Protecting Yourself While Using An Online Pharmacy
By Aaron Larson
Law Offices of Aaron Larson
July, 2003; Last Reviewed Dec. 2010
The following steps can help you protect yourself when making online purchases of medication:
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Consult a qualified health care professional in person before taking a new prescription medication.
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Be careful to only purchase drugs from licensed, ethical pharmacies.
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If you order drugs online, check for a valid street address and phone number for the sponsoring pharmacy.
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If you receive drugs through the mail, check the expiration date printed on the bottle. If there is no date, or if the drugs will expire within three months, you probably should stop using that pharmacy.
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Know what your pills look like. If the pills you receive from a mail order company look different from your usual prescription, make sure that the drugs are real before you start taking them.
- Don't order medications from overseas pharmacies that you find online. With the crackdown on international sales of pharmaceuticals, many of those overseas operations will simply pocket your money, send you expired or counterfeit medication, or send you a package that ends up being intercepted by customs.
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