In the United States, prescription drug costs are on the rise. Because of this, many American citizens are searching for ways to purchase discount drugs. Many American citizens have begun to purchase their medications at online discount pharmacies in Canada or other countries. Although most Canadian prescriptions are safe to use, some discount pharmacies are illegal and do not sell medications approved by Health Canada. In order to prevent you from receiving poor quality or dangerous medications, here are some tips to help you determine if the online discount pharmacy you are using is safe.

Although online discount pharmacies offer over the counter and Canadian prescription drugs, you should find out if the pharmacy requires a doctor’s prescription before providing you with prescription medications. All legitimate and safe discount pharmacies will have you provide a valid prescription before they dispense medication to you. Filling out a form or providing a credit card number is not enough to insure you will receive safe and high quality medication. The next thing you need to do is verify the discount pharmacies you are purchasing your drugs from are licensed or certified nationally or by the state. This ensures that you are receiving federally approved medications that are safe and effective. In addition, licensing and certification protects customers when filing complaints.

 Keep in mind that purchasing drugs from illegal internet discount pharmacies can be detrimental to your health. The medications you are given may not be approved by Health Canada, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), or other international regulatory boards. These discount drugs may be contaminated or counterfeit. The dosage illegal discount pharmacies can provide you with could be incorrect or you may not receive any medications at all. If you take contaminated or counterfeited medications or the wrong dosage, you could become seriously ill.  That is why it is vital to make sure the pharmacy you choose is licensed and legitimate.