The Risk of Purchasing Medication Online and Without a Prescription.

There has been a trend noted of pet’s not getting proper refills of medications.  When owners are surveyed, they report that their pets are on preventatives.  However, when compared to medical records, no refills were approved, authorized or prescribed.  THIS IS A BIG CONCERN.

Prescription medication for people and pets is a huge industry.  Pharmaceutical costs continue to rise and rise.  So, it makes sense that consumers would like to save money when possible.  However, the purchase of online mediations (especially those without a written prescription) may wind up costing you more money in the long run as well as the potential to harm you and your pets.

• Every day, 20 new illegal pharmacies appear on the internet, as reported by the Center for Safe Internet Pharmacies.
• 62% of medicines purchased online are fake or substandard, as indicated in a Report from the European Alliance for Access to Safe Medicines.
• 89% of illegal online pharmacies do not require a valid prescription, as found through NABP’s review and analysis.

According to the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, “Buying from rogue online drug sellers puts consumers at risk of:

• Receiving pills that contain such fillers as drywall and rat poison
• Having your financial and other personal information stolen
• Having your email inbox flooded with spam that could infect your home computer with viruses

In the worst cases, people have died from receiving counterfeit medications that didn’t treat their serious medical conditions.”

Do not purchase medications if it’s from an online site that is in the following list:  https://nabp.pharmacy/initiatives/dot-pharmacy/not-recommended-sites/

Heartworm, flea and tick preventatives are guaranteed by the manufacturer when purchased from your veterinarian.  This means the manufacturer has certain provision in place for your pet’s wellbeing should the medication cause issues or not perform as indicated.  You lose this guarantee when purchasing online from non-approved websites.

Don’t take a risk with your pet’s health (or your own) by purchasing medication from unverified websites and from sites that do not require a prescription. They do not have your pet’s best interest at heart and are only looking for profit.