How do I Choose the Best Online Pharmacy?

Finding the best online pharmacy could just as easily be defined as finding the most legitimate online pharmacy. Before you even begin your search, you should understand that an Internet drugstore is not a replacement for your primary care physician. Legitimate online pharmacies can offer you convenience and home delivery, but the Internet is loaded with rogue pharmacies that may well provide you with sub-standard, inappropriate, dangerous, or even illegal drugs.

You safest course when choosing an online pharmacy is to ask your doctor for assistance, for he will no doubt have a preferred source. Most of the major chain pharmacies also offer online service. In addition to payment, all they require is that your doctor call in, fax, or email them your prescription. Sometimes you may receive a price break from these operations. Other services can include automatic refills, online drug interaction calculators, and help with insurance billing.

A rogue online pharmacy will generally offer promises that can sound inviting. For instance, imagine you have a recurring illness and believe that your doctor will prescribe the same drug that he has given you time and again. It is beyond tempting to avoid the cost of an office call and simply buy direct from an Internet pharmacy that does not require a prescription. You will save money, you will save time, and you will have your pills delivered directly to your home.

There are a few downsides to taking this path. The first is that in the United States, and most of Europe, such operations are illegal. You might well receive the incorrect drugs, and you have no assurance of either quality control or purity. A rogue online pharmacy will gladly sell drugs that are considered controlled substances, such as various painkillers and narcotics. You might never receive your order, or if you do, you are without doubt in violation of numerous drug laws.

You should never trust an online pharmacy that boasts of how no prescription is required. Neither should you deal with one that claims to have an online doctor on staff. These are sure signs of an unethical and possibly dangerous operation. Last but not least, most rogue pharmacies will sell your personal information, and you will be deluged with spam-style emails the likes of which you never imagined.

If you wish to deal with a reputable online pharmacy, all that is needed is a little common sense. Make certain the company has a real address and a real phone number, and that they are licensed. A legitimate online pharmacy will require a prescription, contact information on your doctor, and usually a medical history. Your objective is not to save a little time or a few dollars; it is to receive the quality medications that you require. Convenience is nice, but not at the risk of potentially damaging your health.