Ask The Doctor – Online Prescription Services at your Fingertips

Introduction
The internet has created a revolution in shopping for almost everything that consumers need to buy.

The point-and-click simplicity of buying things online has transcended into prescription medications – well beyond the mail-order services of years past of which people are most familiar. Contrary to what may be popular belief, there are certified, high-quality, licensed U.S. doctors and pharmacies that offer online prescription services to patients and consumers legitimately. As always with any services purchased online, consumers need to be careful in choosing online prescription companies in order to protect their health, money, and personal information.

By doing a simple search online, consumers are exposed to hundreds upon hundreds of online pharmacy references. Many of them appear reputable and similar to legitimate retail pharmacy websites, but actually sell fake pills that do not contain medicine approved the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), or have doses that are too strong or too weak, contain dangerous ingredients, or are not manufactured, labeled and shipped properly.

Consumers can save money and time by obtaining prescriptions online – but it is most important for them to “do their homework” and understand the steps to take in finding a legitimate online prescription service.

 

History of Online Prescription Services
Mail-order pharmacies have been around for decades. Originally created by health insurance companies and Medicare programs, mail-order services offered two things to consumers that had never been available before: accessibility and affordability. Some insurers offered programs for customers that are mandatory, but many simply made available an opportunity for people to choose mail-order prescription services for easier access to their medications or more affordable prices. The affordability of mail-order pharmacies comes from the same place as today’s internet pharmacy services: the lack of overhead.

The three largest mail-order services are Medco, Express Scripts, and Caremark. Known as Pharmacy Benefits Managers, these companies serve more than 100 million customers, according to About.com. The lack of overhead comes from not having an actual physical business to take care of.

Another reason that these for the mail-order pharmacy success is that the companies can buy large quantities of medications directly from drug companies. This eliminates the middle man, lowers the costs, and allows them to offer significant discounts to their customers.

Since right around the year 2000, there have been many internet pharmacy services surfacing. These pharmacies operate in a manner similar to that of a mail-order pharmacy, purchasing large quantities of drugs direct from suppliers and then reselling them for discounted rates. Of course, like anything good on the internet, the online pharmacy trend has also created a significant scam industry for people looking for the next big con. The guidelines and regulations of ordering prescription medications online are highly restricted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and have been since the dawn of the internet pharmacy and the online prescription.

 

What Online Prescription Services Can Do for Patients
In order to gain access to legal U.S. online prescription services, consumers need to first find a doctor and obtain a prescription.

Typically, consumers will visit their family doctor or a preferred specialist for their ailments and get the prescriptions that they need. However, thanks to the internet, even more accessibility has been offered with online doctor consultations and services. Anyone can talk to a doctor from the comfort of their home and get a prescription for common ailments that are simple to diagnose and those that are not treated with narcotics or controlled substances. (Legitimate online doctor services will not offer narcotics or controlled substances.)

To get an online prescription, you need a valid doctor recommendation. The most common ailments that are treated in the online world include:

• Allergies
• Colds, Flu, and Sinus Infections
• Erectile Dysfunction
• Smoking Cessation
• Thyroid Issues
• Urinary Tract Infections
• Asthma
• Bed Bugs
• Male Pattern Baldness
• Herpes and Shingles

These ailments are typically simple to diagnose and treated with medications that are either common or are non-narcotic. Antibiotics, Viagra, Cialis, Flonase, Allegra, Cipro, Advair, Tamiflu, and Chantix are among the most popular medications prescribed to patients who have the above conditions. These medications can be prescribed online without breaking any laws or violating DEA guidelines, which is the goal of any online pharmacy or doctor service.

 

What Online Pharmacies Cannot Do
Legal, legitimate online pharmacies cannot sell prescription medications to patients who do not have a prescription. If the internet pharmacy has a doctor consultation available, that is a legal way to obtain a prescription for the medication needed. However, U.S. patients must have a prescription to purchase medications that require one. U.S. internet pharmacies also cannot sell controlled substances, narcotics, and medications that are on the DEA’s drug watch list.

Prescriptions like Xanax, Versed, Methadone, and Morphine are listed on the Controlled Substances Schedule, along with about 11 pages of other medications that must be prescribed only by licensed parties and dispensed only by licensed pharmacies. These medications are closely monitored, which makes their online sale outside of the guidelines of the Controlled Substances Act. For a full list of controlled substances in the U.S., visit the U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration website.

At the DEA Website, consumers will also find lists of exempt steroid products, chemical preparations, and prescription products. These items are specifically listed because their family of products or preparations might be on the DEA Schedule, but their specific formulation is not. Nonetheless, these medications are typically avoided by internet pharmacy services. If you are not sure whether you can get a prescription for your medications or specific illness, ask a doctor to learn about your options.

Any pharmacy that claims to offer the following is NOT legitimate and is not a website you should work with:

-Prescription medications with no prescription needed (unless they also offer online doctor consultations)

-Access to controlled substances (Xanax, Hydrocodone, Valium, etc.) with OR without a prescription.

Additionally, avoid any online prescription services that are not U.S.-based, licensed by the Pharmacy Board of its home state, or have a long list of consumer complaints.

 

Find a Doctor that Knows about Online Prescription Services and Limitations
When anyone is considering online prescription services, it is important to ask the doctor prescribing the medication about the legalities of their services. Consumers should always check for certification from the doctor and the pharmacy, as well as check into their reputation and history to ensure that they are working with the best possible services available. If a doctor or internet pharmacy service offers outlandish claims or access to ‘unlimited medications’ without prescriptions, you are in the wrong place.

Also, consumers should avoid ordering prescriptions from international pharmacies. While some medications are allowed to be purchased in a 90-day supply from Canada, it is illegal to import certain medications or any prescriptions from other countries. By importing drugs, consumers are eliminating the ability for the DEA to regulate and control drugs within the United States. Plus, anything that comes from another country is not approved by the FDA and could potentially be dangerous to consumers’ health even when it seems like the exact medication that they would get in the U.S.

As long as consumers have realistic expectations of online prescription services and their ability to find a doctor online who can treat their basic ailments, they will find success in using internet health services. There are some situations where nothing can replace a physical interaction and examination with a licensed physician, and even legitimate online doctors will tell you that. A patient with a sinus infection will benefit when they find a doctor online, but a patient suffering from severe stomach pain will likely be referred to their family physician or the local emergency room for care.

 

Getting a Prescription Online without Getting Scammed
Conventional pharmacies and doctor’s offices see patients in person. They handle transactions and interactions in a face-to-face manner, making it easy for consumers to feel safe and trusting of the services that they have sought out.

When people attempt to find a doctor or order a prescription online, they aren’t afforded those same protections in every situation.

There are many legitimate U.S. doctor consultation and internet pharmacy services available online, but there are just as many scams to go with them. There are three basic reasons people get scammed and three ways to avoid con artists completely.

 

Why People Get Scammed
-Because they are desperate for medication or a cheaper prescription and don’t research enough before buying.

-Because they are trying to buy medications that are illegal to purchase online, whether    they know the legalities or not.

-Because they are deliberately seeking medications without a prescription for any number    of reasons

How to Avoid Scams
-Always research internet pharmacies and online doctors. Patients need to ask the doctor if they can get the treatment that they need from these resources, legally.

-If a patient knows their medication is a narcotic or on the controlled substances list, they    should continue using their local pharmacy to fill the prescription. If the medication can    only be found from international pharmacies, that generally means it is not legal to sell    online in the U.S.

-If something seems too good to be true, it probably is. Consumers are not going to get unlimited access to narcotics without prescriptions LEGALLY. If that was the case, they would be sold as OTC (over-the-counter) medications in stores all over the U.S.

 

The Future of Online Prescription and Doctor Services
Telemedicine, which is the technical name for online doctor and prescription services, is an evolving industry that is experiencing rapid growth and wild success. Due to a shortage of healthcare professionals, combined with an increasing population and incidence of health issues that need attention, telemedicine can provide alternatives to overcrowded medical offices, inaccessibility for patients with financial or physical limitations, and inefficient home care programs that are currently offered to home-bound patients.

The limited availability of telemedicine services is currently one of the biggest issues that is keeping the industry from exploding like it probably will in the near future. In order to see growth of the U.S. telemedicine market, or the online prescription and doctor service industry, these barriers need to be addressed:

-Health insurance reimbursement policies
-Security and privacy issues
-Lack of standardization and certification for practices and pharmacies
-Limited access to high-speed, secure internet connections
-Limited funding from Congress
-Malpractice and liability issues

This information is based on a document written by Matthew Hein, an International Trade Specialist for the U.S. Department of Commerce in June of 2009. Consumers interested in learning more about Telemedicine and its future in the U.S can read the full text of the document here: http://www.trade.gov/td/health/telemedicine_2009.pdf.

 

 

Conclusions and Points to Remember
The ability to find a doctor has taken itself to the online world, making medical care much more accessible to patients across the United States. The increasing ability to fill a prescription online is creating a more affordable and accessible way for people to obtain their medications.

Although many changes are likely to come in the future, today’s online doctor and internet pharmacy services are a great resource for people who need them. There are high-quality, legitimate online practices that can offer legal prescriptions online from licensed, board-certified U.S. doctors and pharmacies. In order to find these resources, it simply takes a little bit of time and willingness to research the available options.

In the future, it is likely that the risk of scams will decrease as the access to legal, legitimate online prescriptions and doctor consultations increase as an alternative to conventional healthcare services. 

Get an Online Prescription from an Online Doctor at www.QuickRxRefills.com.

WARNING: Limitations of Online Doctor/Medical Consultations and Online Prescriptions, QuickRxRefills cannot Prescribe, Dispense, or Resell any and all Narcotics/Controlled Substances (this policy is fully enforced by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)) for Pain, Anxiety, Weightloss, Sleep, ADHD/ADD including non-controlled substances or any medications that are considered controversial or recalled in nature such (i.e. Retin-A, Accutane). Furthermore, QuickRxRefills is not a substitute for an office based physician in your location nor is it a substitute for Emergency Medical Care or 911. If you do experience a "true" medical emergency your are encouraged to pick up the phone and dial 911 as soon as possible.