Since so many people are turning to the Internet
to shop for prescription drugs, here are some
tips and sites.
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Tips and
Warnings for Consumers of online medications
With hundreds of drug-dispensing Websites in business,
how can consumers tell which sites are legitimate ones,
especially when it is very easy to set up a site that
is very professional looking and promises deep discounts
or a minimum of hassles?
If you buy medical products online, be aware of
the following dangers:
- Purchasing a medication from an illegal Website
puts you at risk. You may receive a contaminated or
counterfeit product, the wrong product, an incorrect
dose, or no product at all.
- Taking an unsafe or inappropriate medication puts
you at risk for dangerous drug interactions and other
serious health consequences.
- Getting a prescription drug by filling out a questionnaire
without seeing a doctor poses serious health risks.
A questionnaire does not provide sufficient information
for a health-care professional to determine if that
drug is for you or safe to use, if another treatment
is more appropriate, or if you have an underlying
medical condition where using that drug may be harmful.
BE PATIENT: That pun is intended.
It can take several days to register yourself with the
online pharmacies and for you to receive your medication.
They are best used if they you are refilling medication
you need to take on a continuous long-term basis.
READ THE FINE PRINT: There are often
small fees, "subject-to-availability" clauses
and other items in the small print.
Here are some sites for you to try (many of them have
in-depth information about medicines and health that
you might find helpful, even if you don't buy medications
from them).
Buying Prescription Drugs
Online – Are The Risks Worth It?
Hundreds of Web sites offer prescription drugs
for sale, and the number of online pharmacies is
growing daily. While legitimate pharmacy sites can
provide a private, practical, and sometimes cheaper
way to obtain prescription medications - particularly
for those who live in remote areas or are unable
to travel to pharmacies - online buyers must take
extra precautions to ensure that they are receiving
safe medications from a reputable provider.
First and foremost, before you purchase medications
from an online pharmacy, check to be sure that you
are dealing with a U.S. state-licensed pharmacy.
A list of licensed online pharmacies has been developed
by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacies
(NABP) and can be viewed at their Web site (http://www.nabp.info).
The NABP has also developed a program to help you
identify online pharmacies that comply with all
state and federal regulations for dispensing of
medications. You can recognize these reputable pharmacy
Web sites, all of which display the Verified Internet
Pharmacy Practice Sites™ Seal (VIPPS® Seal). Safe online pharmacies should also:
* require a prescription from your own U.S.-licensed
physician,
* have a pharmacist available to answer questions,
* provide contact information (including the phone
number of a person you can talk to) in case you
have problems or questions.
Purchasing drugs from an illegal online pharmacy
can cause serious health risks. Drugs sold by an
unlicensed pharmacy may be:
* outdated or expired,
* may be manufactured in substandard facilities,
* may contain dangerous ingredients, may have been
improperly stored,
* or may be too strong or too weak.
Medications sold by unlicensed pharmacies can also
contain the wrong drugs or even be outright fakes.
Pharmacies that offer their own prescribing service
also constitute a significant risk to your health.
Both the American Medical Association and the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration agree that obtaining
a prescription by filling out an online questionnaire
does not conform to accepted standards of care and
may result in an improper diagnosis or receipt of
potentially harmful medications. Unscrupulous pharmacy
Web sites may also sell or share your personal and
financial information with other parties.
According to the NABP, about half of online pharmacies
that offer a prescribing service are located outside
the U.S., and purchasing drugs from these companies
can be illegal. Prescription drugs available from
foreign pharmacies may be products that the FDA
has not approved, may not have been made under the
quality standards required by U.S. law, or may not
be labeled according to U.S. requirements. These
drugs are prohibited by law from being sold in the
U.S.
While caution is the rule when making any online
purchase, buying prescription drugs online warrants
extra scrutiny. Always thoroughly investigate an
online pharmacy before making a purchase. When in
doubt, contact the NABP to be sure the pharmacy
is in good standing.
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