Many online pharmacies do not allow the patients to purchase medicines, without the prescriptions provided by the doctor. Getting prescribed drugs without the Rx by the doctor, seems to be an eye catching offer, but it is an illegal practice. Without the doctor’s prescription, purchasing a medicine may harm and it won’t be safe for the patient’s conditions. Legal, safe and convenient ways to get online prescription are as follows:-

Prescription in Traditional way

In traditional prescription, one has to follow a straight process, by taking an appointment with the doctor for consultation. After visiting, get the prescription from the consultant. Since, visiting a doctor and getting prescription is not an online practice. But, many medical associations promote and support the use of traditional prescription before purchasing the drugs. Many online pharmacies company allow the patients to send the prescription via fax, email, post or through their doctors.

Advantages

• Correct analysis of patient's conditions

The doctor can check the patient accurately such as patient’s physical condition, their symptoms and according to the symptoms the doctor can prescribe them properly.

• Minor chances of error in prescribing

After analyzing and evaluating the symptoms of the patient personally by the doctor, the chance of prescribing the wrong medicine is minimum and near to zero.

• Ease in transferring

After prescribing, the doctors suggests purchasing of medicine through online pharmacies, may be of the patient’s choice. A few pharmacies will even contact the patient’s doctor for confirmation of prescription.

Disadvantages

• Consumption of more time

The patient can only visit the doctor after the appointment. After visiting to the clinic or hospital they have to wait for the doctor for at least an hour. It becomes difficult for the patient to squeeze their available time from their busy schedules.

• Uncomfortable location

Some times, the hospitals or the clinics of the doctors are far away from their locations. Even some patients have a hatred feeling of being getting interviewed in the clinical settings.

Distant Consultation

Distant consultation is another way of getting prescriptions. Many online pharmacies provide online services where the patient is required to fill up the form which is transferred to the medical record system or library. This record will go to the library and search for the licensed medical doctors who are affiliated to the pharmacy companies. Several online pharmacy companies allow the patient and the licensed doctor to consult through web cam.

Advantages

• Convenience and easiness

Since, the consultation is done through the online process; the patient can be analyzed in the comfort of their places. The prescriptions can be directly passed on to the online pharmacy for the supply of the medicines.

• Patients having an aversion of getting interviewed in clinical settings, have to fill up the online form, whenever they have time without dealing with the clinical environment and even they don’t have to adjust their busy schedule for the appointment of the doctor.

Disadvantages

• Chances of getting erroneous prescriptions.

Since, it is an online practice; the doctors won’t get a complete idea of the patient’s symptoms and medications. So, there are chances of prescribing wrong medicines which can have an adverse effect on the patient’s condition

• Minimal analysis.

In online prescriptions, the self-reported medical record comes from the library to the affiliated doctor which may contain wrong or little information about the patients. And some times, the patients do not provide the complete information of their symptoms. And it becomes tough for the doctor to diagnose.