A Medical Marketing Expert Shares Six Reasons that Online Pharmacies are on the Rise {guest blog!}

With the numerous advances in technology in the fields of banking, finance, retail, and shopping, it was only a matter of time before the pharmaceutical industry also came online. People are now able to get medicines and prescriptions online instead of standing in line at the pharmacist or visiting a doctor in overflowing waiting rooms. Today, you can get almost all medicines online through licensed online pharmacies registered with the medical board.

Katie Jones, a marketing expert, recently assisted in the development of the sites quickdoctor and doctor4u. We picked her brain about the advent of online pharmacies and why they’re currently leaps and bounds better than retail stores and brick and mortar pharmaceutical establishments. She had some enlightening points about the development and benefits of online pharmacies.

Let us look at some of the points she covered during our interview and why online pharmacies are a better alternative than retail stores.

1. All medicines are available together:

Many times, we have to order our medication in advance with retail outlets when they’re not in stock. With online pharmacies, you can get all the medicines you want under one roof (albeit an online roof!). It becomes easier to buy medication for the entire household from the comfort of your home or office. Whether those medicines are for children, you and your partner, spouses, grandparents, elderly neighbors or otherwise, you can get them all according to an online prescription from an online pharmacy without having to collect the medicines from the store physically.

2. Ease of prescription receipt:

You can send online prescriptions to the online pharmacies through means of email, fax, or through uploading the orders directly to the website for forward-bookings. This means that you do not have to furnish the prescription every time. Once the online pharmacy has a record of the medicine, it will make a log of your order according to purchase history and medical conditions. The only requirement is to send the pharmacy the original prescription from the doctor. Copies are not usually accepted.

3. Refills are automatic:

You can get medicines refilled automatically through the click of your mouse or a button on your laptop. Refills are then sent automatically as per the prescription already uploaded or mailed to the online pharmacy. The correct medication will then be available upon request as per your convenience. With online stores, there’s no need to keep showing your prescription every time you require refills on your medications. 

4. Home delivery:

Online pharmacies have a home delivery system in place for delivery of all medicines and syrups. Even though many of these drugs are sent only after cross-checking the authenticity of the original prescription, this is still a more convenient option to getting medicines. Home delivery of medication ensures that you can get your medicines discretely to your given address and with complete privacy. Home delivery also provides that you do not have to waste time, energy, effort, money, and fuel to go to the pharmacy during business hours.

5. Drugs are cheap (and often discounted):

Medications are available at a more competitive price point than those offered at retail pharmacies. Many times, these drugs also have offers and packages for people to order more for lesser money. These attractive discounts make online ordering of medicines a very lucrative proposition for people who require regular or daily medication. This is especially beneficial for elderly patients who have daily doses of drugs. Another benefit is that most online pharmacies accept medical insurance to pay for bills. 

6. Easy availability of pharmacists and doctors:

Unless you are suffering from a severe medical condition that requires immediate medical assistance, you do not need to wait to see the doctor anymore. Most reputed online pharmacies have pharmacists and doctors available online during work hours and some during off-work hours to assist you in diagnosing your medical condition. You can get in touch with the online pharmacist or doctor via email or phone for prescriptions and diagnosis. Katie suggests that you should get your prescriptions filled by the same online pharmacy to avoid miscommunication and confusion.

Online pharmacies are soon taking over retail stores. Most retail pharmacies are offering online services for existing customers, although the prices of the drugs do not differ too much. If you’re a pharmacist considering expanding your online offerings, schedule a free consultation with one of our attorneys to discuss the regulatory and legal requirements imposed upon you. One safety feature to remember before you switch to online pharmacies is their licensing and safety and privacy norms — pharmacies are held to the same HIPAA standards as all other providers! Once you are satisfied with the criteria, get yourself, and your family enrolled to benefit from online stores from the comfort of your home.

About the guest author

Katie Jones is a writer and marketing expert from Brighton, England and loves to write, travel, practice yoga and read at any available moment! As mentioned in the article she has recently assisted in the development of the online pharmaceutical company Doctor4U and is currently helping in growing the similar site QuickDoctor. She is looking forward to being involved in more successful projects in the future.

This blog is made for educational purposes and is not intended to be specific legal advice to any particular person. It does not create an attorney-client relationship between our firm and the reader.It should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction.

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