Why buy from an online pharmacy when there are many local places to purchase medication? Are online pharmacies unethical? This article will attempt to discuss these questions and hopefully provide some conclusive answers. Since the beginning of online pharmacies there has been ongoing discussion and some action as to banning the use of online pharmacies altogether in the United States from both people using them and also for the online pharmacies, by implementing harsh fines and punishments.

Unfortunately for the online pharmacy industry there are some online pharmacies that are complete frauds which sells who knows what as medications to make steep profits for themselves. For the most part though there are many legitimate online pharmacies that sell the highest quality FDA approved medications, a careful online search done on the pharmacy you are considering buying from is an excellent idea so you don't get ripped off. There is a particular usefulness of an online pharmacy that should be considered and examined before a wholesale banning of online pharmacies, either governmentally or personally. Before making an uneducated decision a person should critically examine both sides of the arguments of both the pros and cons of an online pharmacy.

Some pros of an online pharmacy are the following:

✔ A person suffering from embarrassing ailments such as erectile dysfunction for example, can receive proper drug treatments without the embarrassment of a local doctor and pharmacy visit
✔ In our extremely busy lifestyles the ease of buying from an online pharmacy is a huge benefit in saving time, effort and money, the relative speed and ease of ordering needed medications online are second to none
✔ Along with the above point purchasing medication online is able to be accomplished at anytime during the day or night, 365 days a year, you can buy your medications when you have time to do so
✔ If carefully planned, buying medications online are the most cost effective ways to purchase medications
✔ A shut in or disabled person requiring medications is able to order their needed drugs online when it is far too much effort or far too costly to make a personal visit to a doctor for a prescription

Some cons of an online pharmacy are the following:

✔ Government authorities like the FDA have a very difficult time regulating and checking up on the amounts of certain restricted medications being sold to individuals
✔ Government authorities like the FDA have a very difficult time discovering where an online pharmacy is receiving its source of medications from and whether or not these sources are pure
✔ If the proper research is not done an online pharmacy could be selling impure medications or even sawdust packaged as a certain approved medication and thus ripping off its customers
✔ An online pharmacy if left unchecked and unrestricted could be shipping out medications that are possibly restricted or dangerous without a proper prescription

A person deciding to purchase medication from an online pharmacy can take several precautions to help to insure a safe, honest and positive experience using an online pharmacy and minimize the risks of ordering from an online pharmacy.

Some precautions to take are the following:

✔ Search online forums and consumer review sites discussing the particular online pharmacies that you are considering making a purchase from
✔ One idea in safety is obtaining a prescription from your doctor before ordering from an online pharmacy, and then you have some assurance that you are receiving the correct medication for your ailment
✔ Always examine carefully the privacy policy and the legal terms and conditions of the online store that is selling the medication before ordering
✔ Be positive that online pharmacy's credit card transactions are SSL secured (the lock on the bottom of the screen is there when ordering) before ordering
✔ If the site you are visiting seems to have lots of missing web pages, errors, etc. this could be a sign that this site is not the most reputable for ordering medications from
✔ If you have a funny unsafe feeling when going through the ordering process from a particular website perhaps decide on another and/or perform some of the above tests on the site

Now it is up to you, the consumer as to whether or not you will purchase your medications from an online pharmacy or purchase your medications from a local drug store. Considering all the pros and cons a person can easily make up their minds as to which route is the best to choose. Remember precautions always minimize the risks.