What is an online pharmacy?
Loosely defined, an online pharmacy is a website that operates like your regular drug store. An online pharmacy sells and dispenses prescription medications and over the counter drugs through the Internet. The medicines and drugs are delivered by a mail-order system to the consumer. Some online pharmacies are virtual extensions of major chain and neighborhood pharmacies that wish to reach a wider market. However, others are just websites managed by unscrupulous people who target your personal information and sell you counterfeit drugs.
What are the benefits of ordering drugs online?
There are several key benefits of ordering drugs online. These are:
* Lower prices
Online pharmacies usually sell their products at a much lower rate compared to brick-and-mortar drug stores. Aside from this, you can also compare prices easily to get the best deal on your prescription medication. Simply check the price of your prescription in several online pharmacies to find out which one can give you a better deal for your health care needs.
* Greater access to generics
If you live outside the U.S., you may be able to get generic versions of your prescriptions in online pharmacies due to discrepancies in patent regulations. This way, you can get your prescription drug at a lower price compared to its brand-name counterparts.
* Convenience
Since your ordering your medicines are just clicks away, you need not go and visit a local pharmacy for your prescriptions. Likewise, your orders are usually delivered by mail-order services right at your doorstep. Some even have affiliate doctors who can perform remote consultation so undergoing an actual physical exam can be foregone for non-serious cases.
* Medical data
Online pharmacies also provide access to useful medical resources. You can learn more about your condition or prescription by reading provided articles or links in the online pharmacy website.
What are the risks in ordering from online pharmacies?
If there are advantages, there are also risks in ordering from online pharmacies for your prescription needs.
* A few online pharmacies dispense prescription medication through unlicensed pharmacies.
This means that you may get medications that are unapproved by the FDA. In addition, this means that policies regarding storage, handling, processing, and delivery of the drugs are substandard which is not enough to ensure your safety.
* Some online pharmacies do not have comprehensive and stringent privacy policies.
An online pharmacy without a privacy or confidentiality privacy can sell your contact information. Some more unscrupulous or fake ones may even try to use your credit card number.
How can you protect yourself when ordering drugs online?
Doing the following can save you from ordering counterfeit medicines from fake online pharmacy sites:
* Checking if the site requires a valid prescription before dispensing medication. Most fake sites do not.
* Read up on product information. Fake sites only display the benefits of their counterfeit drugs.
* Look for the seal of FDA approval. Only authentic medications have this seal.
* Seek accreditation. Most authentic online pharmacies are accredited by the Joint Commission on Healthcare Organizations.
