PharmacyChecker Consumer Support

Before you explore any other cost savings avenues, PharmacyChecker always recommends first consulting your provider about the cost of your prescriptions. This simple conversation not only improves transparency between you and your doctor about your medication needs but also opens the door to programs in your community that may help lower or even eliminate the cost of your prescription drug. Then, there’s PharmacyChecker.com. Our website compares out-of-pocket prices between international mail-order pharmacies that we verify for safety and then, for our American visitors, coupon prices offered at U.S. pharmacies. Most international pharmacies ship worldwide. Type in your drug’s name in our website’s search box to compare your drug’s prices across the globe. Sort by “Unit Price” to see the lowest price possible. For an international mail order option, click “Go to Pharmacy” to see the price on the online pharmacy’s website and decide if you’d like to order. For an exclusively American pharmacy option, click “Get Discount” to see how to redeem the coupon price at your local pharmacy. If you are an American who cannot afford your prescribed medication, some pharmaceutical companies offer patient assistance programs that cover all or part of the cost. Search for your drug on NeedyMeds.org to see if you qualify for applicable, drug-specific patient assistance programs.

It should be, as long as you take the proper precautions. For over 20 years, patients and their caretakers have trusted ordering their prescription drugs from international online pharmacies that are verified and continuously monitored through the PharmacyChecker International Pharmacy Verification Program. Peer-reviewed studies, based on testing of prescription medication and online pharmacy practices, strongly demonstrate the safety of ordering medications with a valid prescription from an international online pharmacy approved in the PharmacyChecker Verification Program. It is important to note that risks do exist when ordering medication from an unverified pharmacy website, particularly one that does not require a prescription and does not publish working contact information. See our Consumer Safety Guide to Online Pharmacies.

PharmacyChecker.com operates the PharmacyChecker International Pharmacy Verification Program to evaluate online pharmacies for safety. Below are key verification criteria that the PharmacyChecker team uses to qualify or disqualify applicants. More information on the International Pharmacy 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

Ross Phan, PharmD, MBA, BCACP, BCGP, BCPS, a licensed U.S. pharmacist, manages the International Pharmacy Verification Program and oversees inspections of the pharmacies. For more information on Mr. Poirier and other key management, visit our About PharmacyChecker page.

Yes. If a website is selling medication without requiring a valid prescription, steer clear. It’s the number one indicator that an internet pharmacy is a bad actor, meaning they may not be licensed, sell counterfeit drugs, or are out to steal your money – or all of the above.

PharmacyChecker publishes a list of accessible, credentialed prescribers that we consider Trusted Telemedicine Providers. PharmacyChecker checks that each prescriber listed maintains valid certification as an online provider of prescriptions. Consultation costs are associated.  

Be advised that medication ordered internationally for personal use can normally take 2-3 weeks to arrive at your doorstep. Depending on your location, ordering medication from India, in particular, can take even longer. If you need your medication quickly, then you should consult your prescriber and local pharmacy for immediate supply. When placing your initial order through a trusted website, you may soon after choose to get on refill schedule that suits both your prescribed drug therapy and delivery times so you never have to ration or go without needed medication. PharmacyChecker publishes a pharmacy profile for each accredited pharmacy in the International Pharmacy Verification Program to provide consumers with details, such as shipping locations, shipping costs, and payment methods accepted by the pharmacy. Most pharmacies ship worldwide.

A rogue online pharmacy is a website that intentionally sells fake, counterfeit, or adulterated medication – or even genuine and regulated medication but without requiring a prescription. PharmacyChecker only accredits online pharmacies that meet very high safety standards. Licensed and legitimate pharmacies across the world sell safe and effective medications to customers via international mail order. Some regulatory bodies, including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States, refer to such pharmacies as "illegal" or "fake" simply due to the fact that they are not domestically located, but such distinctions can mislead patients and impede their access to affordable, safe and effective medication that they cannot obtain locally due to high prices, local shortages, or other barriers.

There is no law against ordering medication online. If ordering domestically, it's generally entirely legal to order medication online that is mailed directly from a licensed pharmacy. International drug importation is another story. Laws affecting the importation of medication for personal use are different from country to country. For instance, personal drug importation is legal in Australia. In the United States, technically, it is prohibited to import unapproved medication, whether through purchase over the Internet or while on a trip to a foreign country. 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 their own use and not for resale.  We write about drug importation developments frequently.

You can respond to government notifications to reclaim your import, but, because you won’t be receiving your medication when you had planned, the first thing you should be worried about is adherence to your prescription. Talk to your doctor about getting drug samples, patient assistance programs, coupons, etc., so you can stay on track.

For Americans: 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 that are under a 90-day supply and require a prescription to obtain are actually stopped. International pharmacies accredited through the PharmacyChecker Verification Program are not permitted to dispense above a 90-day supply and must require a prescription for all medication orders. If your medication is seized, 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.

You may notice that a few websites share the same address and dispensing pharmacy information. Licensed dispensing pharmacies often accept and process orders from multiple websites that market and sell prescription drugs. Similarly, as part of its marketing strategy, a single prescription referral or management company may administer several websites to capture the attention of the consumer. The website is used as a tool to gather pertinent medical information, process payments, and ultimately refer the order to a licensed pharmacy for dispensing. The PharmacyChecker International Pharmacy Verification Program verifies and monitors pharmacy websites and the dispensing pharmacies with which they partner.