These days, consumers everywhere are choosing to meet the majority of their needs through online purchases, and medications are no exception. The good news is that buying medicine online in 2022 is easier than ever, but that doesn’t mean it’s always safe. There are still dishonest online doctors and pharmacies that need to be avoided. However, as long as consumers do their due diligence, they can start taking advantage of more affordable medications shipped straight to the doorstep at any time.
Is It Legal to Buy Medicine Online in 2022?
Before moving forward to discuss the state of online pharmacies, it’s worth taking a moment to address a prevalent myth. Many people assume that it’s illegal to purchase medications online. While it’s illegal to purchase medicines without a valid prescription under any circumstances, including those that involve the Internet, it’s perfectly okay to use legal programs like TryMinded to get care from real doctors, including prescriptions for medications that can be filled online or in person at the pharmacy of a patient’s choice.
What is illegal is buying or selling controlled substances without a valid prescription. To avoid breaking the law, patients should make sure the sites they buy from require prescriptions and have pharmacists available to answer questions. The FDA also maintains a list of licensed pharmacies to help patients find safe, legal options.
The Advantages of Buying Medicines Online
Until very recently, most patients had little choice but to visit a doctor in person each time something was wrong then walk or drive to the pharmacy to pick up any medications required to treat their problems. This created a huge inconvenience for residents of rural areas or those without adequate access to transportation.
The COVID pandemic changed all that by speeding up the transition to virtual medical services, including both telehealth visits and greater access to online pharmacies. Now, most Americans are used to easily meeting their needs online. They have come to enjoy the advantages of online pharmacies, which include:
- Greater availability of medications to people who are home bound
- Easier access to necessary medicine for those who live far from the closest pharmacy
- The ability to compare sites and find the best prices
- Greater convenience and a wider variety
- Easier access to product information and educational resources
- The added privacy of being able to speak with a doctor and pharmacist from home
How Online Pharmacies Work
People who are taking advantage of telehealth services and online pharmacies for the first time often find themselves overwhelmed. There should be resources available on the doctor’s website for people who need help getting set up with a telehealth appointment, and these doctors can then send the prescriptions to the pharmacy of a patient’s choice.
Before an online pharmacy can fill a prescription, the patient needs to create an account, which requires submitting insurance and payment information. Once this happens, a healthcare provider can call in the prescription or the patient can deliver it by fax or by mail. The online pharmacy will then fill the prescription and deliver it quickly right to the patient’s door.
It’s Time to Embrace Online Medicine
Online pharmacies in conjunction with telehealth services allow patients an unprecedented level of access to the medications they need to thrive. Currently, online medicine is just catching on. However, it’s clear at this point that it’s the wave of the future, so patients may want to consider familiarizing themselves with how online pharmacies work and taking advantage of their many benefits in 2022.
