Are you thinking about ordering your prescription medications online instead of getting them from an in-store pharmacy? Switching to an online pharmacy offers a lot of benefits.
It means you don’t need to waste time driving to the pharmacy every time you need a refill, as you can have your prescriptions sent right to your door. Oftentimes, you can find drugs at discounted prices through online pharmacies, and you can set up your account for automatic refills.
But, how do you find a reputable online pharmacy?
Check out this guide to learn how it’s done.
Look Out for Scams
While it’s perfectly legal to order prescription drugs online, it’s also important to understand that there are dishonest businesses out there working hard to get around the laws in place.
Here are some of the issues you may run into:
- Counterfeit medications
- Medications that aren’t approved
- Medications sold without a prescription
- Personal information may not be protected
While prescription drugs are regulated by the FDA in the US, this organization can’t monitor the efficacy and safety of imported products. Websites with non-FDA approved medications can pop up overnight and disappear the next day. This is why it’s so important to verify an online pharmacy before doing business with them.
Check Your Health Insurance
Before you refill your prescriptions online, you first need to check with your health insurance. Ask your insurer to give you a list of approved online pharmacies as a starting point.
Insurance companies vet online pharmacies before they accept them as suppliers, so if a pharmacy is on their approved list, you can definitely trust them. But, this doesn’t mean you should automatically rule out pharmacies that aren’t on their list.
If you find an online pharmacy that isn’t on your insurer’s list, it may simply mean that your insurance company doesn’t have a business agreement with them.
Look for Licensing
In the US, pharmacies and pharmacists need to be verified by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. This is a nonprofit organization that exists in all 50 US states as well as the US territories (the Bahamas, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands).
If an online pharmacy is certified by the NABP, it’ll have a VIPPS seal on their website. VIPPS stands for Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites. This seal is offered to online pharmacies that meet the NABP’s requirements. But, keep in mind that these seals can easily be copied, so you’ll need to verify with the NABP that the seal is authentic.
Look for Prescription Requirements
If an online pharmacy allows you to order a drug without a doctor’s prescription, this is a major red flag and shows that they’re not a legitimate business.
Additionally, if an online pharmacy offers to provide a doctor’s prescription for you, this is also illegal and unsafe, and you should avoid this website. You should also avoid online pharmacies that have unusually low or high prices.
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Are You Ready to Work With a Reputable Online Pharmacy?
Now that you’ve read this guide, it’s time to find the right reputable online pharmacy for you. Soon, you’ll see how convenient it is to order your prescriptions online.
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