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Buying prescription drugs online: The do's and don'ts
Ordering prescription drugs online can save you time and sometimes even money — but you must be careful. Safeguard your health and finances with these simple do's and don'ts.
By Mayo Clinic staffPoint, click and buy. We may do it for books, groceries, plane tickets — even vehicles. Why not add prescription drugs to the list?
Ordering prescription drugs online may save you time and even money. Many online pharmacies provide information about drug interactions. Some even e-mail alerts when a drug is recalled or a generic equivalent becomes available.
But be extra careful. Some online pharmacies ship expired drugs or those that haven't been stored properly. Others don't require a prescription or check for drug interactions. Some sites skirt the edge of legality.
To safeguard your health and finances, remember these simple do's and don'ts.
Things to do:
- Do consult your doctor. Your doctor can determine if a particular drug is safe for you or if another treatment would be more appropriate. Make sure your doctor knows all the medications you're taking, including over-the-counter and prescription drugs.
- Do use a licensed pharmacy. The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy can tell you whether a particular online pharmacy is licensed and in good standing. Some sites carry a seal of approval from Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites, or VIPPS. To gain this approval, sites must maintain state licenses and allow inspections by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy.
- Do insist on access to a registered pharmacist. Reputable sites offer toll-free access to registered pharmacists for help answering your medication questions. Some online pharmacies have traditional physical locations as well. If you have questions about a medication after you begin taking it or you're concerned about drug reactions, it may be especially valuable to speak with a pharmacist in person.
- Do read the privacy and security policies. Before placing an order, be confident that your credit card number, personal health information and other personally identifiable information will be protected.
- Do compare prices. You may find great deals online. But there aren't any guarantees. Your local drugstore might beat the online price.
- Do be careful of counterfeit drugs. Some medicines sold by online Web sites are outright fakes. There have been cases where drugs ordered online turned out to be nothing more than dietary supplements, contained harmful doses of the wrong drug or contained no medication at all. Be suspicious if there's no way to contact the Web site pharmacy by phone, if prices seem too good to be true or if you're told no prescription is required. The best defense is to know what your medicine should look like. Knowing the size, shape, color, taste, texture, smell or hardness of a medication may help you identify a drug that is counterfeit. Also be alert for altered or unsealed packaging. Some of the drugs most commonly counterfeited include those to treat high cholesterol, weight loss and erectile dysfunction.
- Do be cautious of sites based in foreign countries. Legitimate international sites exist. But there are risks. The product label or instructions may be in a language you don't understand. The medication may not be held to the same rigorous safety standards. A medication sold in the United States may be a different product with the same name in another country. Some foreign sites sell drugs that are illegal in the United States.
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