The rising cost of health care and medications has caused people to look for alternative options to filling their prescription needs. People are now looking for cheaper, more convenient ways to obtain the medicine they need, sometimes at the risk of getting themselves ripped off. Is it really safe to buy prescription medicine online?

To people who don't have much resource to obtain prescription medicine, buying from pharmacies on the Internet proves most helpful. It offers a lot of benefits, including:

?Convenience. You can order prescription medications right at the comfort of your home. You only need to have a computer, an Internet connection, and a credit card to be able to make a purchase.

?Cost-effective. Internet pharmacies sell expensively-priced prescription drugs at discounted prices. This offers its users a lot of savings in terms of medication costs. It also proves helpful in cutting back traveling costs to go to the pharmacy and back.

?Hassle-free. Since ordering is done online, you no longer need to leave home to go the pharmacy to buy the medicine. And also, the overnight shipping service guarantees that your ordered medicines are brought to your doorstep.

?Prescription-free. Some web-based drugstores offer a state-of-the-art online consultation service that lets you order prescription drugs without having a valid prescription note. Some online pharmacies will sell controlled substances with no prescription needed.

With the swarm of web-based pharmacies coming out on the Internet, it is difficult to tell the legal ones from the illegitimate ones. If a person chooses just any online pharmacy without first confirming its legality, he exposes himself to a lot of risks, like:

?Identity theft and credit card fraud. If your personal and financial information fall into the hands of anomalous individuals who set up fake companies, they might use your identity to either close transactions or make large purchases off of your credit card without your knowledge.

?Serious drug interactions. With the rampant counterfeiting of prescription drugs, you won't be able to tell the difference between the actual prescription medications from knock-off copies. Copy-cat drugs may contain hidden components that could trigger an adverse drug interaction or start a severe allergic reaction.

?Incorrect medicine. You may receive medications that have a slightly lower or higher dose that what you ordered. This is difficult as your body may react differently once exposed to a different dose as the one you're supposed to be receiving.

?No product received. This is a possibility that fraudulent Internet pharmacies will take your order and your money but not send you any product at all.

So how does one keep a close lookout for illegitimate online pharmacies? The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) has a list of all certified web-based drugstores that have met expected standards and are part of the Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites (VIPPS). This means that they are duly licensed websites by your state's local pharmacy board to operate and dispense medicines to your town.