a copy:

• For your records, insurance, or travel: Request a medication record from your pharmacist. They can print or email it to you. This is the official document insurers and customs officials accept.
• For an out-of-stock situation: Your pharmacist can transfer the prescription to another pharmacy of your choice (including compounding pharmacies). Just request the transfer directly with your pharmacist.

No. TeleTest prescriptions can only be sent to pharmacies in Ontario or BC, where our clinicians are licensed. We can't send prescriptions to other provinces or internationally.

If you're traveling and need a prescription somewhere else, visit a local walk-in clinic at your destination for assessment and treatment.

If you're experiencing an adverse reaction:

1. Stop the medication.
2. For a medical emergency (severe reaction, difficulty breathing, swelling, etc.) - go to your nearest emergency department or call 911 immediately.
3. For non-emergency reactions or side effects: contact a local healthcare provider - either your issuing pharmacist or a nearby walk-in clinic. Pharmacists are well-equipped to advise on side effects and can recommend whether you should continue or switch.

After you've addressed the immediate issue, if you want a different medication, you'll need to submit a new consultation request through TeleTest (see the next accordion).

For general medication questions (how to take it, when to take it, food interactions, side effects), speak with your pharmacist - they're trained for exactly this.

For a clinical decision (dosage change, switching medications, requesting an alternative because the current one isn't working), you'll need to submit a new consultation request with TeleTest. Once a consultation is complete, our system doesn't allow follow-up access to the same clinician.

To request a new consultation:

1. Select the appropriate test or treatment panel on teletest.ca.
2. Complete a new intake history (mention the dosage change or alternative you're looking for in the additional-information section).
3. Submit your intake. A clinician will respond by secure message (or you can opt into a real-time chat if you'd prefer one).

You may not be reconnected with your original clinician, but the next clinician will have access to your medical record.

Yes, but you'll need to book a new consultation. We can't issue refills for lost, damaged, or unfinished prescriptions outside of a consultation - this is true for medication safety reasons (we need to confirm the medication is still appropriate for your situation).

To request a new prescription:

1. Select the appropriate panel on teletest.ca.
2. Complete an intake history (note that this is for a replacement/refill).
3. Submit your intake. A clinician will review and respond by secure message (or by real-time chat if you opt into one).

No. TeleTest does not prescribe antibiotics for upper-respiratory symptoms like cold, cough, sore throat, fever, or flu. Most of these conditions are viral and don't respond to antibiotics; prescribing antibiotics for them is not appropriate per current Canadian guidelines.

For evaluation of these symptoms, visit a walk-in clinic or your family doctor. They can assess you in person and determine the best treatment - which may or may not include antibiotics.

No - heart symptoms (e.g., chest pain, palpitations, fast or irregular heart rate) require an in-person examination. If you're having heart symptoms, go to the emergency department. A clinician there can assess you with vital signs, an ECG, and other tests that virtual care can't provide.

For routine medication adjustments related to existing cardiovascular medications, see your family doctor or a walk-in clinic.

When your prescription is due for renewal:

1. Select the prescription-renewal panel for your medication on teletest.ca.
2. Complete the intake history.
3. The clinician reviews your intake. They'll either authorize the renewal directly and send the new prescription to your pharmacy, or send you a secure message asking for clarification. If a real-time chat would be easier for either of you, the option appears in your portal.

A few things to note:

• TeleTest does NOT automatically renew prescriptions when a pharmacy requests it. Each renewal requires a new consultation.
• Our clinicians can only renew medications we currently prescribe through the website. See Categories TeleTest can renew but cannot initiate below.

TeleTest provides episodic care, similar to a walk-in clinic visit. We don't form an ongoing patient relationship after a consultation, so each renewal is treated as a separate clinical visit. The renewal fee covers the clinician's time reviewing your case, confirming the medication is still appropriate, and issuing the new prescription.

If you'd prefer not to pay a fee, you can seek renewals through a walk-in clinic where your provincial health plan covers the visit.

• If your current pharmacy has remaining refills on file, contact them directly and ask them to transfer the prescription to your preferred pharmacy.
• If there are no remaining refills, you'll need to book a new renewal consultation through TeleTest. After the consultation, you'll select the new pharmacy.

TeleTest charges separately for the consultation. The medication itself is paid at the pharmacy.

For consultation fees: TeleTest does not offer direct billing to insurance. You'll receive a receipt that you can submit to your private insurance or HSA for reimbursement.

For medication costs at the pharmacy:

• In-person pickup at your local pharmacy: Most pharmacies offer direct billing for drug plans. Bring your insurance card and ask the pharmacist.
• Delivery through TeleTest's pharmacy partner: Direct billing is not available; you'll pay and submit a claim afterward.

TeleTest can issue the prescription for vaccinations, but we don't administer the vaccine ourselves. Choose the appropriate vaccination panel on teletest.ca, and once the prescription is faxed, a pharmacist can administer the vaccine.

Alternatively, visit a walk-in clinic for vaccination - though without a provincial health card they may charge a service fee.

For exact vaccine pricing, contact your preferred pharmacy directly; costs vary by location.

In most cases, no doctor's note is required. For the categories we prescribe, you can simply carry the medication in its original pharmacy-labeled packaging in your carry-on.

Exception - hormone replacement therapy: if you're a TeleTest patient on hormone replacement therapy (which is a controlled medication and may require travel documentation in some destinations), we can issue a travel note confirming the medication is prescribed to you. To request the note, use our contact form with your travel dates and destination, and we'll prepare it for you.

If a destination country requires a doctor's note for a medication category we don't prescribe, you'd need to obtain that note from the clinician who issued the prescription.

Often, yes - for the most common bacterial STIs we treat: chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomoniasis. If you have symptoms, a known exposure, or other risk factors that justify treating right away, the clinician can issue treatment before your results are back. Starting treatment early reduces the chance of complications and onward transmission.

How it works:

• If you select the STI Testing and Treatment panel, treatment can be issued as part of the consultation - the clinician reviews your symptoms and exposure history and decides whether to issue treatment up front.
• If you select a testing-only panel and later decide you'd like treatment without waiting for results, mention it in your intake or in a secure message reply (or a real-time chat if you'd prefer one).

Scope of STI treatment through TeleTest:

• Treatment before results (when clinically appropriate): chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomoniasis (oral medications).
• Treatment only after a positive result: mycoplasma genitalium (Mgen). Mgen treatment depends on specific resistance markers from the lab report, so the clinician needs the result in hand before prescribing. Mgen testing is requested through the dedicated Mgen testing panel (it's not part of the standard STI Testing and Treatment panel). See our Mycoplasma genitalium page for details.
• Not treated by TeleTest: syphilis - treatment requires an injection that must be given in person. The clinician will direct you to appropriate in-person care (sexual health clinic, public health unit, or family doctor).

For broader clinical questions about positive STI results, partner notification, and retesting after treatment, see our STI testing page.