Buying medicines online can be cheaper and more private, but unlicensed providers can put patients at risk.
As the internet allows for more and more tasks to be completed from home, online medication sales have been on the rise. However, some of these digital suppliers are not licensed, which can be concerning for professionals and those who have previously bought medications online.
According to a report from The Center for Safe Internet Pharmacies, there were up to 35,000 illicit online pharmacies in 2016, some illegally selling addictive controlled substances such as OxyContin or Xanax. Buying these medicines without first consulting a doctor can increase a person’s chance of getting injured from or becoming addicted to the drug, according to CRC Health.
However, licensed online pharmacies can be the best option for some people. Amanda Desorcy, who lives in Ohio, started buying her medicine from a licensed online pharmacy because it was cheaper than getting a prescription in-person, and the orders could be shipped right to her house. Amanda hasn’t had any problems buying her medicine online.
But Kenny Riddle, a pharmacist at Walgreens in Muncie, says it’s not always the best choice to buy medicine over the internet. For example, these pharmacies usually lack relationships between doctors and patients that Riddle says allow for more personalized and accurate prescriptions. He does praise the convenience of online services, though—as long as people are being safe.
The FDA provides several recommendations for safely buying drugs online. Patients should avoid websites that don’t require proof of valid prescriptions, offer suspiciously low prices, or are located outside the United States. Safe online pharmacies, on the other hand, will usually provide a U.S. street address and have licensed pharmacists available to answer any questions.
This news brief was originally published in the fall 2018 print edition.
