Purchasing medication from Internet pharmacies may be cost effective, but it can also be dangerous. According to the World Health Organization, 50 percent of the medicine purchased from illegal Internet sites is counterfeit. For safety reasons, consumers should only purchase FDA-approved drugs from licensed pharmacies. In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration regulates the sale of pharmaceutical drugs. The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy licenses both brick-and-mortar and Internet pharmacies. A licensed pharmacy will always require a valid prescription from a physician.
Walgreens.com
In addition to its brick-and-mortar shops, Walgreens also operates a full-service Internet pharmacy. After registering on the site, customers can transfer prescriptions from other pharmacies, fill new prescriptions or refill existing prescriptions. Walgreens also has a mobile application feature and an iPhone application. Customers can use the mobile applications to refill prescriptions or receive text alerts when a prescription is ready. The site also stores prescription records, allowing customers easy access to print them for flexible spending account reimbursements.
Savon.com
Savon.com is the Internet pharmacy for a number of retail stores, including Sav-On Drugs, Acme, Albertsons and Osco Pharmacies. After registering for an online account, customers can fill prescriptions or transfer an existing prescription from another pharmacy. The website maintains a customer order history, which consumers can access to for tax or reimbursement purposes. After login, customers can access Savon.com's "Ask the Pharmacist" feature for an online consultation to discuss prescriptions or over-the-counter medication.
Caremark.com
Caremark.com is the Internet pharmacy for CVS Drugs, a retail pharmacy. In addition to filling prescriptions, the Caremark website provides comprehensive health and wellness information. The site also has an impressive drug database that consumers can use to locate pertinent information about prescription drugs, including possible side effects, interactions with other drugs and any recalls or market withdrawals. Caremark offers its customers various savings options, such as ordering multi-month prescriptions and FDA-approved generic options.
Drugstore.com
Drugstore.com is a true Internet pharmacy, with no brick-and-mortar operations, although the store is affiliated with Rite-Aid Pharmacies. Like Caremark, Drugstore.com offers bulk purchasing savings. In addition, the site offers a drug price index that provides consumers with a chart demonstrating the actual dollar savings of bulk purchases. Drugstore.com also provides a price-matching guarantee for its bulk purchases.
Prescriptionsolutions.com
Prescriptionsolutions.com is operated by UnitedHealth Group, a health insurance company. It is a full-service pharmacy, offering telephone and Internet consults with a pharmacist at any time of day or night. Customers can order or reorder their prescriptions on the Internet, or over the telephone. Prescriptionsolutions.com also sells over-the-counter drugs and diabetes and respiratory supplies.
Member Comments