A Doctor’s Advice: ‘Is It Safe To Get Prescriptions Filled Online?’
It can save you time and money.
Taking a trip to the pharmacy is just another item on your to-do list. We now live in a world where Amazon Prime, GrubHub, and Postmates reign supreme — so why not fill your prescriptions online, too? You can even get the medication mailed directly to your house, which will save you money, in addition to time; however, you might be wondering whether it’s actually safe to get prescriptions filled online. One of our readers had the same concern, and wrote in to asked our medical experts for advice. Here’s what they had to say.
Q: My friend mentioned that she gets her prescriptions from an online pharmacy for a fraction of the price. Is this safe?
A: It can be. Online pharmacies get medications directly from the manufacturer, so they cost less even without insurance. Some medicines, like the statin Lipitor, are discounted by as much as 93 percent.
Of course, the key is to ensure the pharmacy you choose is safe. Those that are will require a prescription and have a license to operate, which you can confirm on the FDA’s website (just search BeSafeRx at FDA.gov). Once you verify this information, you can upload your prescription or have your doctor send it to the pharmacy, which will fill and mail out your order. One I recommend: CostPlusDrugs.com.
Even after verifying the safety, I advise checking your medication when it arrives for any damage to the packaging, and compare any old pills you have to the new pills to make sure they’re the same.
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Heather Moday, M.D., is director of the Moday Center in Philadelphia. She is board-certified in allergy and immunology, as well as integrative and holistic medicine. You can follow her on Instagram (@theimmunitymd), where she shares information on health topics. And to ask her a question here, send an email to health@firstforwomen.com.
A version of this article originally appeared in our print magazine, First for Women.
