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How can you safely and wisely use online pharmacies?
§ Be wary of Web sites that use questionnaires to determine the appropriateness of prescribing drugs that patients have not received before. Without a physical exam, you are at greater risk for misdiagnosis of the illness as well as side effects and drug interactions.
§ Look for the site's privacy policy before you provide any private medical history. You should require assurance that your information will not be sold to direct marketers.
§ Before shopping at an online drugstore, check with the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy to see if the pharmacy has a valid license and has met state practice standards. Visit the Website at www.nabp.net to see what these standards are and which sites meet them, or call 847-698-6227. Look for the VPPS seal at web sites.
§ Don't buy from sites that sell prescription drugs without a prescription. Talk to your health-care professional before using any medication for the first time.
§ Don't order from sites that don't offer you the opportunity to ask questions of a registered pharmacist.
§ Avoid sites that require that you link to another Web site to purchase the drug or who do not provide a U.S. phone number and address to contact with questions. Because US law enforcement cannot police foreign sellers, drugs offered by foreign sites may have been contaminated during manufacture or storage, may be counterfeit products, or may not be delivered at all after you pay for them.
Beware of sites that advertise a "new cure" for a serious disorder or a quick cure-all for a wide range of ailments.
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