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Buying Online Drugs Safely

Table of Contents


Overview

You can safely buy medicine online if you use online pharmacies recommended by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. This organization verifies Internet drugstores throughout the United States and most Canadian provinces.

You can visit the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy website at https://safe.pharmacy to find out which online drugstores are recommended and which aren't.

It's also safe to buy medicine through your health insurance company's website.

Don't trust an online drugstore if:

Why be careful when buying medicines online?

Medicines that you buy online from sources that are not regulated can be either too strong or too weak. So you could end up buying pills that hurt you rather than help you.

Medicines sold online and by places that do not have a physical address can be fake.

Criminals who sell medicines online have one goal: to make money. So they often focus on medicines that are in demand and not available in a lower-cost generic form.

Many fake medicines are expertly packaged. They look like the real thing, but they may have been made under very dirty conditions. And they may contain ingredients like chalk, sugar, and flour instead of the medicine you need. In the worst cases, a fake pill may contain drugs or chemicals that could harm you.


Credits for Buying Online Drugs Safely

Current as of: September 25, 2023

Author: Healthwise Staff (https://www.healthwise.org/specialpages/legal/abouthw/en)
Clinical Review Board (https://www.healthwise.org/specialpages/legal/abouthw/en)
All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.


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