The Pros and Cons of Filling Prescriptions Online

Making a trip down to the local pharmacy to have a prescription filled is no longer a requirement. Thanks to online pharmacies, the most commonly prescribed drugs can be obtained from the comfort of your own home. It is as easy as ordering anything else online.

CanadaPharmacy.com is just one of the many Canadian operations that ship prescription medications directly to US consumers. Their purchase model is pretty straightforward:

1. Create an account.
2. Order your medication.
3. Submit an electronic copy of your prescription.
4. Pay for your order.
5. Mail the original prescription to the company.
6. Wait for the delivery.

Online pharmacies make filling prescriptions easy and convenient. Is it any wonder they are thriving? The online world in which we now live is becoming increasingly more comfortable with online prescription purchases.

The Pros

As with everything else, filling prescriptions online has its pros and cons. Let us start by talking about the pros. You may have your own reasons, but here are some of the most often cited advantages:

• Convenience – Unless you need a prescription filled right away, you cannot beat the convenience of online fulfillment. Online pharmacies can take orders 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can fill your prescription while sitting on your couch in the middle of the night if you want to.
• Lower Cost – One of the main draws of online pharmacies is the potential to save quite a bit. Online pharmacies can sell for less because they do not have as much overhead. And in countries like Canada, prescription drugs tend to be cheaper across the board.
• No Hassles – Going to the local pharmacy can involve a lot of hassle. There is traffic to deal with. When you get there, you are likely to have to stand in line for at least a few minutes. Then you have to either hang around the store or come back later. All those hassles are eliminated with online fulfillment.

It might seem like online prescription fulfillment is the perfect solution to all your prescription problems. But wait. The system has its cons as well.

The Cons

Nothing is perfect. Even dealing with online pharmacies has its challenges. Here are just a few of them:

• Wait Times – Online pharmacies are not ideal when you need prescriptions filled in a matter of hours. In short, buying online involves at least moderate wait times. It could take a few days to receive your prescription under normal circumstances. Extenuating circumstances can stretch that to two weeks.
• Potential Fraud – Most online pharmacies are legitimate businesses that are licensed and regulated. Yet there are fraudulent operators as well. It can be tough to tell the difference thanks to slick website design that can make even the worst organization look completely legitimate.
• No Insurance – International online pharmacies do not accept US health insurance. So if you are buying from Canada or elsewhere, you have to be ready to pay out of pocket. Still, it is worth taking a look. Paying full price at an online pharmacy still might be cheaper than using your insurance at a pharmacy down the street.

Having prescriptions filled online is an option well-suited to the internet age. More and more people are going the online route thanks to its convenience and lower cost. Just remember that no pharmacy is perfect. Things can always go wrong.

One last thing: do your research before filling a prescription through an online pharmacy. Make sure the pharmacy you choose is properly licensed and accredited by a recognized accrediting organization.