Quality Over Convenience — Why Real-Life Pharmacies Still Outperform Online Pharmacies


 

Pos for pharmacy

Convenience: it’s what drives nearly every industry these days. American consumers have become so accustomed to instant gratification, no matter where they are or what they want, that the most successful businesses are often the ones that simply provide the most convenience for customers.

The pharmacy industry is no exception, for better or worse. Although a growing number of national and independent pharmacies have made prescription drop-offs, pick-ups, and consultations easier than ever with state-of-the-art retail pharmacy POS systems and customized pharmacy software, many Americans are turning to another service that claims to offer even more convenience.

Online pharmacies are becoming increasingly popular, and it’s understandable why they look so good on paper (or rather, on computer screens). Simply place a prescription order and have it delivered to your doorstep in a matter of a few days — nothing could seem easier.

So what’s the big problem with online pharmacies?

There are a few legitimate online pharmacies, but the thing is, the majority of online pharmacies aren’t trustworthy. The FDA often doesn’t approve of drugs that are sold online, because it’s unable to monitor quality and quantity. Online pharmacies have been known to send out placebos (sugar pills), medications lacking the active ingredient, drugs containing the wrong amounts of ingredients, and drugs containing dangerous ingredients — all while claiming that the medication is what the patient requested. Ordering from a fraudulent pharmacy isn’t just a bit risky and a possible waste of money; it could actually be seriously harmful to a patient’s health.

What are the signs of a fraudulent pharmacy?

Rogue online pharmacies can sometimes be distinguished by the services they provide: if a website claims that it sells prescriptions at much lower costs than normal pharmacies (as in, too-good-to-be-true-style cheap) and/or if they claim that they can provide American customers with drugs that are not available in the U.S., these websites are bad news. Additionally, any company that offers to sell prescription drugs without a prescription are certain to be frauds — this is a clear sign of illegal business practices (just think about how closely pharmacies monitor a patient’s prescriptions with detailed pharmacy software; this is because legal prescriptions are very strictly government-regulated).

And now it’s the readers’ turns: has anyone had experience with online pharmacies before? What was the outcome? Continue reading here. Good references here.

Leave a Reply