While it is wise to be cautious, there are significant savings available to those who know what to look for when purchasing Canadian prescription drugs over the internet. Big Mountain Drugs has some advice for consumers who want to be sure they are dealing with a legitimate Canadian drug store, and not a rogue pharmacy.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that up to 30 percent of the drugs sold across the globe are counterfeit. The WHO says most of these fake drugs are sold in developing countries, but about 1% of them make their way to the North American market. Many of these counterfeit or sub-standard pharmaceuticals are sold by rogue online pharmacies that frequently change names and move operations, making them difficult to track.
Fake or sub-standard drugs are a genuine threat to an unsuspecting user's health, and the World Health Association (WHA) has put together a working group to explore the issue and suggest solutions. Both the WHA and the legitimate drug industry have expressed support for a legally binding "global treaty" that would criminalize the manufacturing and marketing of fake drugs.
Big Mountain Drugs is one of several legitimate licensed online Canadian pharmacies that are taking action to avoid getting "tarred with the same brush" as unlicensed rogue pharmacies. Media Relations Coordinator Lynn Woods has some advice for consumers who want to save money on medications, but are wary of buying prescription drugs online.
"There are a number of 'red flags' that indicate an online pharmacy might not be legitimate," warns Woods. "If the pharmacy is willing to sell you a prescription drug without a prescription, don't deal with them ? no genuine pharmacy would do business that way".
"Also avoid any pharmacy that offers to provide you a prescription drug solely on the basis of an online or telephone questionnaire," adds Woods, "That's both unethical and unsafe." A second red flag is an online pharmacy that is willing to sell you a controlled substance that is subject to abuse or overdose, says Woods, such as opiates (OxyContin, Vicodin), anxiety medication (Valium, Zanax), or stimulants (Ritalin).
A third red flag is a pharmacy without clear and verifiable contact information such as the address of a brick and mortar drug store and toll free phone and fax numbers. Customers should also have access to a licensed pharmacist to discuss any questions or concerns.
The bottom line is, while it is wise to be cautious, there are significant savings available to those who know what to look for when purchasing Canadian prescription drugs over the internet. BigMountainDrugs.com offers the following tips to consumers:
First, make sure that you are buying from a licensed Canadian pharmacy. Canadian pharmacies are overseen by regulatory bodies in each province. For example, pharmacies in British Columbia, Canada are accredited and regulated by the College of Pharmacists of British Columbia. The pharmacy license number should be displayed on the company website.
Second, look for a Canadian drug store that is accredited by the Canadian International Pharmacy Association (CIPA). CIPA.com is the only organization in Canada with a licensing program to certify Canadian online pharmacies to provide prescription drugs to international customers. CIPA certification ensures that the pharmacy is licensed, reputable and adheres to stringent safety protocols. CIPA member pharmacies have provided over one million patients around the world annually with Canadian prescription drugs since 2002, with a perfect safety record.
Finally, look for the PharmacyChecker Seal. PharmacyChecker checks the credentials of Canadian online pharmacies and allows consumers to quickly and easily compare drug prices and Canadian pharmacy reviews. PharmacyChecker's online pharmacy verification program is the largest and most accepted in North America, and both Yahoo! and MSN require PharmacyChecker.com verification of their Canadian online pharmacy advertisers.
For more information, please visit website BigMountainDrugs.com or contact customer support:
6:30am - 6:00pm Monday - Friday and 8:00am - 4:30pm Saturday (Pacific Time)
CustomerService[at]BigMountainDrugs.com Tel: 1.877.223.9977 - Fax: 1.877.253.9977
###
More Checkers Online Press Releases
No comments:
Post a Comment