Are you sick of standing in line at the pharmacy, waiting to pick up your prescription medications? You don’t have to anymore! Instead, consider learning how to buy drugs online.
Can you buy prescription drugs online? Yes! You can receive the medications you need from the comfort and safety of your home.
You won’t have to take time out of your busy schedule to drive to the pharmacy and wait in a long line. Don’t rush to buy drugs online just yet, though.
While 25% of online customers are ordering prescription medications online, only 4% of online pharmacies are licensed. Many online pharmacies aren’t licensed to operate legally.
You don’t want to end up with fake medications full of harmful fillers. Instead, use these tips to purchase the medications you need safely.
Start shopping with these seven simple tips today!
1. Spot Scams
Before you learn how to buy drugs online safely, it helps to know how to spot scammers. Otherwise, you could end up with fake, unsafe medications.
Some fake, online pharmacies sell medications that contain fillers. Others will steal your credit card number and private information.
In fact, social media could point you in the wrong direction, too. About 40% of social media posts promoting medications send people to illegal pharmacies. Remain wary as you start reading online marketing messages.
Before you buy prescription drugs online, learn how to spot a scam.
First, review the pharmacy’s website. Take a look at the URL. Does it include “HTTPS” in front of the domain name?
These websites have an SSL certificate, meaning it’s secure. Usually, you can trust these websites with your private information.
If a website doesn’t contain “HTTPS” in front of the URL, don’t shop there.
Check the end of the URL for “.pharmacy” as well. The National Association Board of Pharmacies (NABP) checks websites to make sure they’re legitimate. If a site has “.pharmacy,” the NABP has vetted it for you.
These pharmacies follow federal and state practices. You can buy drugs online from these vetted pharmacies.
2. Use a Doctor’s Prescription
Can you buy prescription drugs online? Yes! However, it’s important to make sure the pharmacy asks for a prescription.
If the pharmacy claims you don’t need a doctor’s prescription, take your business elsewhere.
How will the pharmacy know the exact medication to send you without a doctor’s prescription? If they send you the wrong medication, it could do more harm than good. Meanwhile, you’ll fail to heal from that condition that led you to need medication in the first place.
Determine if the pharmacy allows you to speak with a licensed pharmacist. Make sure the pharmacist has the training necessary to answer your medication-related questions.
If the pharmacy doesn’t have a professional on staff, take your business elsewhere.
Some online pharmacies pop up overnight, take your money, and disappear. Instead of getting scammed, look into the company’s history. How long have they existed?
Try to find a long-established business. You’ll have peace of mind knowing the pharmacy won’t disappear with your money.
3. Check the Address
Review the pharmacy’s website before you buy drugs online. Does the pharmacy display a street address anywhere? Look for a phone number you can call, too.
Make sure you know where the pharmacy is located. If they only display a P.O. box, they’re likely not displaying the right address.
Try to contact someone through the website for more information. If they don’t allow you to speak with anyone, take your business elsewhere.
Make sure you find an established business before you start shopping online.
4. Compare Costs
Take the time to comparison shop before you buy prescription drugs online.
One of the benefits of buying drugs online is the chance to find great deals. Remember, not every online pharmacy is legitimate, though. Before you start shopping, compare your options.
If one price seems too good to be true, it likely is. Don’t risk shopping from a scam site just to save money. Instead, use these tips to make sure you’re shopping from a legitimate website.
Comparison shopping will help you determine the average price of the medication you need.
Determine if the pharmacy offers any discounts, too. You can find a Jardiance discount here to start shopping.
5. Call Your Insurance Company
Consider talking to your insurance company. Some insurance companies have a list of online pharmacies they’ve already vetted. You can find peace of mind choosing a pharmacy your insurer already trusts.
You might find an online pharmacy that isn’t included on your insurance company’s list. Don’t worry. That doesn’t mean the pharmacy you’re considering is illegitimate.
Rather, it could mean your insurance company hasn’t reviewed that pharmacy yet.
6. Read Reviews
Before you buy prescription drugs online, do your due diligence. Look for customer reviews from people who were once in your shoes.
You can find reviews on the company’s Better Business Bureau and Google My Business listings. If they’re a Canada-based pharmacy, check PharmacyChecker, too. Try to look at multiple resources.
Does anyone complain that the pharmacy scammed them? Scratch that pharmacy off your list.
Find a licensed, legitimate pharmacy other shoppers trust.
7. Check NABP
Take the time to use some of the online tools you have available to you as well.
Many professional organizations have already vetted online pharmacies for you. You can use their research to streamline your search.
For example, you can check the NABP website. Remember, the NABP screens online pharmacies. You can trust the pharmacies they recommend.
As you research each pharmacy on your list, look for the Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites (VIPPS®) Seal. This seal means the pharmacy meets licensure requirements.
If you’re interested in a Canadian pharmacy, check the Canadian International Pharmacy Association (CIPA) website instead.
Shop Smarter: 7 Tips to Help You Buy Drugs Online Safely
Don’t rush to buy drugs online from the first pharmacy you encounter. Instead, use these seven tips to buy prescription drugs safely. With these tips, you can feel confident in your choice.
Then, you can start enjoying the benefits of online prescription purchases firsthand!
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