7 Factors to Consider When Picking Online Pharmacies
Visiting your local pharmacy is a chore of the past. No longer do you need to waste gas driving down to your local pharmacy just to pick up your medication.
Today, you can use online pharmacies to automate this chore, saving you time and money each month. With busier lives than ever before, and rising gas prices, finding simple ways to save time and money is crucial.
But if you are new to using an online pharmacy, there are a few things to know beforehand. When picking online pharmacies, for example, there are key indicators that will let you know if a pharmacy is legit and safe to purchase from.
Wondering what to consider when buying drugs online? Want to know what your online pharmacy options are? Keep reading to discover how to find your next pharmacy online, which will save you time, money, and headaches.
1. Licensed and Certified
To sell drugs and fill prescriptions, pharmacies need a proper license in order to operate in a certain state. This license will come from the state pharmacy licensing board and requires a pharmacy to follow strict rules and regulations. On top of that, if a pharmacy distributes controlled substances, additional licensing and certification will be needed.
In order for a pharmacy to obtain a license, it needs to be managed by a licensed pharmacist, as well. At a bare minimum, this means the individual has a degree in pharmacy.
In general, if an online pharmacy is certified to operate in your area, you and rest assured knowing it is following laws, providing safe products, and is managed by qualified experts.
2. Trained Staff
A pharmacy of any type is operated by a team of pharmacists. You want to make sure that the online drugstore you are purchasing from is equipped with a knowledgeable, professional, and certified team of individuals.
Filling medications isn’t an easy job. You have to be very aware of medication rules and guidelines. An untrained pharmacist can very easily provide the wrong medication, which can end up being harmful to the patient.
Luckily, licensed pharmacists require a degree, which means they’ve gone through extensive training before fulfilling your order.
3. Picking Online Pharmacies With a Physical Location
Many customers look for an online pharmacy that also has a physical location. If a company has a physical pharmacy location, this is a good indicator that they are legit pharmacies operating under local laws.
While there are many legit pharmacies that operate exclusively online, you need to be more careful when selecting one. Many people will set up a website to sell drugs online without the proper licensing. As a result, you may receive lower quality, or downright fake products, if you receive anything at all.
4. Ability to Speak With a Pharmacist
You should always be able to speak with a pharmacist, whether in person or online. Patients need to be able to talk with a pharmacist about questions or concerns they have with medications. They should also be able to ask about dosage requirements and clarification on how to best take a medication.
You should be able to speak with a pharmacist when placing an order, as well as after you have received it. Often, when reading the labels on products, the instructions for a given medication may be confusing. That’s exactly what a pharmacist should be able to help you understand.
If the website you are considering ordering from doesn’t have a phone number or a way of speaking directly with a pharmacist, it’s best not to purchase from that website.
5. Prescription Verification Requirements
When filling a prescription online, there should be a bit of a signup process. You should have to create an account and verify personal information before ordering medication.
When ordering, you should also have to submit paperwork from your doctor. While this may be a hassle up-front, it’s the result of a legit pharmacy taking all precautions to avoid fraudulent prescriptions and ensure they are in compliance with local law.
So even though might take a few extra minutes, make sure the company you order from requires an in-depth signup and ordering process. Fake companies are happy to sell you drugs without all the information verification requirements
6. Affordable Pricing
Of course, one of the biggest benefits of using an online pharmacy is saving money. When shopping around for a pharmacy on the internet, make sure to spend time comparing drug prices.
Most online pharmacies should offer medication at the same price, if not lower, than your local pharmacy. But be sure to view the company’s shipping policy as well. Because meds are small and light, it should be very cheap or free for the company to ship to you.
If they are charging a high amount to ship your medication, it might not be cheaper than driving down to your local pharmacy.
7. Customer Reviews
When purchasing from an online pharmacy, always check out the online customer reviews. If the website doesn’t show any, that’s an indicator that the website is either a fake company or a new company, neither of which you want to patronize.
When reading reviews, try to discern if they are real. Look for details that would indicate real people purchasing from this site. That means reviews that mention the website’s name as well as the ordering process. Look for descriptions of the company’s customer service and knowledge of medications.
And be aware, many people leave bad reviews unnecessarily. Just because a company has a couple of bad reviews doesn’t mean the company is a poor choice. Most people leave bad reviews out of emotion, typically when they experience a minor inconvenience.
If most reviews are positive, don’t let the negative ones dismay you. However, if most are subpar or negative, then choose another pharmacy.
Getting Started With Online Pharmacies
Once you’ve spent some time comparing and picking online pharmacies to order from, you can create an account and place your first order. All you’ll need to do is submit the order form from your doctor, and possibly provide some sort of verification, and you should be good to go.
Looking for more information like this? You can visit the rest of our blog to keep reading.