The advent of the internet has made virtual consumerism more common than taking a trip to the local WalMart (although anyone who has ever had to stand in one of their lines on a Saturday afternoon for an hour or so would beg to argue that fact!) This means that most business have begun to look for ways to move their selling efforts online.

The pharmaceutical industry is no exception to this rule. There are a number of companies who now proudly fill and ship prescriptions all over the world, making life much simpler for those who live away from major (or even minor) urban areas or whose schedule is so hectic that finding time to visit the pharmacy regularly for prescription refills is roughly the equivalent of the impossible dream.

Purchasing drugs online has a number of benefits. As was illustrated before, it is much more convenient than having to pay a visit to the area pharmacy and stand in line for an indefinite amount of time waiting for your prescription to be filled, only to discover that they don't have it in stock and you are going to have to come back in a few days. There are also a number of resources on the web that will allow you to browse the various pharmacies doing business on the internet to find the one that has your particular drug available at the lowest cost. With the rapidly rising cost of prescriptions and the number of people in the country without health insurance this can be a priceless resource.

There is a darker side to purchasing drugs online, however. Some of the pharmacies operating online are willing to sell prescription drugs to their patients without a prescription, requiring only that they fill out a brief questionnaire to qualify and eliminating the role of a health care professional from the equation altogether. While this makes life much simpler for many, particularly those that have prescriptions that must be renewed regularly, there are a number of serious health hazards associated with this practice.

First and foremost, not all of the companies which are willing to sell prescription drugs to their customers follow all of the necessary safety protocols in the development and distribution of this drug. This means that not all of the drugs are of the highest quality, and some may have been produced in a manner which will cause more harm to the patient than good.

Secondly, the absence of the carefully overseeing eye of a healthcare professional means that prescription dosages will not be altered as needed and drug interactions will not be monitored. There are a number of prescription drugs that should not be used together, and without the help of a health care professional to oversee the process there is no guarantee that there will not be a drug interaction with the patient's pre-existing medications that they did not foresee but which could have long-lasting adverse consequences.

The practice of purchasing drugs without a prescription on the internet is one that is fraught with peril for the consumer, although it can be a tremendous profit gain for the retailer in question. Yes, you can buy drugs without a prescription online-but no one recommends it.