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How do I Safely Buy Prescription Drugs Online?

Amy Hunter
Amy Hunter

Buying prescription drugs online is one way that many people save on medical expenses. Buying prescription drugs online can be a safe and effective alternative, but it is important to know how to do so, otherwise you may put your financial and physical health in jeopardy. A few minutes spent before you place your order can save you time and headaches later on.

Your first step when buying prescription drugs online is to let your physician know what you are planning to do. It may happen that he has other patients that purchase their prescription medications online, and he knows of a trusted online pharmacy. This recommendation can make the process of buying prescription drugs online much simpler.

People who buy drugs online won't meet directly with a pharmacist.
People who buy drugs online won't meet directly with a pharmacist.

If you don’t plan on visiting a physician, but instead plan to obtain a prescription from an Internet doctor, you may want to rethink your plan. While there is nothing technically illegal with this process, the United States Federal government frowns on the practice of seeking diagnosis and prescriptions on the Internet. Consider carefully why you want access to a drug without talking to your general practitioner.

Online prescriptions have been criticized for the potential of abuse.
Online prescriptions have been criticized for the potential of abuse.

With a valid prescription from your local doctor, you are ready to begin the process of purchasing prescription drugs online. A quick Internet search using the name of the drug plus the word Internet should yield an abundance of results. You are likely to find many useless websites as well as sites that are obviously scams.

Once you have a list of several Internet sites that look promising, take a closer look at their sites. Specifically, check out their frequently asked question page and find out how they want to see your prescription and how they accept payment. Most Internet pharmacies will require you to fax a copy of the prescription to them. Payment is often possible with a wide variety of methods. The safest for the consumer is a credit card.

Care must be taken when buying prescription drugs online to make sure the correct medication is being purchased.
Care must be taken when buying prescription drugs online to make sure the correct medication is being purchased.

If the Internet pharmacy only accepts payments by electronic funds transfer, money orders or Western Union transfer, you should be skeptical. While not all pharmacies take all types of credit cards, not accepting any credit card should raise a red flag. Credit cards, not debit cards that can be used as credit cards, provide an added layer of protection between you and the Internet pharmacy.

Most internet pharmacies will require the individual to fax a copy of the prescription to them.
Most internet pharmacies will require the individual to fax a copy of the prescription to them.

After you successfully purchase prescription drugs online, it is important to carefully read all the information that is provided about the medication. You will not meet face to face with a pharmacist, so it is more important than usual to research the medications that you purchase and make sure that they will not interact with any other medications or supplements that you are currently taking.

Discussion Comments

Animandel
@Drentel - In many cases drugs bought in Canada are less expensive than drugs purchased in the United States. Some people go across the U.S.-Canadian border solely to purchase prescription drugs and save money. However, when you are approached online, you can't be certain who is actually sending the emails.

There have been instances when companies or individuals have taken orders for prescription drugs online and instead of sending the drugs that were ordered they sent phony medications that at best were useless, and in some cases harmful to the people who took them.

I think the article has the best advice when it says you should consult a physician to help you find a reputable online pharmacy when you don't feel comfortable doing the research and making a choice on your own.

Drentel

Constantly, I receive messages in my inbox from senders claiming to be capable of getting me prescription drugs at better prices than I can get by going to a local pharmacy. The email reads that these are Canada drugs and that's why they are less expensive.

I've never ordered anything from these online pharmacies. In fact, I usually delete the messages without reading them. However, I would like to know whether some of the claims these companies make are true. Has anyone ever replied to one of these emails and placed an order? How did it work out?

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    • People who buy drugs online won't meet directly with a pharmacist.
      By: mangostock
      People who buy drugs online won't meet directly with a pharmacist.
    • Online prescriptions have been criticized for the potential of abuse.
      By: Burlingham
      Online prescriptions have been criticized for the potential of abuse.
    • Care must be taken when buying prescription drugs online to make sure the correct medication is being purchased.
      By: Feng Yu
      Care must be taken when buying prescription drugs online to make sure the correct medication is being purchased.
    • Most internet pharmacies will require the individual to fax a copy of the prescription to them.
      By: Rob Byron
      Most internet pharmacies will require the individual to fax a copy of the prescription to them.
    • Your physician may know of  a trusted site to purchase prescription drugs.
      By: candy1812
      Your physician may know of a trusted site to purchase prescription drugs.
    • Filling prescriptions online may be more convenient for people who are disabled or who have a chronic illness.
      By: igor
      Filling prescriptions online may be more convenient for people who are disabled or who have a chronic illness.
    • Ordering prescription medications online is becoming more and more popular.
      By: adam36
      Ordering prescription medications online is becoming more and more popular.