Online Pharmacies: Red Flags To Watch For

According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, following are red flags that may indicate that a pharmacy site is not legitimate:

• Does not require a bona-fide prescription issued by your personal physician.
• Does not ask the name, address or phone number of your current physician.
• Advises you about the law and why it is permissible to obtain controlled substances from foreign countries via the internet.
• Doesn't take insurance and requires all payments to be made with a credit card, often only certain credit cards.
• Only has a limited number of drugs for sale.
• Advises you to have the drugs sent to a post office box or other location to avoid detection.
• Does not allow a customer to continue unless the "right" information is entered into a questionnaire, such as a height and weight associated with need for a weight-loss drug.

It is also advisable to avoid pharmacies and internet sites that do not identify themselves or do not provide a U.S. contact phone number and address in the event of a problem. You can learn the identity of the owners of a site at www.register.com.

For an FDA guide to state-licensed online pharmacies, go to www.fda.gov/BeSafeRx. Click on Know Your Online Pharmacy.