PharmacyChecker Consumer Support

U.S. consumers could pay up to 90% less than what they pay at a local pharmacy — savings like this has meant thousands of dollars a year for users of PharmacyChecker price comparisons. Cost is the difference between patients adhering to their prescribed medication and having to go without it. Americans are forced to make tough decisions:  Do I pay my bills? Or should I skip my meds this week? This is unacceptable. Everyone deserves the opportunity and choice to purchase more affordable medication from licensed pharmacies, whether domestic or international.

Be advised that medication ordered from outside the U.S. can normally take 2-3 weeks to arrive. If ordering medication from India, it can take even longer. If you need your medication quickly, then you should consult your local pharmacy for immediate supply, and then you may want to purchase more internationally for future use. We publish a pharmacy profile for each accredited pharmacy in the PharmacyChecker Verification Program to provide consumers with specific details, such as particular shipping locations, shipping costs, and payment methods accepted by the pharmacy.

Yes, as long as you buy from the safest international online pharmacies. With a valid prescription for the medication ordered, dispensed from a licensed pharmacy that is verified in the PharmacyChecker Verification Program, it is exceedingly safe. Peer-reviewed studies, based on testing of prescription medication and online pharmacy practices, strongly demonstrate the safety of ordering medications from an international online pharmacy approved in the PharmacyChecker Verification Program. It is important to note, risks do exist when ordering medication from an unverified international online pharmacy, particularly one that does not require a prescription.

PharmacyChecker.com operates the Verification Program to evaluate online pharmacies by checking their credentials and practices. Below are key verification criteria that PharmacyChecker.com uses to qualify or disqualify applicants. More information on the Verification Program is available here.

• Pharmacy license with applicable pharmacy board or licensing authority
• DEA-issued license for controlled substances for U.S. pharmacies only; international pharmacies are not permitted to ship controlled substances into the U.S.
• Prescription is required based on an in-person examination, except where prescriptions based on remote consultations are expressly permitted by law
• Privacy policy that affirms a consumer's information will not be shared with third parties
• Financial and personal information are secure: encryption required on web pages where financial and personal information is transmitted
• Contact information: verified mailing address and phone number published on website
• Pharmacy inspections for those based in certain locations outside the U. S. and in countries with less regulatory enforcement and oversight

Jeffrey Poirier, MBA, RPh, a licensed U.S. pharmacist, manages the Verification Program and performs inspections of the pharmacies. For more information on Mr. Poirier and other key management, click here.

A rogue online pharmacy is a website that intentionally sells fake, counterfeit, adulterated, unlicensed or even genuine and regulated medication but without requiring a prescription. PharmacyChecker.com identifies and only verifies online pharmacies that meet very high safety standards. Online pharmacies based outside the U.S. are not "rogue" by definition. Licensed and legitimate pharmacies in Canada and other countries sell safe and effective medications internationally, including to consumers in the U.S. Some regulatory bodies, including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), refer to such pharmacies as "illegal" or "fake" but such distinctions can mislead consumers and impede their access to affordable, safe and effective medication that they cannot obtain locally due to high U.S. drug prices. Pharmacies in some countries are equally as safe if not safer than those in the U.S. To learn more about different pharmaceutical standards, click here.

There is no law against ordering medication online. As a resident of the U.S., it's entirely legal to order medication online that is mailed directly from a state-licensed pharmacy. International drug importation is another story: Technically, in the U.S., under most circumstances, it is prohibited to import medication that you order internationally online. However, it is important to know that people in the U.S. are not prosecuted for doing so, as long as the medication imported is for your own use and not for resale. Laws affecting the importation of medication for personal use are different from country to country. For instance, personal drug importation is legal in Australia. We write about these developments frequently. Here's a great post breaking down the latest: State Drug Importation Laws. What's the deal?

While the law allows the FDA and U.S. Customs and Border Patrol to detain and refuse international prescription orders arriving through the mail, less than one percent of medication orders are actually stopped, at least for orders where a prescription is required. If that happens, you will receive a letter from the FDA that your drug order was detained or refused. You are allowed to challenge the FDA’s decision and try and have it released. To learn how to provide testimony to the FDA if they take your medication, you can go to the website of Prescription Justice to reclaim your import.