1. Do not buy medications from an online pharmacy that does not require you to provide a prescription.

2. The pharmacy should obtain some type of medical history / information from you in order to better assess your prescription requirements. The history should require you to provide such information as Drug Allergies, a current medication profile, current conditions/ailments profile, etc.

3. Check out the web sites privacy policy to be sure they will not be sharing your personal information.

4. If you feel uneasy about ordering online, discuss your concerns about your decision to buy medications online with your physician.

5. Compare prices on several sites but don’t let price be your only determining factor. Phone or email the company to see what level of customer service they provide in regards to shipping times and how informed they keep you during the prescription order process (i.e. do they call to tell you they received your order and confirm your order with you, will they call you to let you know when they have difficulty obtaining your medication from their supplier). Look for customer testimonials about their service on the website.

6. In general it should take 2 to 3 weeks to receive your medications once the pharmacy has received all the required information from you. Be aware though that there can be delays due to several factors. For example, there can be delays in the shipping process that are out of the pharmacy’s control or delays if there are any problems or concerns with your order and the pharmacy can not get a hold of you. These delays, however, should be the exception and not the rule.

7. Give the pharmacy as much contact information as possible. Be sure to supply your full mailing address, phone number including area code and your email address (if you have one). Also give any other alternative contact methods available so that they can reach you if there are any concerns with your order.

8. Order well in advance. On first time orders you should order at least a month in advance of running out of your current supply of medicine. On refills, reorder at least 3 weeks in advance. It is better to get your medications a week ahead of time rather than 2 to 3 days late.

9. If you do not receive your order within the 2 to 3 week time frame call the company to verify what is happening with your order.

10. Expect good service. Do not accept poor service. There are several choices of companies out there find the one that provides a combination of good prices and good service.

11. The pharmacy should provide access to a pharmacist either by phone or by email or both.

If you feel there are guidelines that we should add to our list please feel free to email us at info@canpharmdirectory.com.