Online pharmacies offer a wealth of benefits for patients. Competitive prices, convenience, professional medical advice, all available in one place. But, with these benefits also come risks. There is a growing number of illegitimate online pharmacies selling dangerous medicines indiscriminately. If you’re thinking of getting your medicine online, this is why you need to be careful.Look for fully-registered pharmacies onlyA safe and trustworthy online pharmacy should be certified by and fully compliant with the required industry standards. These regulations vary from country to country. In the UK, for example, there is a number of governmental and independent bodies responsible for regulating the industry.In the U.S. and Canada, however, online pharmacies must be registered with the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy’s (NABP) Safe.Pharmacy scheme. You can also check with your state Board of Pharmacy before ordering to ensure the online pharmacy you use is officially registered.Finally, patients should also look out for the NABP’s Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites Seal, also known as the VIPPS Seal. This is official approval of an online pharmacy’s legitimacy, and should be displayed prominently on their website. Visit the VIPPS website to see all pharmacies that carry this seal.Certain patients are at higher risk than othersShady online pharmacies often target vulnerable customers who seek quick-fix solutions to embarrassing or sensitive conditions. There are a number of profitable medicines that these pharmacies target, which in turn puts a higher proportion of the population at risk.Take erectile dysfunction, for instance. Many of us have spam email folders full of offers for Viagra and similar medications. This is because ED is a sensitive issue that many men feel uncomfortable discussing with their doctor, and instead turn to the internet for solutions.Buying weight loss pills online should be approached with caution in particular. Like Viagra, these are popular items that relate to personal issues. People struggling with their weight seek quick solutions online, presenting a lucrative opportunity to unscrupulous online pharmacies.

Person filling daily medication dispenser; image by Laurynas Mereckas, via Unsplash.com.

Illegitimate online pharmacies will push these products above all else, often using cheap prices and sales talk to lure patients in. If the online pharmacy you are using displays this kind of behavior, play it safe and look elsewhere.Be careful of unknown ingredientsWhen you buy medicines from a legitimate online pharmacy, you know exactly what ingredients go into them.Safe pharmacies follow a careful audit trail that establishes a drug’s provenance, from the moment of manufacture right through to shipping and dispensing. This ensures every ingredient that goes into the medicine is correct.However, there are several illegitimate online pharmacies that do not provide this accountability. They circumvent the requisite authorities and instead source cheaper but poor-quality alternatives to the required ingredients.At best, these ingredients are ineffective. At worst, they can cause serious and lasting damage.In the worst-case scenario, if a drug containing unknown ingredients sends you to the hospital, the doctors will not know what is causing your condition. This means they will be unable to treat you as quickly or efficiently, putting you at risk as a result.Poor quality control means poor quality productsThe aforementioned audit trail also includes several quality control steps built into the process. This helps safeguard against human or procedural errors during production and ensures that the required industry standards for manufacturing and logistics are met.Medicine sold at illegitimate online pharmacies does not follow these safeguards. In a bid for higher profits at the expense of patients, they eschew these checks. Consequently, these risky online pharmacies compromise product quality.For the most part, buying medicine online is perfectly safe, but only when done right. There are plenty of opportunists out there who are fine with making a quick buck at the expense of your safety.Follow the tips above and look for fully-compliant online pharmacies that focus on transparency and patient welfare. Don’t be lured in by cheap prices and always check with the NABP before buying from an online pharmacy.