How can I tell an online pharmacy is legitimate and safe?

Written by Shivam Patel, PharmD, BSPS, RPh | Posted February 05, 2019 | Updated November 08, 2021

PharmacyChecker.com's main mission is to identify the safest and most affordable online pharmacies.

A legitimate Canadian or international online pharmacy will always require a valid prescription and your order will be dispensed by a licensed pharmacist.

A rogue online pharmacy will sell medications without requiring a prescription and your order is likely not to be handled by pharmacy professionals. This information about rogue pharmacies will help you more specifically understand why you need to avoid rogue online pharmacies. 

Online pharmacies--located in Canada and other countries--verified and monitored by PharmacyChecker publish a genuine seal that will link to a pharmacy profile hosted on our website. It's important to click the seal to make sure it's real! A sample is shown below. 

The PharmacyChecker Verification Program

Many patients and their providers trust PharmacyChecker because online pharmacies are always verified for high standards of online pharmacy practice before acceptance into the PharmacyChecker Verification Program. Qualifications and credentials are re-checked on an ongoing basis to ensure your safety when shopping for affordable medication from Canadian online pharmacies and pharmacies located in other countries.

PharmacyChecker was established in 2003 to help consumers find qualified online pharmacies in the U.S., Canada, and other countries. PharmacyChecker is also a valuable resource for finding the lowest drug prices available online.

PharmacyChecker.com is frequently cited and recommended by popular and well-respected media channels including AARP, U.S. News & World Report, The New York Times, National Public Radio, and The Wall Street Journal. PharmacyChecker is recommended by Elisabeth Rosenthal, MD, editor of Kaiser Health News, in her book American Sickness. 

There are other online pharmacy verification companies, organizations, and associations: the VIPPS program of the National Association of Board of Pharmacy (NABP), LegitScript.com's online pharmacy verification program, and the Canadian International Pharmacy Association (CIPA). In the case of the NABP and LegitScript programs, some safe international online pharmacies are wrongly viewed as "rogue" or "unapproved," but the programs otherwise appear to validate online pharmacies from which are safe to buy your medications. CIPA's online pharmacy standards are similar to those of the PharmacyChecker Verification Program. Many CIPA member pharmacies (but not all) are also verified in our program. We cannot vouch for those pharmacies that we have not verified and continuously monitor.

The easiest way to only shop at legitimate online pharmacies and save money is to stick to those verified by PharmacyChecker.

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How to Compare Prices Among Verified Online Pharmacies

To compare drug prices on PharmacyChecker.com, type in the medication you are looking for in the big search box on our homepage or in the upper, righthand corner. We are using "Januvia" as an example: 

 

All websites and prices that are listed from your search are from PharmacyChecker-verified online pharmacies. To order your medication, click on the logo of your chosen pharmacy or the purple price button. You will be directed to their website. At that point, you can place your order. 

 

PharmacyChecker.com Januvia

PharmacyChecker prices

PharmacyChecker.com does not sell or facilitate the sale of medication. Medications are not purchased on our site, and we have no role in the processing of prescription orders. We verify pharmacy credentials and publish information about online pharmacies and drug prices. That information is globally accessible on the Internet.

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Compare drug prices among reputable online pharmacies

Comments
Most of those websites have a po box address, why are they hiding? they are all based in India or other countries and are nowhere near Canada. That is how serious "Pharmacy Checker" is..
Hi there-- Thank you for commenting! We certainly understand your concern. Some PharmacyChecker-accredited online pharmacy websites rely on a P.O. Box number as their mailing addresses for customers to contact them by mail. Among our extensive verification protocols, PharmacyChecker verifies the legitimacy of all mailing addresses before approving an online pharmacy applicant, including P.O. Box addresses. Some online pharmacies are not brick-and-mortar pharmacies in the traditional sense. They partner with licensed bricks-and-mortar dispensing pharmacies that are accredited by PharmacyChecker, which of course all have physical operations and addresses – ones we have verified. A small number of PharmacyChecker-accredited online pharmacies are based in India, but many, including Canadian-based online pharmacies, have pharmacy partners in India to which prescriptions are referred. All Indian pharmacies are verified for licensure and inspected by PharmacyChecker for good pharmacy practice standards. Please do let us know should you have further questions.
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Sylvia S.on Nov 6, 2022

I apologize to be writing on the review page
I am a pensioner, from South Africa. I'm looking for the best price for Xarelto. The state hospital prescribed Warfarin. I am totally allergic to warfarin

Please can you advise which is affordable to a pensioner.

Regards

Date of experience: November 6, 2022

Gretchen J.on Oct 17, 2021

Simplest and easiest site ever I had so much anxiety first being diagnosed with cancer and then getting on this medication I was not able to afford the real medication I could only get the generic so I came online and I found Canadian pharmacy store. Com, which made that medicine very affordable for me to purchase in a couple of easy steps also The chat with Marilyn S. Answered all my questions from who is the manufacture of my medication's to my prescription size and shipping time just everything thank you so much

Date of experience: October 15, 2021

James H.on Mar 11, 2021

We just ordered for my 90 year-old Mom. In the U.S. generics are not always available. So using PharmacyChecker we felt that its member pharmacy vendors were vetted. This reassurance of reliability took much of the guess work out of our shopping task.

Date of experience: March 10, 2021

Sandra S.on Dec 10, 2020

Always nice every time I have called or placed an order that I needed to check on. Thank you for all you do. Rick you made it so easy In the beginning of the relationship between us for me to stay with you.

Date of experience: December 9, 2020

George C.on Dec 9, 2020

This website provides very helpful information on ordering medications from non-U.S. Sources. We save 50% to 60% on name brand meds that are not available in generic forms in the U.S. We have saved thousands over the years.

Date of experience: December 8, 2020

Rod L.on Dec 8, 2020

I feel safe ordering from a pharmaceutical company outside of the U S because the prescription I am using is exactly the same as those sold in the U S, however, the price is totally different. What I had paid in the U S for 90 pills listed at almost $500. For which I have been paying $72. From a Canadian company for 5 or 6 years now, the price includes shipping and is sometimes negotiable.

Date of experience: December 7, 2020

J M.on Sep 29, 2020

This happens to be a very good pharmacy that delivers name brand meds at a reasonable price. All of the meds that I have purchased through this pharmacy have been the exact product my doctor listed. All of the products were labeled with original manufacturer's identity and location with date of manufacture and expiration. I am certainly glad that I found this pharmacy. Great job.

Date of experience: September 29, 2020

Jerry M.on Sep 29, 2020

I recommend it to many people. It sure saved us a lot and we learned a lot. The discount card saved us, too at Kroger.

Date of experience: September 29, 2020

Michael B.on Sep 2, 2020

I have been able to source several meds, at 10% of the american pharma cost. I have no doubt that I bought them where american pharma buys them, and then rapes the public. Thank you p checker

Date of experience: September 2, 2020

IWANT N.on Aug 20, 2020

I am happy to see the entities that are endorsed by you. But I did have a horrendous experience with Canadian Pharmacy with my latest order. After switching the location from which my order was to be chipped, the order was and still is being held by US Customs. They did give me a replacement order which I finally did receive but that order was submitted MUCH later than it should have been. Bottom line, I waited OVER THREE MONTHS for my med to finally be delivered and that cost me more money to piece meal samples from my doc and out of pocket for short term needs. And, the order I did receive cost me MORE for FEWER tablets. I know Covid-19 played a part in this fiasco but the supplier simply DID NOT PREFORM!

Date of experience: August 19, 2020

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