Buy Safely

Staying informed about safe ways to buy medication is essential. Although you may be able to find low-priced medication online, you want to make sure that the site is reputable before making a purchase.

Out of over 22,000 websites reviewed by NABP, nearly 95 percent operate out of compliance with NABP patient safety and pharmacy practice standards, or applicable laws. The scope of the problem is expansive.

• 89 percent of illegal online pharmacies reviewed by NABP did not require a prescription for the sale of prescription-only medicine.
• There is a general lack of awareness about online pharmacies — less than 5 percent of consumers are aware of tools available to help them find safe online pharmacies, according to a 2017 Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacies survey. 

Look for the .Pharmacy Domain

The .pharmacy domain at the end of a web address means the site has been verified as safe by NABP. Logos are not enough to signal safety on the internet anymore — the .pharmacy domain cannot be faked or forged. When purchasing medicine online, we recommend using pharmacies that have been accredited or verified by NABP. The .Pharmacy Verified Websites Program verifies sites in the United States, Canada, and the EU, and is continuing to expand globally.

Safe Online Pharmacies Will:

• Be licensed by the country or jurisdiction in which they are located
• Accept only (therapeutically) valid prescriptions
• Comply with drug laws and professional practice laws
• Comply with privacy laws and ensure patient confidentiality
• Provide readily accessible contact information (toll-free telephone number and monitored electronic messages) for patient care inquiries and provide timely responses
• Have a web address ending in “.pharmacy”

Risks of Buying from an Unverified Website

• Receiving medication that does not treat a serious medical condition as promised
• Receiving pills with dangerous fillers, such as drywall and rat poison
• Taking drugs laced with fentanyl, a substance up to 100 times stronger than morphine that can cause respiratory distress and death
• Buying drugs that have not been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration
• Falling victim to fraud and identity theft
• Exposing your computer to malware

Some illegal online pharmacies pretend to be based in Canada to give the illusion of more stringent regulation and safer drugs, but they may be based in countries without the regulatory safeguards found in the US and Canada. Historically, illegal online drug sellers advertised on social media and search engines. To combat this, many internet companies — including Google, Bing, Yahoo!, Twitter, and Snapchat — now require drug advertisements be from verified sites.

Not Recommended List

NABP’s Not Recommended List (NRL) includes those websites that appear to be out of compliance with NABP patient safety and pharmacy practice standards, or applicable law. Websites on NABP’s NRL commonly facilitate:

• the sale of prescription-only medicine without requiring a valid prescription;
• the sale of medicine that has not been approved or authorized for sale in the patient’s jurisdiction;
• the practice of pharmacy without required licensure in all relevant jurisdictions.

Some websites on the NRL do not sell drugs directly. Instead, they refer patients to websites that operate in violation of NABP patient safety and pharmacy practice standards, or applicable law.

Using websites on the NRL to purchase drugs may put you or your loved ones at risk.

If you believe your website is mistakenly included on the NRL, email IDOI@nabp.pharmacy to request information about NABP’s appeals process.

Found a suspicious website? Report it. 

If a website you visited is suspicious, but is not currently listed on the NRL, report it below.

For those interested in applying for a .pharmacy domain, visit our main website.