Reliable online pharmacies make life a lot easier. You can get medication seamlessly when you order your drugs on the internet. You can also save some money when you order drugs online and still have them delivered to your doorstep. While this may sound like a breakthrough in the pharmaceutical industry, it’s rather unfortunate that people can easily get scammed as there are many illegal online drug stores – and it’s difficult to tell them apart.
The following tips will help you in making the right decision when sourcing quality medication online.
- Research before patronage
So many people often get scammed because they didn’t take their time to research the online pharmacy before making a purchase. If an online store claims that you don’t need a prescription to make an order, please run as far as you can.
Some online pharmacies may tell you that they offer cyber consultation where you fill out a questionnaire, and their so-called physician reviews your comments. Please stay away from these sites because you never can tell if what you are getting from them are counterfeit drugs or even expired ones.
- Be wary of extremely low prices being used as bait
While ordering your medications from an online store could be cheaper, some dubious individuals use this as bait to lure customers. An extremely low price could be a red signal that something is not right. If an online pharmacy is offering to pay $10 for a medication that you normally pay $100 for, then you should be careful. The Executive director of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) warned that “if it’s too good to be true, then it probably is.”
- Check for certification
One thing you must pay attention to is the VIPPS seal. VIPPS stands for “Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Site. Before any legit online pharmacy store could operate, it has to be fully screened by the NABP. The VIPPS is a set of lay down guidelines set by NABP under which any online pharmacies must operate.
- Pay attention to the web domain
It’s very okay to order your medications from online pharmacies that have “.pharmacy” at the end of their websites. This is because only certified outfits can use that domain.
- Is the website secured?
You must make sure the online pharmacy you want to patronize is highly secured. If the website is not secure, it means all your information, including credit card details and address, could be leaked and used by another person that comes across it. A secure website uses special tools to encrypt customers’ data. You can tell when a website is secured as the URL will always begin with “HTTPS” rather than “HTTP”.
Beware of sites claiming miracle cures
Be conscious of online pharmacy stores that promote cures for serious disorders, a ‘cure-all’ medication for a wide range of health conditions. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Some of these sites even go to the extent of publishing false testimonies on their websites.
Conclusion
Do you plan to get your refills or order your prescribed medication online? Many of the online pharmacies out there, such as the Canadian Pharmacy Online are legal businesses, and you can patronize them with confidence the same way you patronize the pharmacy store in your neighbourhood. You should patronize online pharmacies with caution as many falsified medicines are sold online. The good news is now you can make more informed decisions using the tips we’ve shared.
