What you should know before ordering prescription medicine online

You can now compare prices and order prescription medication from an online pharmacy without leaving the house, but you should be aware of the potential risks involved. Some of the considerable benefits of purchasing medication online are: considerable cost savings, privacy, convenience and better access to cheaper generic medication. Some online pharmacies also provide useful information about medication and diseases.

There are also considerable health and other risks involved for the uninformed consumer. The importance of consulting a doctor before ordering prescription medication online cannot be emphasized enough. These drugs can have serious or fatal side effects when taken incorrectly, for the wrong indication, or when interacting with other medication you may be taking or while having other medical conditions. Be careful of taking the advice of someone offering a free consultation online. Some websites that sell medicine are not pharmacies at all, won't protect your personal information and may give an incorrect diagnosis and/or sell you medicine that is not right for you or your health condition.

Even with a proper prescription in hand, you should be careful of where you purchase online. According to the FDA, some medicines sold online are fake, are not manufactured according to safe standards, are too strong or weak or have dangerous ingredients, have expired, are not labeled, stored or shipped correctly and have not been approved by the FDA for safety and effectiveness. Some controlled medications can be extremely dangerous when not taken under medical supervision and should never be purchased online. You can find a list here: FDA: Don't buy on the net

Make sure that the offshore online pharmacy has a valid U.S. DEA registration if selling controlled substances, has a valid pharmacy license in the country it is operating from and accepts the Pharmacy Standards Agreement.

An online pharmacy should adequately protect your personal and financial information. Check the site's privacy policy, it should ensure that your personal information is not shared with third parties. Online financial transactions should be secured by adequate encryption technology. The site's address and telephone number should also be clearly displayed. Be careful of additional fees that are typically added to the drug price. A shipping fee is standard, but there may also be a medical fee, order fees, and/or an account set up fee.