Among the most popular services on the Internet today is none other than the ones offered by online pharmacies. These sites are generally developed to dispense or sell prescription medications such as drugs for pain and stiffness reliever of muscle spasms via the Internet. As of year 2000, the total number of websites that are authorized to cater the pharmaceutical needs of online consumers range from 300 to 400. Records show that almost half of these sites are based on the United States.

Setting aside the popularity of these websites, statistics provided by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy shows that there are an estimated figure of 200 US-based online pharmacies that operate without requiring prescriptions from their clients. This only shows that despite the convenience and benefits that consumers can get from ordering and purchasing medications via the Internet, there are still some risks involved in such method of acquiring prescription drugs. Nevertheless, the decision on buying medications on the Internet still lies on the consumers. As long as they are cautious on which website to choose, they are sure to have a smooth experience in buying medications via online pharmacies.

In line with the popularity of Internet drugstore, consumers who are new to this type of service website should know that there are two types of online pharmacies. These two types are the actual pharmacy and the pharmacy affiliate. In actual pharmacy, there is a presence of a local or brick-and-wall drugstore, wherein these two are the same or operating as one company. There are some actual pharmacies on the Internet that give option to consumers to have their prescriptions refilled by other legitimate foreign online pharmacies so that they can take advantage of the lower price offerings.

On the other hand, a pharmacy affiliate does not have a local or brick-and-wall pharmacy as its counterpart. Instead, a pharmacy affiliate refers its orders directly to a licensed walk-in pharmacy or contains backlinks that direct consumers to other websites that are authorized to dispense prescription medications.

Operations Requirements

There are certain requirements that online pharmacies should meet to be able to conduct operations via the World Wide Web. Below are the following qualifications that Internet pharmacies should accomplish before operating:

1. Pharmacy license that is given with an authorized pharmacy board or licensing body.

2. As for US-based online pharmacies, a DEA-issued authorization for controlled substances.

3. Complete and existing contact information, including a mailing address and phone number.

4. A secured personal and financial information.

5. A fair and sound privacy policy.

6. Requires prescription before dispensing medications.

When the above mentioned requirements are not met by a certain online pharmacy, they are then considered as rogue websites that offer illegal pharmaceutical services to consumers. The United States' FDA strongly advises consumers to avoid these websites in order to prevent acquiring health complications and experiencing financial issues. Although the benefits and convenience of rogue online pharmacies may sound and appear appealing, it is still safer to avail the services offered by legitimate Internet pharmacies.