Frequently Asked Questions
Still have a question?
Who We Are
We are a privately owned, Québec based, licensed pharmacy founded in 2008 by pharmacist Michael Assaraf. Our sole focus is on specialty medications. We are equipped and trained to provide you with:
• Thorough and individualized therapy, counseling and care plans
• Validated and controlled medication delivery service
• Collaboration and ongoing communication with healthcare providers
• Facilitated communication with our team of pharmacists, nurses, pharmacy technicians, and reimbursement specialists
Over the past 15 years our business has evolved and so has our value proposition. In keeping with our growing commitment to outstanding patient care, we have changed our name to Sanavie. This name brings a fresh vision that reflects our rapid growth, dedicated team of more than 70 employees including pharmacists, nurses, pharmacy technicians and professionals, continued investment in technology, and the expansion of our facility. All of this is aimed at improving the level of care and support we deliver. Although we have a brand-new name what remains the same is our dedication to providing you with expert guidance and premier specialty medication services.
Services Offered
Absolutely! We have many pharmacists on staff to better serve you. They can be reached on their direct phone line at 514-787-3275 or 1-855-491-3275 during business hours.
• You or your prescriber must send a valid prescription to our pharmacy.
• If you have your prescriptions at another pharmacy and would like to transfer them to Sanavie please contact us and we will take care of the rest.
• With a valid prescription on file, you may call or text us during business hours to place an order and schedule delivery at your convenience.
• If, for whatever reason, we are unable to fill your prescription we will contact you immediately to quickly resolve the situation.
A member of our team will contact you or your healthcare professional by phone or text to coordinate your refill order prior to your next medication due date. If you ever need a refill in advance, please call or text us. If you run out of refills, a member of our team can assist you by contacting your physician to request a new prescription. Our pharmacists are also able to extend prescriptions under certain circumstances. Always remember to notify a member of our team of any changes to your insurance, address, as well as changes to your health status and therapy.
Our standard processing time is less than 24 hours (excluding in-transit time). We will immediately let you know of any delays such as authorization for medication coverage or quantity limits imposed by your insurance company. We will always attempt to resolve these issues as quickly as possible.
• Our delivery service is typically same-day delivery or next-day for long-distance deliveries.
• Our pharmacy will send your medications to any address in the province of Québec. Contact us if you require your medication delivered outside the province.
• If you are going to be away for long periods of time you can request an additional supply of medication.
• Any medication that requires refrigeration is packaged according to our cold chain procedures to maintain manufacturer temperature guidelines.
Our Patient Adherence Program assists patients in achieving the best possible outcome from their specialty medication therapies. Another term you might hear is medication adherence. We will do whatever possible to see that you adhere to, or follow the instructions given to you by your physician on how, when, and how often to take your medication. We offer holistic patient-centered counseling and continued support under the supervision of a pharmacist and trained pharmacy staff. With this program all patients receive an initial assessment during the pharmacist’s consultation that includes:
• A patient questionnaire
• How to take your medication to ensure optimal results
• Review of potential side effects and how to manage them
• Overview of your medication and how it works
• Review of all of your medications to confirm there are no serious drug interactions
• Additional personalized health tips
The program also includes scheduled follow-ups to ensure that you stick to your medications and stay informed of any changes.
Your choice of a pharmacist is yours and yours alone. In Québec, protections exist to ensure that no one can impose or pressure you to change a pharmacy or pharmacist regardless of the circumstance. L’Ordre des pharmaciens du Québec has mechanisms in place to protect your rights and support you in any situation where you or a loved one may have been subject to undue influence to change a pharmacy or pharmacist. You can learn more about your rights at www.opq.org.
At Sanavie, we respect a patient’s right to choose their pharmacy partner and will always cooperate should a patient wish to switch providers. To ensure a smooth transition the first step is to communicate your intentions to switch to a new pharmacy. Your new provider can contact Sanavie to initiate the transfer of your file, and we will follow up with you directly to finalize and validate the request and answer any outstanding questions or concerns you have.
Should you wish to transfer your prescription to Sanavie, please complete our contact form, call us directly at 514-788-6600 or email us at info@sanavie.ca. A member of our team will contact you within 24 business hours.
Financial Considerations
We accept all major credit cards, online banking, cheque, or cash. If mailing payment, please
do not mail cash.
If you require financial help to pay for your medication you may be eligible for assistance from your Patient Support Program. Upon creation of your file at Sanavie, we will perform an eligibility check and submit claims to your insurance plan when required. A member of our team will inform you of your financial responsibility in terms of the cost of the drug or drugs. These obligations may include copayments, deductibles, co-insurance, and/or out of pocket expenses. If you need help arranging a payment plan with our pharmacy, we will work with you to ensure continuity of medication by evaluating available options.
Obtaining financial coverage for specialty medications can be complex due to their high costs, changes of insurance coverage, prior authorization requirements, formulary limitations, and varying reimbursement policies across healthcare systems and insurers. Sanavie has a team of professionals who are dedicated to supporting patients when it comes to the reimbursement of their medication.
Specialty Medications
Always keep medication in a safe place and out of the reach of children and pets. Check the container to see if the medication requires refrigeration or needs to be stored in specific conditions. If you have any questions regarding the stability or storage requirements of your medication, please contact us.
A chronic disease is a long-lasting condition that typically persists for a year or more and requires ongoing medical attention or limits daily activities, or both. Unlike acute conditions which have a sudden onset and a short duration, chronic diseases develop slowly and can last a lifetime. Common examples of chronic diseases include diabetes, heart disease, chronic respiratory diseases, and certain cancers. Managing chronic diseases often involves long-term treatment plans, including medications, lifestyle changes, and regular monitoring by healthcare professionals.
A rare disease, also known as an orphan disease, is a medical condition that affects a small percentage of the population. These diseases often have limited treatment options and can be challenging to diagnose and manage.
Specialty medications are advanced pharmaceuticals for treating complex, chronic, or rare conditions. They often require specialized handling, administration, and monitoring due to their unique chemical properties and targeted therapeutic effects.
Certain medications, especially specialty drugs, may be sensitive to factors like temperature, light, or humidity. Proper storage and delivery protocols throughout the lifecycle of the medication, are essential to maintain their efficacy and safety.
Specialty medications are used to treat a variety of chronic, complex, and rare medical conditions such as autoimmune disorders (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, lupus), cancer (e.g., leukemia, lymphoma), rare genetic diseases (e.g., cystic fibrosis, Duchenne muscular dystrophy), chronic inflammatory conditions (e.g., Crohn’s disease, psoriasis), and complex neurological disorders (e.g., multiple sclerosis). These medications are designed to address specific aspects of these conditions and generally require careful handling and administration.
Specialty medications are often expensive due to various factors such as extensive scientific research and development costs, limited patient populations, complex manufacturing processes, and ongoing clinical monitoring and support requirements.
Contacting Us
Please contact us whenever you have questions or concerns regarding your therapy, medication delivery, or payments.
Sanavie Inc.
Tel. 514-788-6600
Tel. 855-788-6600
Fax 514-788-6590
info@sanavie.ca
Department Contacts
To view Department Contacts, click here
Monday – Thursday 8 AM – 6 PMFriday 8 AM – 5 PMSaturday – Sunday Closed
Our pharmacists thoroughly review and check all prescriptions for safety and accuracy, however, if you notice any errors, please reach out so we can investigate and rectify the mistake. Should you have any issues please call us or fill out the feedback form found on our website or in your welcome kit. Your satisfaction is important to us.
Your pharmacy can contact Sanavie through various channels, including phone, email, or through our website’s contact form. For specific inquiries or partnership discussions, please contact our team at
info@sanavie.ca or 514-736-7365. We welcome collaboration opportunities to improve patient care and medication management.
Collaborating with Sanavie
Specialty medications require precise handling, administration, and monitoring, which may not be available at all community pharmacies. Pharmacies like Sanavie have the experience, infrastructure, and resources to provide comprehensive support tailored to the unique needs of patients on specialty medications. On the technology side this includes such things as Sanavie’s advanced automation systems to ensure meticulous medication delivery that minimize errors, thereby enhancing patient safety and efficiency, Cold Chain Delivery, and power generators to maintain refrigeration of certain medications in the event of a power outage. We have more than 70 full-time employees including pharmacists, nurses, pharmacy technicians and other specialists that provide medication adherence, reimbursement assistance, follow-up and patient education.
Yes, Sanavie will collaborate with your community pharmacy. This includes reimbursement support, medication handling and adherence assistance among other services. Your pharmacist is welcome to contact us at 514-787-3275.