Chemist Direct | Online Pharmacy & Over the Counter Medicines


The FDA believes that organized criminal networks control many online pharmacies that sell illegal pharmaceutical products without prescriptions. In 2014, The U.S. FDA, in partnership with other federal and international agencies and technology companies like Google, took action against websites that were selling drugs to U.S. consumers. Mail Order Pharmacies are regulated by the federal laws of the U.S. and hundreds of them operate legally in the US.


The U.S. FDA believes that should do more to block and seize what the agency views as illegal online pharmacy websites. ICANN has articulated the position that it does not have the organizational mandate to take down online pharmacies, stating in one post on its website, "that ICANN is not a court and is not empowered to resolve disputes when parties disagree over what constitutes illegal activity in multiple countries around the world." The , a non-profit organization defending civil rights on the Internet, views the influence of the pharmaceutical industry on the Internet as a form of censorship that threatens the ability of American consumers to access medicines in other countries purchased from online pharmacies that sell legitimate medicines.

All online pharmacies sell through the Internet but must ship the product usually via mail. The selling of many class (schedule) drugs without a valid prescription (also called Rx-only drugs or legend drugs) is illegal, and companies shipping them by mail can be prosecuted for mail fraud () as well as being investigated and federally charged by the DEA, IRS, Homeland Security, Food and Drug Administration's Office of Criminal Investigations, Department of Justice, INTERPOL, and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and it is common practice for many agencies to jointly investigate alleged crimes.

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There are two verification programs for online pharmacies that are recognized by the (NABP). One is VIPPS, which is operated by the NABP and was created in 1999. The (FDA) refers to Internet users interested in using an online pharmacy to the VIPPS program. The other is , which as of September 2010 had approved over 340 Internet pharmacies as legitimate and identified over 47,000 "rogue" Internet pharmacies. Canadian and all non-U.S. online pharmacies that sell prescription medication to Americans, regardless of credentials, are not eligible for approval in the VIPPS and LegitScript programs.

All Bulgarian online pharmacies must be registered with the Bulgarian Drug Agency (BDA), which controls the medicine trade and reviews when there is doubt in drug quality and safety. A special BDA logo and a certificate for registration of pharmacy prove the accreditation and the legitimacy of the store. Clicking on the logo takes the consumer to the official page of the Bulgarian drug agency. The web page must deliver information about the pharmacy's name, address, registration number, and its manager.

Buying prescription drugs from even the most well-respected internet pharmacies in Canada often results in a prescription filled from drugs sourced not from Canada but Caribbean nations or from Eastern Europe. The Canadian online pharmacy that sells the drugs offers them at Canadian prices but buys at a still cheaper rate from third parties overseas; this has led to problems with prescriptions being filled with counterfeit drugs. Some pharmacists have left the business because of the ethical issues involved. In 2014, the largest online Canadian drug retailer was prohibited from selling wholesale drugs by . Of the three primary entrepreneurs of online Canadian drugs sold to the United States, one has been imprisoned, one left the industry, and the third is under investigation for criminal wrongdoing. The same errors have occurred in U.S. pharmacies, notably CVS. For more about this, see "."

Drug costs are a big point of attraction for online pharmacies. Shoppers can sometimes obtain 50 to 80 percent or more savings on U.S. prices at foreign pharmacies. The "Washington Post" reported that "millions of Americans have turned to Mexico and other countries in search of bargain drugs" and that "U.S. Customs estimates 10 million U.S. citizens bring in medications at land borders each year. An additional 2 million packages of pharmaceuticals arrive annually by international mail from Thailand, India, South Africa, and other countries. Still, more packages come from online pharmacies in Canada." According to a Wall Street Journal/Harris Online poll in 2006, 80 percent of Americans favor importing drugs from Canada and other countries. Factors independently associated with importation by U.S. residents are age greater than 45 years, south or west region of residence, Hispanic ethnicity, college education, poor or near-poor poverty status, lack of U.S. citizenship, travel to developing countries, lack of health insurance, high family out-of-pocket medical costs, trouble finding a healthcare provider, fair or poor self-reported health status, filling a prescription on the Internet, and using online chat groups to learn about health. Former US President 's budget supported a plan to allow people to buy cheaper drugs from other countries. A 2016 study suggested that providing health insurance coverage may significantly reduce personal prescription drug importation and the subsequent risk of exposure to counterfeit, adulterated, and substandard medications. Furthermore, health insurance coverage is likely to be particularly effective at reducing importation among Hispanic persons; those born in Latin America, Russia, or Europe; and people that traveled to developing countries. A report in the journal found that U.S. consumers face a risk of getting counterfeit drugs because of the rising Internet sales of drugs, with worldwide counterfeit drug sales, offline and online, projected to reach $75 billion by 2010. In 2015 the (OECD) estimated that counterfeit sales approximated around $200 billion US in 2013.


Dr Fox | Online Pharmacy & Prescriptions

International consumers sometimes purchase drugs online from online pharmacies in their own countries or those located in other countries. A distinct increase in the frequency of buying medicines and health products online was measured since the breakout of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of these pharmacies require prescriptions while others do not. Of those that do not require prescriptions, some ask the customer to fill in a health questionnaire with their order. Many drugs available at legitimate online pharmacies are produced by well-known manufacturers such as , , , and makers and of India and of Israel. However, it remains difficult for a patient to ascertain whether an online pharmacy is legitimate. Medicines obtained from rogue online pharmacies come with no guarantees concerning their identity, history, and source. A study in three cities in the Netherlands found that over 60% of the consumed sildenafil was obtained from illegal sources. Roger Bate from the tested hundreds of prescription drug orders purchased over the Internet and discovered that properly credentialed online pharmacies, ones selling domestically and internationally, only sell lawfully-manufactured medicines.

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While there are no laws specifically targeting online pharmacies in India, various laws govern online pharmacies indirectly. The and the contain guidelines concerning the sale of and drugs, which can only be obtained through prescription. There are also specific rules for labeling and barcoding.

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It appears that electronic prescriptions should be valid[], especially in the light of the Pharmacy Practice Regulations-2015 declared by the in January 2015. In these regulations, "prescription," as defined by regulation 2, (j)[3] means "a written or electronic direction from a Registered Medical Practitioner." Based on existing regulations, it appears that a scanned copy of a prescription would be considered as a valid prescription. However, whether such electronic prescriptions can be used to buy medicine from online pharmacies has been questioned.[]

BeSafeRx: Your Source for Online Pharmacy Information

While many Internet pharmacies sell only with a prescription, some do not require a written prescription, as prescriptions may not be necessary in some countries. Some customers order drugs from such pharmacies to avoid the cost and inconvenience of visiting a doctor or to obtain medications their doctors are unwilling to prescribe. People living in the and other countries where prescription medications are costly may turn to online pharmacies to save money. Online pharmacies in the United States are required to be approved by the (NABP). Many of the reputable websites employ their in-house physicians to review the medication request and write a prescription accordingly. Some websites offer medications without a prescription or a doctor review. This practice has been criticized as potentially dangerous, especially by those who feel that only doctors can reliably assess contraindications, risk/benefit, and the suitability of a for a specific individual. Pharmacies offering medication without requiring a prescription, doctor review, or supervision are sometimes fraudulent and may supply counterfeit, ineffective, and possibly dangerous medicines.

Your Online Pharmacy for Medications

The Maharashtra Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) raided 27 online pharmacies located in Mumbai, Thane, and Pune and seized drugs worth ₹2 million.

Rite Aid: Online Pharmacy and Store

In 2015, the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan Act passed for the registration of homeopathic, herbal, unani, allopathic, and nutraceutical products. This has also implied that only registered retail pharmacies can sell such items, along with OTC and Prescription medication, to the public.