Medically Reviewed by Dr Unsa Mohsin
Availability of counterfeit drugs is one of the core issues for the medical world. The more common this business is getting, the more necessary it has become for us to know about it. There are many pharmacies that operate legally on the internet, ensuring the consumers’ accessibility, solitude, and protection. But it’s not always a fair game because there are many pharmacies that may look very promising but are actually illegitimate. If you don’t want to be a victim of this mafia, here are a few tips to keep yourself from buying fake medicines.
Prescription drugs to be bought only with a valid prescription
Any website that is selling prescription drugs without asking you to show a valid prescription is most likely to be fake and you must refrain from purchasing medicines from such sites.
Online questionnaires for diagnosis are a big no-no
There are websites that offer to prescribe a drug by asking you to write your symptoms or fill a questionnaire. Please know that only your doctor can diagnose you by a physical exam and all such things available on the web are illegal.
Extremely low prices, definitely a spam
You may come across pharmacies online that are selling medicines for exceptionally low prices. Please make sure to confirm the price of each medicine from an authentic pharmacy online or onsite, or just ask your doctor simply to get an idea and be safe.
Check for the license number before purchasing
Any website that is verified to operate an online pharmacy has a license number that is supposed to be mentioned on their website. You should be a bit proactive about this and always check for it. If you cannot find it, email them and ask them to provide it to you.
Scrutinize the packaging of the drug
If you have already bought medicine online in Pakistan and are still not sure if it’s genuine, check for any visible defects on the packaging; like the absence of an expiry date, difficult to read the batch number, dotted pattern or the color of the medicine appearing brighter or paler than usual.
As easy as it is getting to purchase medicines online, it’s equally important for us to be cautious so that we only take medicines to treat diseases, not catch them.
Guest Post Credit: Dr. Maleeha Syed
