Tips for Consumers : Fine Generics

With hundreds of drug-dispensed through websites, how can consumers tell which sites are legitimate ones, especially when it is very easy to set up a site that is very professional looking and promises deep discounts or a minimum of hassles?

If you buy medical products online, be aware of the following dangers:

Purchasing a medication from an illegal Website puts you at risk. You may receive a contaminated or counterfeit product, the wrong product, an incorrect dose, or no product at all.
Taking an unsafe or inappropriate medication puts you at risk for dangerous drug interactions and other serious health consequences.
Getting a prescription drug by filling out a questionnaire without seeing a doctor poses serious health risks. A questionnaire does not provide sufficient information for a health-care professional to determine if that drug is for you or safe to use, if another treatment is more appropriate, or if you have an underlying medical condition where using that drug may be harmful.

Check to determine whether a Website is a licensed pharmacy in good standing.
Don't buy from sites that offer to prescribe a prescription drug for the first time without a physical exam, sell a prescription drug without a prescription.
Don't do business with sites that have no access to a registered pharmacist to answer questions.
Avoid sites that do not identify with whom you are dealing and do not provide the address and phone number to contact if there's a problem.
Look for easy-to-find and understand privacy and security policies. Don't provide any personally identifiable information (social security number, credit card, and health history) unless you are confident that the site will protect them. Make sure the site does not share your information with others without your permission.
Beware of sites that advertise a "new cure" for a serious disorder or a quick cure-all for a wide range of ailments.
Be careful of sites that use impressive-sounding terminology to disguise a lack of good science or those that claim the government, the medical profession, or research scientists have conspired to suppress a product.
Steer clear of sites that include undocumented case histories claiming "amazing" results.
Talk to your health-care professional before using any medications for the first time.