Are online pharmacies a good idea?
Cyber pills. You knew it had to come. Instead of getting your pills at the friendly corner drugstore, you’re a click away from online buying. There are certainly advantages to getting drugs online: • Easy access if your parents are homebound. • Easy comparative shopping for the best price. • Access to a great variety of products. • Ability to consult with a pharmacist and order products in the privacy of your own home. However, the FDA warns that there are a growing number of rogue sites that are downright dangerous. They’ll send you pills without a prescription, which is never, never a good idea. Or they’ll have you fill out a questionnaire, then tell you that a doctor has looked over your dad’s symptoms and recommends the following medication — when no such doctor ever looked it over. In a famous national case, a man ordered Viagra online. He also had a history of chest pains and a family history of heart disease. All he did was fill out an online questionnaire. He died of a heart a
