Dot-pharmacy: Check to see whether the online pharmacy you’re visiting has “.pharmacy” at the end of its web address. If it does, it must follow the laws.
NABP listing and licensing information: Pharmacies should have a Verified Internet Pharmacy Practices Site (VIPPS) seal issued by the NABP. Even if this blue and red seal appears on the website, it’s worth cross-checking. The NABP lists recommended sites. If an online pharmacy does not provide any licensing information, it should be taken as a warning sign.
Pharmacist: Check if a pharmacist is available for you to email or talk to online or on the phone. You can verify U.S.-based pharmacist’s licenses online.
Prescriptions: If an online pharmacy is selling drugs without requiring a prescription, it’s a major red flag.
Privacy policies: Privacy and security policies should be easy to find and understand. If there aren’t any, stay away. Sharing credit card information, social security numbers and personal medical history is unsafe.
What is being done to improve safety when purchasing drugs online?
Operation Pangea X: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently partnered up with international law enforcement and regulatory agencies in a major global operation aimed at identifying sources and distribution of substandard or counterfeit drugs and removing them from the chain of supply.
