How to Be a Savvy Prescription Drug Buyer

If you’re one of the growing numbers of consumers who buy prescriptions online, here are ways to avoid potential pitfalls.

Mail-order prescription services are convenient and often cheaper than your neighborhood retail pharmacy. Three-month supplies of your prescriptions arrive at your doorstep; when you run low you can order refills online or by calling 24-hour, toll-free numbers.

But the growing number of Internet pharmacies includes some operating without licenses that peddle expired or counterfeit drugs. How can you reduce your risks? Follow these simple precautions.

1 Look for the VIPPS seal.

The seal of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy's Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites (VIPPS) means the pharmacy has passed regular inspections by regulating bodies, is capable of servicing your pharmaceutical needs, and is licensed and accredited.

2 Use only the pharmacies that require doctor prescriptions.

It’s illegal to sell prescription medicines without a valid prescription in the United States, but a small number of Internet pharmacies do. Don’t fall for those that ask you to fill out a questionnaire in lieu of a valid prescription.

3 Make sure the mail-order service has a licensed pharmacist available to answer your questions.

Look for a toll-free number you can call.

4 Look for a street address and toll-free customer service number.

What if there’s a problem with delivery or a mix-up in your order? You’ll want access to someone who can quickly fix your problem, preferably at a street address that’s in the United States.

5 Pay attention to the packaging.

Report any order that arrives with altered or unsealed packaging to the FDA.

6 When ordering a new drug, request a smaller quantity.

Many online pharmacies keep costs down partly by shipping 90-day supplies of your drugs. See if you can start with a one-month supply.

7 Watch out for hype.

Avoid sites offering miracle cures for baldness, impotence, obesity and the like. Reputable sites offer valid, FDA-approved medicines that don’t need or use false advertising.

8 Keep an updated list of all your prescriptions, over-the-counter drugs and supplements.

If you’re like many people, you get some prescriptions online and others from your neighborhood pharmacy—and neither has a full record of everything you’re taking. Drug interactions can and do send people to the hospital or even kill. Show all your doctors everything you take, or schedule an appointment to show your list to a pharmacist.