Internet pharmacies selling prescribed drugs without a prescription have long been considered a source of concern for public health professionals. Websites that do not have a valid prescription are identified as supplying drugs that are counterfeit or contaminated or unreliable.
It is vital that health educators develop programs to educate consumers about the credibility of health sites. They must also assist the users to develop their skills in assessing information from the Internet.
Best Price Guarantee
There is a chance that you’ll be tempted to use a cheaper online pharmacy when you’re a person seeking to reduce costs for medication. There are a number of sites are fraudulent and could provide counterfeit or inferior drugs. Certain websites might ship damaged or expired medications. You may also be charged for drugs you’ve never taken or provide your personal details to companies that do not belong to them.
Through an online evaluation which was designed specifically to facilitate read this article research, college students taking an introductory health course analyzed two Internet pharmacies which showed numerous dangerous signs but had no trustworthiness markers. Many participants did not show suspiciousness despite these warnings.
Students who gave Pharmacy A or B a high rating on a scale of 1-10 cited positive reasons that were neutral, like less operating costs, lower advertising revenues as well as pressure from consumers who are looking for a cheaper price. Internet pharmacies were rated unfavorably by those who felt that they were unsafe. These reasons included a insufficient regulation, selling information to third party companies, and a lack of revenue from advertising.
Fastest Delivery
Internet pharmacies offer speedier service because they do not have the operational costs that traditional brick and mortar pharmacies. The majority of these online pharmacies have no legal status, but they aren’t. They may sell drugs not manufactured in line with US guidelines and may contain no or harmful medicinal components. Also, they may not be making reports of adverse drug interactions to the FDA.
Students were asked to give their opinions on two websites which simulated online purchase at pharmacies. The websites closely modeled after five real Internet retailers from Beozine discovered by the initial writer in search of “no prescription needed.” Ratings of the students for both pharmacies were different. However, one-quarter of the participants who evaluated Pharmacy A gave the pharmacy a favorable evaluation and over one-third of the participants rated pharmacy B highly.
Most prescriptions can be delivered in 1-2 days after the purchase date. For Prime members, shipping is free.
No prescriptions are required
In some cases, a physician’s prescription is not required when purchasing medications from an online pharmacy. It is nevertheless important to keep in mind that FDA’s BeSafeRx site recommends that users are advised to only purchase from a reputable as well as a legitimate pharmacy online. Also, be sure that the site is licensed with your state’s pharmacy board.
A study was conducted to determine the safety features of Internet pharmacies, Wagner et al [95] made two websites made to have numerous of the risky indicators that are found in fraudulent Internet pharmacies. The sites featured an non US address, with there was no phone contact with the pharmacist or physician along with an uncomplete prescription.
Another study looked into the availability of medications prices, availability, delivery terms and sales promotion strategies. Also, they looked at Privacy statements and disclaimers and quality certificates. These studies show that buyers are unable to judge the credibility of websites. A problem in assessing the reliability of websites tends to be more prevalent for those with less education and the health sciences field.
Pay with confidence
The purchase of prescription drugs on the internet has become a major global trend which has social, economic and health-related impacts. Internet pharmacies that aren’t authentic can provide for counterfeit medicines and inferior quality. They undermine trust in consumers in presenting themselves as legitimate sources of prescription medications.
Our results indicate that college-educated consumers have difficulty distinguishing between what is authentic and counterfeit pharmacies. Even after having been exposed to various untrustworthy aspects, the majority of respondents have given the fake pharmacies they believed to have favorable reviews. It was similar for those who provided information on the internet to others for decision-making purposes.
Only purchase medicines from licensed pharmacies. This is a way to protect your health as well as you. Find out more about reputable pharmacies by visiting the FDA’s BeSafeRx website. MedWatch, a program of the FDA permits you to identify any online pharmacies that are suspicious. Our Privacy Policy provides additional details. It is your choice whether or not to receive marketing communications from Amazon and the companies we associate with.
