Lately, buying prescription medications online has been widely adopted around the globe. Online pharmacy offers convenient and easily accessible services from health consultation to doorstep delivery of the drugs.
How buying medicines online is considered safe and affordable? And most importantly, how can you be sure the medication you purchase is safe, legal, and FDA approved?
Yes, buying online medication is cost-effective and safe. But the safety can be of concern with some online pharmacies and other e-commerce sites selling the prescribed medicine. It is essential to know how you can select legal and certified online pharmacies.
Let us discuss some guidelines that can help you choose safe online pharmacies with cost-effective medications.
Why Should You Choose Safe Online Pharmacy?
When you have a busy work routine or frequently on the move, the ability to fill your medicine online can be very pleasing. But, there are some unauthorized pharmacies in which entering your health records may not be considered safe. Some illegal sites are selling medicines, which are not approved by the FDA. These medications are not effective and may even result in unwanted side effects.
Illegal online pharmacies have been reportedly sent different quantities and qualities of medicines, and those medicines can be hazardous to your health.
The unapproved medications are;
- Fake medicines with no active ingredients
- The incorrect quantity of active ingredients, which are not effective
- Include hazardous ingredients
- Expired medications
- Not up to the FDA standards
- Incorrectly labeled, stored, or shipped
How to Choose a Safe Online Pharmacy?
The FDA and safe.pharmacy have put together guidelines for purchasing medications online. When you choose an online pharmacy store, you need to look for the following things:
1. Authorized Online Pharmacy Requires a Valid Prescription
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for implementing the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA). It mandates the prescription for drugs and recommends that drugs cannot be used safely without a licensed professional’s supervision. Check at the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) to verify if the site is a licensed pharmacy with good standards (1).
An authenticated online pharmacy will first ask for prescribed medicine from a licensed physician. Providing prescription medicine that doesn't have a legitimate physician recommendation is a violation of the FDCA guidelines. You should produce a recent prescription by your physician to buy medicine online. In diabetics and blood pressure patients, it is very convenient to keep the record and set reminders for a refill and follow up checkups (2).
2. Online Pharmacies Should Have a Physical Address in the State
It is essential to know the pharmacy location, as it helps in the transparency of the company. Sometimes many online pharmacies pop up soon and may disappear quickly too, hence it is essential to look for a pharmacy location in the state. If they have a registered location in the country and have the right consumer support, it is easy to trust such companies.
It is better to place an order with a recognized and authenticated established online pharmacy that is retail-based. It is always ideal to order your medicine from an online pharmacy that's a part of a renewed and established company. The site should also provide telephone numbers and addresses to connect with them whenever necessary (3).
3. Online Pharmacies Should Have Local State Board Licence
Unauthorized online pharmacies websites look genuine, so verifying the pharmacy’s license through your state board of pharmacy (or corresponding state agency) is crucial to know whether you are using a safe and legal online pharmacy. Select your state from the FDA website and check your state board of pharmacy’s license database. It links to databases provided and is maintained by your state agency (4).
If you are unable to find the online pharmacy in the licensed list, then it's better not to order your medicine from that online site.
Once you have found the state-licensed online pharmacy, also check for the pharmacy which requires:
- A prescription from a licensed physician
- Online Company has to provide an address and the phone number of the state in which it is located
- A licensed pharmacist is available to answer any complications with the drugs
4. Provide 24/7 Support With Licenced Pharmacist
Always check for the online pharmacy that provides you with a licensed pharmacist, and if they are available 24/7. If you find some discomfort with your medicines or if you have any concerns, you should be able to contact them. You can consult them if you are allergic to any ingredient in your medication. You can also enquire regarding generic medicine, and cost-effective FDA approved drugs with the same advantages.
5. Security Concerns While Selecting the Online Pharmacy
Confidentiality issues are about the discretion of consumer's data and personal data protection. Many studies have suggested that online pharmacies could be a tool for data extraction of patients. Sometimes they charge money and fail to deliver the medicine, and sometimes they may send the wrong medication. This may be even used for stealing the money from vulnerable consumers to lead them not being able to procure the drugs.
A genuine online pharmacy will keep your data safe and help you in hassle-free shopping with good pricing (3).
How does online pharmacy work?
Authorized pharmacy follows these steps for online consultations and drug delivery:
- You have to open an account with the pharmacy, and you have to submit your credit card and insurance information. Every state has a license policy, so check for the state license of the place where you reside.
- Once you create the account, you need to submit a prescription from a licensed physician. You can provide a scanned copy of the prescription or send it by fax or email.
- Once the order is placed, medicines are delivered quickly with no shipping charge.
- The authorized sites have a customer call service with licensed pharmacists. If you face a problem with your medicine, you can call them on the toll-free number or drop a mail.
What can you do to Buy Cost Effective Medication Online?
Patients are generally attracted to illegitimate online pharmacies when they cannot pay for high-cost medicine and are anxious to find low-cost medications. There are other legal ways you can save money.
- You can check with your doctor for FDA approved generic medicine.
- If you cannot pay for your medications or other healthcare expenses, you can check a Patient Assistant Program on NeedyMeds.org.
- There are also many online websites and applications which can provide you with useful information about medicine. They may offer education information or coupons for you to use.
Final words
If you are looking for safe, hassle-free, and cost-effective medication, go for an online pharmacy. Follow the guidelines and only use trusted and authorized sites for your medication needs. iLiveActive is a patient-driven telehealth service that delivers on-demand diagnosis and treatment from licensed physicians and the appropriate medicine from licensed pharmacists. We ensure to provide FDA approved quality medications with seamless doorstep delivery. Click here to place your order - https://iliveactive.com/Default.aspx.
Our mission is to make sure our clients lead longer and healthier lives by giving quick and easy access to an expert physician and pharmacy services.