Click and Refill: A Newbie’s Guide to Buying Medication Online

Are you tired of standing in line at the pharmacy? Maybe you’d prefer to stay safe at home. Don’t worry; you don’t have to make the drive to pick up prescriptions anymore.

Instead, consider buying medication online.

You can buy prescriptions online to save money and remain safe. Shopping from online pharmacies is convenient, too. Before you start spending, though, it’s important to remain cautious.

Not every online pharmacy is operating legally. In fact, about 20 new illegal pharmacies appear online each day. It’s important to learn how to spot legitimate pharmacies before you start shopping online.

Here are seven tips that can help before you start buying medication. With these tips, you can feel confident you’re choosing a trustworthy pharmacy.

Start shopping online with these seven simple tips today.

1. Understand Scammers

Before you start buying medication online, it helps to know how to identify reputable pharmacies among the rest. Otherwise, you might shop from an illegitimate pharmacy.

Shopping from a pharmacy that’s not operating legally could have disastrous consequences.

For starters, you might not receive the medications you need. Some medications contain harmful fillers. Buying counterfeit medications could compromise your health.

You need to make sure you’re buying the medications your doctor prescribed. Otherwise, your health could deteriorate.

Some illegitimate online pharmacies can leave you vulnerable to hackers, too. Hackers can steal your private information, including your credit card details. You could fall victim to credit card fraud if you don’t vet your options.

Make sure to vet every online pharmacy you come across before you buy prescriptions online.

The FDA is responsible for regulating prescription medications in America. However, they can’t confirm that every imported medication is safe for use. Not every online pharmacy has FDA approval.

About 96% of pharmacies don’t comply with US state and federal laws.

In fact, some pharmacies appear overnight, only to take your money and disappear.

If you shop from these pharmacies and receive counterfeit medications, you might struggle to lodge a complaint in the future. Using these tips will help you avoid a potential scam.

2. Provide Your Prescription

Before choosing an online pharmacy to shop from, make sure a licensed medical professional asks for a doctor’s prescription. If they don’t ask for a legitimate prescription, scratch that pharmacy off your list.

Remember, you don’t want to risk receiving the wrong medication. How will the pharmacy know what to send you if you don’t provide the doctor’s prescription?

You don’t want to risk receiving fake medications or medications that haven’t received FDA approval.

About 95% of websites offering prescription-only drugs operate illegally. Meanwhile, nearly 90% of illegal online pharmacies don’t require a prescription. Don’t risk falling prey to these pharmacies.

Instead, make sure there’s a medical professional you can speak with about your prescription. Ask for proof of their credentials, too. If they’re not a licensed pharmacist or physician, shop elsewhere.

3. Look for a License

If you want to buy prescriptions online from a trustworthy pharmacy, make sure they’re licensed and registered. Confirm that their license is up-to-date, too.

If you plan on buying medication from Canada online, check the National Associate of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP). The NABP vets online pharmacies. You’ll have peace of mind knowing you’re shopping from a reputable resource.

Each pharmacy website you come across should mention the pharmacy’s registration and license information. If they don’t, scratch that pharmacy off your list.

4. See the Seal

Explore each website you find before you buy pain medication online.

The pharmacy should have a Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites (VIPPS) seal if they’ve received the NABP’s approval. The seal means the pharmacy meets state licensure requirements. They also meet additional NABP requirements.

The NABP completes a screening process before allowing pharmacies to use this seal. The pharmacy is also required to meet licensing criteria. A certification team verifies the company meets the necessary requirements at the pharmacy’s physical location, too.

If you see the VIPPS seal, you can feel confident that you’re choosing a reputable online pharmacy.

5. Check for Security

It’s not enough to choose a pharmacy that has the NABP’s approval, though. Make sure to look around the site before you start shopping.

First, look at the website’s URL. Make sure “HTTPS” appears in front of the domain name. “HTTPS” indicates the website is using an SSL certificate.

These websites are secure, meaning you can shop from them safely. You won’t have to stress out about proving these sites with your private details.

Check the website’s footer, too. Look for a return policy and privacy policy. Consider reading over the website’s security settings as well.

If the website has a privacy policy, it means they don’t have the right to sell you private information.

Check for “.pharmacy” at the end of the URL, too. Websites with “.pharmacy” in the URL have NABP-approval.

Both US and non-US pharmacies can apply for this program if they have VIPPS accreditation.

6. Compare Prices

Before buying medication online, shop around.

Visit more than one online pharmacy to compare your options. Comparison shopping will help you determine the average price for each medication. If one medication seems extremely cheap, remain wary.

Usually, when prices are too good to be true, there’s a reason. Trust your gut. Avoid shopping from websites that have extremely low prices.

Comparison shopping will help you avoid scams. Instead, visit this discount pharmacy online for better ways to save.

7. Consult the NRS List

Before you make your final decision and buy prescriptions online, consult the NABP. Check their Not Recommended Sites (NRS) list. The NRS list features websites that don’t comply with federal laws or best practices.

These pharmacies tend to neglect patient safety. You might want to consider scratching these pharmacies off your list.

Savvy Shopping: 7 Tips for Buying Medication Online

Don’t rush when buying medication online. Instead, take the time to vet each online pharmacy you encounter. Using these seven tips will help you make a more informed choice before you start shopping.

You’ll have peace of mind knowing you’re choosing a pharmacy you can trust.

Searching for more tips? You’ve come to the right place.

Explore our latest guides today for more helpful advice.