How to Determine Patient Safety with Online Pharmacies

The Internet has made getting prescriptions filled online a real bonus, but only if done correctly. Not all websites that offer medication follow standards set forward by the authorities in the industry like eDrugSearch.com. Ordering on the web is a practical approach to getting critical drugs, but leave many asking how to determine patient safety with online pharmacies. By following key steps, the Internet is a secure way to get the meds you need conveniently and at the best price.

Prescription Requirements

The first thing to do is check to ensure the site requires a prescription. Allowing users to order controlled substances without a proper prescription is a surefire way to spot a problem site. Most medications require a prescription by law. If you can order without one, you can’t be sure what you will get.

An online pharmacy should require more than just a patient survey when dispensing medication. This is also indicator of an unsafe business. The governing boards and eDrugSearch.com both warn that this practice is not legal.

Communication Options

One of the advantages of going to a pharmacy is being able to ask a question. There is no reason an online business would be any different. A company that only communicates by email is problematic. Look on the page for:

• A toll-free number that lets you order in person
• Valid business address in the United States

Asking for a Waiver?

A waiver means they are not taking responsibility for providing you with the proper medication. A business not willing to stand behind their service and products may be trying to hide something. A legitimate online pharmacy will not require you to sign a waiver as part of the ordering process.

Variety

Most respected online pharmacies are much like your neighborhood store. You can go to them to get almost any prescription filled. Avoid sites that only offer acne medication, pain drugs or diet pills.

Don’t Respond to Email Advertisements

The emails that promise to show you how to determine patient safety with online pharmacies and get drugs at discount prices are spamming you for business. Most of the companies that practice spamming are illegal, as well.

A reliable and safe pharmacy will avoid generating leads through the email. A qualified company gets customers via more trustworthy marketing practices such as advertising through the doctor’s office or participating in a qualified search platform like eDrugSearch.com.

Do Your Research

The Internet is a powerful tool when determining the legitimacy of any online site including a pharmacy. Do a search on the company name and review the feedback for the business. Customers taken by an online website will post to forums and complaint organizations about their experience.

Agencies that monitor the sale of medications may have warnings about online companies that violate the laws and established industry protocols, as well. An online business thrives based on their reputation. Do enough research for any online pharmacy you are considering to learn their reputation before placing orders. You can also ask at the doctor’s office if they have heard of a particular site.

Filling prescriptions online is a viable option for those who have a hard time getting to a pharmacy or who just want to compare prices to get the best deal. Do your research before ordering and rely on experts for advice on how to determine patient safety with online pharmacies. eDrugSearch.com is a free shopping comparison engine that allows consumers to compare drug prices and get safe access to affordable medications. The average eDrugSearch.com user can expect to save 40-80% off retail prices when shopping online the right way.

Do You Need a Prescription for Online Canadian Pharmacies?

As the cost of prescription medication continues to rise in the United States, individuals and families on a tight budget are looking for other options. Many turn to Canadian pharmacies for their lower price tag and relaxed rules. However, before you can obtain your medication you must ask yourself, “Do you need a prescription for online Canadian pharmacies?”

Do you need a prescription for online Canadian pharmacies?
Individuals wondering do you need a prescription for online Canadian pharmacies are under a common misconception that they can legally order any drug online from Canadian pharmacies without a valid doctor’s prescription. This, however, is not true and any legitimate pharmacy must have a valid prescription before filling the prescription. However, legitimate Canadian pharmacies can legally sell medication that does not require a prescription. For example, Alli is a weight loss drug that can be purchased from an online Canadian pharmacy without a prescription because he is considered an over-the-counter medication.

Performing a search online will yield many online “pharmacies” offering medication without a valid prescription. These so-called “pharmacies” are either nothing more than a scam or are illegally selling medication without a prescription. These fraudulent pharmacies do not follow the strict laws and guidelines set by Canada, and there is no guarantee that the drugs you are purchasing are the ones you actually ordered.

Laws and Online Pharmacies
Purchasing prescription medication from a foreign country is not illegal in the United States of America and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will not intercept packages containing prescription medication from Canada as long as the medication meets the following three criteria:

• Not a controlled substance
• For personal use only
• 90-day supply or less

However, it is illegal to purchase prescriptions that are not approved by the FDA even if they are approved by Health Canada.

Keep in mind that U.S. Customs randomly screens shipments coming into the U.S. to prevent bogus medications or drugs containing unapproved or dangerous ingredients from harming individuals. The FDA may make an exception in certain instances. For example, if the medication is used to treat a serious medical condition and said treatment isn’t available in the U.S. or the pharmacy prescribing the medication doesn’t produce the medication for U.S. consumers than the FDA may allow an exception.

Considerations
No matter where you decide to purchase your medication, always thoroughly research the online pharmacy before ordering. Furthermore, speak to the pharmacist at the online pharmacy to ensure you are receiving the exact medication that your doctor indicated on the prescription. When asking yourself “do you need a prescription for online Canadian pharmacies”, keep in mind that dealing with a pharmacy that doesn’t follow Canadian law you can be held accountable for obtaining the medications. Penalties can include fines and jail time.

Thankfully, eDrugSearch.com is your source for obtaining affordable medications legally and safely from U.S. and Canadian pharmacies. The resources and tools available at eDrugSearch.com helps consumers make informed choices when ordering prescription medications online.

Are There Any Legitimate Online Pharmacies?

Despite the increasing popularity of online shopping, many people still hesitate to use the Internet to fill their medical prescriptions. Because using one batch of fake or low-quality medication can be potentially dangerous to your health, it’s only natural to fear buying drugs from pharmacies you have never been to. The fact that many online pharmacies that offer the best selection of products at the lowest prices are located abroad only makes buying prescription drugs on the Internet even more difficult. The truth is that there is no right answer to whether buying medication online is safe. It all comes down to learning the difference between legitimate online pharmacies and fake pharmacies that operate as illegal pill mills. Shopping as an educated consumer is always the best way to avoid fraud and other problems.

The Basics of Using Legitimate Online Pharmacies
Because different types of drugs have different requirements, the first thing you need to determine is whether you can purchase your medication online without breaking any laws. In general, you can purchase any over-the-counter products on the Internet without questioning the legality of your transaction. Buying prescription medication, on the other hand, is a completely different process. By law, you need to have a current prescription from a doctor in order to get it filled at an online pharmacy. You need your doctor’s written permission to get your prescription filled at a traditional pharmacy, so it makes perfect sense that legitimate online pharmacies would need to legally follow the same procedures. That’s why it’s important to avoid any online pharmacies that don’t require your doctor’s permission to sell you prescription medication. Another warning sign you need to look out for is access to fake online consultations. Some pharmacies try to get around the law that requires patients to have prescriptions from their doctors in order to buy prescription medication online by claiming that they have qualified doctors on staff who can diagnose patients over the Internet. If you are told that you can get a diagnosis and a prescription by filling out a questionnaire online, chances are that you are dealing with an illegal operation.

Tips for Shopping at Legitimate Online Pharmacies

• Get to know the laws that apply to your type of medication.
• Avoid pharmacies that don’t ask for your prescription or other important information you would normally need to provide at a traditional pharmacy.
• Make sure that the online pharmacy you use employs a qualified pharmacist to check over orders and communicate with customers.
• Only shop at legitimate online pharmacies that provide contact information in plain sight including their address and phone number.
• Use online tools and resources to find accredited licensed pharmacies that follow all legal and licensing requirements in their country.

If you need to get quality medication at an affordable price, go to eDrugSearch.com to freely compare drug prices from legitimate online pharmacies that you can trust, we guarantee it.

The Health On the Net (HON) Foundation is a non-profit organization created by the Geneva Ministry of Health in Geneva, Switzerland. It was founded in 1995 to help both consumers and medical professionals find reliable sources of health information online.

Toward this end, the HON Foundation established the HON Code of Conduct (HONcode) for health and medical Web sites. eDrugSearch.com is proud to carry the HONcode seal on our site. As the foundation’s Web site explains:

The Health on the Net Foundation Code of Conduct for medical and health Web sites addresses one of Internet’s main healthcare issues: the reliability and credibility of information. The Health On the Net Foundation has elaborated the Code of Conduct to help standardise the reliability of medical and health information available on the World Wide Web.

The HONcode … defines a set of rules to … hold Web site developers to basic ethical standards in the presentation of information [and] help make sure readers always know the source and the purpose of the data they are reading.

To be certified by the HON Foundation to carry the HONcode seal on your Web site, you must submit your Web site for review. The foundation reviews Web sites to ensure they abide by the following eight principles:

1. Authoritative. Any medical or health advice provided and hosted on this site will only be given by medically trained and qualified professionals unless a clear statement is made that a piece of advice offered is from a non-medically qualified individual or organisation.

2. Complementarity. The information provided on this site is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between a patient/site visitor and his/her existing physician.

3. Privacy. Confidentiality of data relating to individual patients and visitors to a medical/health Web site, including their identity, is respected by this Web site. The Web site owners undertake to honour or exceed the legal requirements of medical/health information privacy that apply in the country and state where the Web site and mirror sites are located.

4. Attribution. Where appropriate, information contained on this site will be supported by clear references to source data and, where possible, have specific HTML links to that data. The date when a clinical page was last modified will be clearly displayed (e.g. at the bottom of the page).

5. Justifiability. Any claims relating to the benefits/performance of a specific treatment, commercial product or service will be supported by appropriate, balanced evidence in the manner outlined above in Principle 4.

6. Transparency. The designers of this Web site will seek to provide information in the clearest possible manner and provide contact addresses for visitors that seek further information or support. The Webmaster will display his/her E-mail address clearly throughout the Web site.

7. Financial disclosure. Support for this Web site will be clearly identified, including the identities of commercial and non-commercial organisations that have contributed funding, services or material for the site.

8. Advertising policy. If advertising is a source of funding it will be clearly stated. A brief description of the advertising policy adopted by the Web site owners will be displayed on the site. Advertising and other promotional material will be presented to viewers in a manner and context that facilitates differentiation between it and the original material created by the institution operating the site.

HONcode-certified Web sites generally carry the seal on their home page. You can get confirmation of the certification simply by clicking the seal, which should take you to the site’s certification page on the HON Foundation Web site. For example, here’s ours.