The scene is becoming increasingly common in the United States: Consumers are replacing a trip to the corner drugstore with a click onto the Internet.

Many of these are lawful enterprises that genuinely offer convenience, privacy, and the safeguards of traditional procedures for prescribing drugs. For the most part, consumers can use these services with the same confidence they have in their neighborhood pharmacist. In fact, while some are familiar large drugstore chains, many of these legitimate businesses are local "mom and pop" pharmacies, set up to serve their customers electronically.

For some people, buying APPROVED prescription drugs online offers advantages compared to purchasing drugs from a local drugstore, including:

* the privacy and convenience of ordering medications from their homes
* greater availability of drugs for shut-in people or those who live far from the pharmacy
* the ease of comparative shopping among many sites to find the best prices
* greater convenience and variety of products
* easier access to written product information and references to other sources than in traditional storefront pharmacies.

Internet drug shopping is said to save consumers money. A survey in the fall of 2004 by Consumer Reports showed that buyers could save as much as 29 percent by obtaining certain drugs online.

Are there any benefits to purchasing APPROVED drugs online?

Yes. Legitimate pharmacy sites on the Internet provide consumers with a convenient, private, way to obtain needed medications, sometimes at more affordable prices. The elderly and persons in remote areas can avoid the inconvenience of traveling to a store to purchase medications. Many reputable Internet pharmacies allow patients to consult with a licensed pharmacist from the privacy of their home. Moreover, Internet pharmacies can provide customers with written product information and references to other sources of information like the traditional storefront pharmacy. Finally, the increasing use of computer technology to transmit prescriptions from doctors to pharmacies is likely to reduce prescription errors.

 Source made from resources on:FDA.GOV