The Cons of Buying Pain Medication without a Prescription over the Internet
1. You may get fake, expired, or sub-standard medications2. Your pharmacy probably has little or no quality control (secure storage, refrigeration, inventory systems that can track manufacturer recalls)
3. If you use a pharmacy that offers diagnosis online so you get a prescription by a doctor licensed in your home country, there is a big risk that you will get the wrong diagnosis. After all, this is a diagnosis by a doctor who never actually sees you
4. And there is a real risk that your medications will interact with each other. Every year, some Hollywood star dies from drug interactions caused by taking medications prescribed by multiple doctors. And it happens a lot more frequently to people who aren't celebrities.
Even worse, you will probably pay 50% to 400% more online than you would at legitimate pharmacy.
There are, however, legitimate online pharmacies. WalMart, Walgreen's, and CVS all offer online services to deliver doctor-ordered medications straight to your door, even some pain medications. Here is what you need to know before you deal with legitimate on-line pharmacies.
1. Meet with your doctor in person to obtain any new prescription
2. If the pharmacy does not want a copy of your prescription sent by fax - and the original before they send you the order - don't buy from them
3. Buy from pharmacies that are based in your own country, that have an address you can verify and a phone number you can call
4. Make sure you are informed of the pharmacy's privacy policy and that it makes sense to you
5. Apply the same precautions in dealing with an online pharmacy that you would in dealing with any other online business
Ordering medications online without a doctor's prescription is risky business. You may simply get ripped off, and you may not find out in time to get your money back, even if you use a credit card. Your order may be seized by Customs, and raise red flags about your life and online dealings you would rather not have explored. You can spend far more money getting a useful drug or nothing at all than you would spend at the doctor's office and a conventional pharmacy.
