Selling drugs online isn’t exactly a new phenomenon. In fact, it was legal for pharmacists to sell medicines before the internet existed.
Although the practice was discouraged due to the risk of diversion and misuse, it didn’t stop people from seeking drugs online, where they could easily find whatever they were looking for. This includes erectile dysfunction drugs, like viagra, which was launched in Europe in the late 1990s and eventually gained traction in the US.
The Rise of Online Shopping For Drugs
Over the years, as the practice of selling medicines over the internet became more commonplace, so too did questions about safety and efficacy. Back in the day, if you wanted to buy medicine, you’d have to go to a local pharmacy and hope that they had what you were looking for. It’s likely that you’d have to try a few different pharmacies before you found one that had what you needed. If you did find the right one, you’d have to hope that the pharmacists knew what they were doing and that your prescribing doctor was also aware of what was going on. The problem with this system is that it was highly inefficient. It was likely that you’d spend more time waiting around for your turn at the counter than you would actually buying the drug. Today, things are a little different. Now, with the rise of online shopping, it’s possible to compare prices and reviews of various pharmacies in just a few clicks of a mouse.
The Dangers Of Online Pharmacies
There are many pitfalls that come with purchasing medicines online, especially if you aren’t careful. In general, it’s best to avoid purchasing medicines from unproven or unknown online pharmacies.
You also need to be careful about how you store and handle your medications once you have them. Improper storage can lead to dangerous interactions or even toxicity. For these reasons, it’s best to purchase medicines from established pharmacies in known and trusted networks. Aside from being a safer option, buying from a local pharmacy is also often a cost-effective solution because online pharmacies charge extra for delivery.
How To Spot An Online Pharmacy That Is Scamming You
It’s not always easy to tell which online pharmacies are legitimate and which ones are scamming you. Once you’ve found a pharmacy that you believe is trustworthy, it’s a good idea to read reviews as well as monitor pricing to ensure that you’re not being swindled. If an online pharmacy is asking for all kinds of personal information, including banking details, it’s usually a red flag that they are likely scamming individuals. When choosing a pharmacy, be sure to read reviews and monitor pricing to ensure that you aren’t being scammed. Also, look for the CE mark on the pharmacy’s packaging to confirm that they have adhered to all regulations set by the EU. If you think that you’ve been scammed, contact your local pharmacy or the appropriate regulatory body. Sometimes, taking back the drug can help, but you’ll have to prove that you’re the victim of fraud. If you don’t, you could face legal ramifications.
Protecting Yourself From Online Pharmacy Scams
Even if you do find a trustworthy pharmacy, you should still proceed with caution. While there’s nothing illegal or even particularly risky about seeking drugs online, there are some questionable practices that your pharmacy may employ that you need to know about. Some pharmacies will try and trick you into believing that you’re purchasing a different drug than what you actually ordered. To prevent yourself from being scammed, be sure to read reviews and verify the authenticity of the product before making a purchase. Also, look for warning signs of fraud. If your pharmacy gives you the runaround with no clear answers or tries to upsell you on other products, it’s probably a scam. Don’t be afraid to walk away. At the end of the day, no one deserves to be scammed, and you can assure yourself that you’re not going to be by simply doing your research before purchasing any medications.