Things to Consider When Choosing an Online Pharmacy

In the realities of modern life, the Internet occupies one of the first places. Many people, when they start to get sick, look for their symptoms on the Internet and uncontrollably buy medicines in online pharmacies. Many online “pharmacies” sell different medicines, however, they are not duly registered as pharmacies. Therefore, you need to be wise when choosing a drug search service, since buying drugs on such platforms is potentially hazardous to health.

Self-diagnosis

It often happens that people self-medicate. Based on their symptoms, they look for a similar disease on the Internet, then they search for a treatment and go to the online pharmacy website in search of the right medicine. If you need a prescription drug for treatment, then the pharmacy that sells it to you without a prescription will act illegally.

In order to sell a number of drugs, in particular prescription medicines, an online pharmacy must obtain a legally valid prescription from a doctor before selling it to a customer. This means that the doctor who prescribed the treatment must give you either a paper or electronic prescription. Only after presenting the prescription to the online pharmacy, you will be able to order the right medicine, in the dosage indicated in the prescription.

Is it possible to buy a medicine in a pharmacy after an online consultation?

Some pharmacies offer online consultations. You will be able to discuss your symptoms with the doctor, and after that, the specialist will prescribe the right treatment in the right dosages. Also, this doctor will issue a prescription and the pharmacy will be able to sell you the necessary medicine. Thus, you will reduce the risks of deterioration of health due to improper use of the medication to a minimum.

What should you pay special attention to when choosing an online pharmacy?

You should beware of medicine sales services that offer to buy medication that require a prescription without a prescription. You should also not buy meds in online pharmacies at prices much lower than market prices. You run the risk of getting a counterfeit drug. At best, it will simply not work, and at worst, your health will worsen.

Important tips to follow:

• Buy medicines from reputable online pharmacies.
• Usually the site that sells medicines is linked directly to a physical pharmacy – this should be checked.
• Pay attention to the reviews of other people who used this service for finding and buying medicines.
• An online pharmacy must have a license to sell prescription medicines.
• Never think of buying medicine as a typical trip to the store, because counterfeit medicines can harm your health.
• Do not be fooled by advertising of cheap medicines, because in most cases you will get a counterfeited product.
• Check if an online pharmacy has a logo and is dule registered according to national legal procedures.
• Always check parcels in the mail.
• Check out the GPhC (General Pharmaceutical Council) tips for buying medicines online safely, or check website of a pharmaceutical regulator in your country.

How to distinguish a real online pharmacy with quality medicines from a fraudulent one?

In order not to get caught by scammers, you should remember a few basic rules that will save you:

• do not trust a pharmacy unless it requires a prescription for a prescription drug, for example, Mysimba (Contrave), is a prescription medicine, it cannot be offered OTC;
• do not trust a pharmacy that offers a “cure for all diseases” – some kind of miracle pill that will cure your serious illness;
• do not trust a pharmacy that offers medicines at very low prices and with a discount which is too good to be true;
• if a pharmacy provides worldwide delivery, then most likely such a pharmacy does not even exist;
• do not trust a pharmacy if it does not have a business address.

What are the risks?

If you buy medicine from an unverified pharmacy, you risk:

• get the wrong medicine;
• get fake medicine;
• receive medication of inadequate quality
• get an expired prdocut;
• you may get additional or very strong side effects;
• in the best case, your condition will not change, and in the worst case, it may worsen;
• your personal and banking information may be stolen
• you might just not get the needed medicine.

Be smart and careful, choose only legal pharmacies which reqire a prescription or give a possibility to obtain a digital one. Health is the most precious thing in life, so treat it accordingly.