The market of online pharmacies has been on the rise in the past couple of years. Among many factors, the growth is attributed to the convenience of buying medications from the comfort of your home. You can easily Buy Now your medications right from the comfort of your couch. As it is, however, the increasing numbers of rogue Internet drugstore sites have continued to pose great danger to purchasers in terms of counterfeit drugs and dosage, not forgetting personal information that may be compromised. Hence, it is very important to choose a legitimate online pharmacy to ensure safety and health. Here are five tips to make an informed and secure choice:
Check if Transactions are Secure
Personal and financial information is most exposed when purchasing drugs from an online shop. Look for those online drug shops that have secure payment methods and have their websites encrypted. Those online sites whose URL starts with “https” and has a locked picture on the address bar are recommended since their data is usually encrypted during transmission.
Study the privacy policy of the pharmacy to understand how they are going to treat your offered information. Good pharmacies will have neat and clean policies on data privacy and will never sell or share your information without consent.
Check for Credentials
Look out for the seal of accreditation from one of the recognized regulatory bodies. In the United States, this effort is led by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy through the Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites accreditation to Internet pharmacies that meet rigid standards of practice. Pharmacies bearing the VIPPS seal are required to adhere to state and federal laws, hence they are by definition safe and legal providers.
Verify whether the site has been certified or licensed by the state board of pharmacy for the state in which it is operating. This information usually is available on a site or by calling the state board. Legitimate pharmacies will also provide a physical address and contact information.
Valid Prescription Requirement
Watch out for websites that offer to sell prescription medications without a prescription, or ones where the prescription is provided based on the answering of an online questionnaire. These are normally telltale signs of illegal operations. A good online pharmacy will ask you to upload the prescription or to have it sent out directly by your doctor.
Some may offer the convenience of telemedicine consultations through licensed physicians who can assess your condition and determine whether to issue a prescription. The prescription requirement does two things: it saves you from dangerous self-prescription with fatal dosages and puts you on the right medicine and dosage for your condition.
Check for Professional Support
Genuine online pharmacies offer access to a licensed pharmacist and customer service representatives responding to the varied queries you have and addressing your concerns. Test their support services before purchasing by placing a question across the medication you plan to buy.
Look out for the professionalism, accuracy, and timeliness of the response. When professional support is available, you would be able to get sage advice regarding the use of medicines, the side effects, and drug interactions. This is a very important support in using your medicines effectively and safely.
Read Reviews and Ratings
Customer reviews and ratings are a perfect way of reviewing the online pharmacy on such factors as legitimacy and quality. Look out for reviews on independent review websites and forums rather than depend on in-site testimonials, which could be partial or even manipulated.
Pay attention to feedback regarding order accuracy, delivery times, customer service, and general satisfaction from past customers. Customers who want to buy now should consider reviewing products to find a legitimate and trustworthy pharmacy.
