A number of people today take some form of medication on a regular basis.
If you regularly take medication, it’s important to find retailers that can fill your prescription at a great price with no questions asked. Several people today order their medication through an online chemist.
This is efficient and can help you on so many levels. However, there are also plenty of mistakes that people make when shopping for their medication online.
So what should you be aware of? The following medicine shopping mistakes should be avoided at all costs.
1. Failing to Get a Valid Prescription
The biggest mistake that people make is trying to order medication without having a valid prescription. There are online pharmacies around the world that might take your money and sell you a prescription without verifying that your doctor signed off on it.
Never do business with a pharmacy that does not follow the letter of the law. This is essential for your health and well-being.
Today, you can get prescriptions around the clock thanks to telemedicine appointments. There’s no reason that you should move forward with any company that doesn’t operate above board and with standard procedures.
Check your prescription before each order to make sure that it isn’t expired.
2. Not Shopping With Reputable Medicine Stores
Prescriptions aside, make sure that the online pharmacy is also trusted and reputable.
Start by looking into some online reviews that will tell the story about how they operate. If people are constantly leaving poor reviews and telling stories of not receiving their products or receiving subpar medications, you should steer clear of these pharmacies at all costs.
Make sure that their website is secure as well. If you order from a pharmacy that doesn’t take active security measures, you run the risk of having your card and other personal information fall into the wrong hands.
Check the site to make sure it has up to date security certificates, and that they also use two-form authentication.
3. Forgetting to Read Labels on Products
It’s up to you to do your research into any medication that you are purchasing. Whether you’re going generic or with a brand name, read the ingredients list of the medication, and research each item.
When you research the medication that you’re planning to put into your body, you will be completely aware of the side effects and able to make the decision that makes the most sense for you.
It also gives you a chance to talk to your doctor to double-check that you’re not taking any prescriptions that will bring harm to you.
4. Not Shopping Around for the Best Prices
There are so many opportunities to find great prices on any medication that you’re planning to purchase online. You can start by looking into generic alternatives as opposed to always purchasing name-brand medication.
By looking into different generic, you can get rock bottom prices that make it easier to get the medication. Aside from generic brands, you can also find a litany of different prices when you decide to shop around with more than one online pharmacy.
Find out about the pharmacy’s price matching policy and pay careful attention to the shipping costs, which will also influence the total price that you get.
Failing to shop around will inevitably cause you to pay more in the long-run.
5. Purchasing One-Offs Rather Than Subscriptions
It’s not just about what you purchased, but how you purchase it. If you decide to shop with an online pharmacy, ask about their subscription plans.
For instance, if you have a medication that you have to take every single day, it only makes sense to pre-purchase and order in bulk. If there’s no question about whether you will need the medication for the following month, you can generally save money by subscribing.
Most online pharmacies offer better rates to people who decide to subscribe, and this will save you a significant amount of money in the long run. They may also offer frequent customer points and other incentives to help you get the most bang for your buck.
6. Failing to Consider Your Insurance
If you have a prescription drug plan as part of your medical insurance or Medicare, there’s no reason that you shouldn’t use it.
In fact, if you’re deciding on which pharmacies to do business with, the tie-breaker should go to the business that accepts your Medicare, Medicaid, or insurance policy. This significantly reduces how much money you’ll spend when filling prescriptions and gives you a return on your investment.
7. Not Following Up With Your Doctor
Finally, never lose sight of the fact that taking prescription drugs isn’t just a retail transaction — it’s a medical decision.
Check back in with your doctor routinely to gauge whether or not the medication is working, and whether you should keep taking it. You might be pleasantly surprised to find that you don’t even need the medication anymore. This is not only great for your health, but it also reduces your overall medical costs.
Keep these tips handy if you’re going to order prescriptions online from a pharmacist.
Avoid These Common Medicine Shopping Mistakes
Now that you know which medicine shopping mistakes to avoid, you’re well on your way toward refilling prescriptions whenever you need to. Start scoping out some online pharmacies that will be glad to have your business.
Come back to learn more about the advice we can provide on health, wellness, and more.
Amanda Byers is a graduate of Columbia, where she played volleyball and annoyed a lot of professors. Now as Zobuz’s entertainment and Lifestyle Editor, she enjoys writing about delicious BBQ, outrageous style trends and all things Buzz worthy.
