Online Pharmacy Dictionary - Terms you should know

Here are some words you need to know to navigate the heavy seas of information in the world of online pharmacy.

Online pharmacy: Simply a drug store that will process your prescription drug needs over the internet. It could be a regular bricks-and-mortar pharmacy that wants to tap a new market or improve its local service.

It could also be a large pharmacy chain that want to benefit from the economies of scale by shipping some of it's prescriptions from a central warehouse.

It can also be a pharmacy dedicated solely to business over the internet. These are usually internationally-based in Canada or elsewhere.

And finally, they can be a criminal front for unscrupulous businesses that will take your money while providing little or no service while possibly sending you counterfeit drugs as well.

Brand (brand-name, branded) drugs: These are drugs produced by the so-called "innovative" or "ethical" drug companies that produce new pharmaceuticals for the market, and receive patents to protect their investment in research and development.

Generic drugs: Sometimes called copycat drugs, these are drugs manufactured by competitors to brand drugs once the patent has expired. They usually provide major savings over the cost of the original manufacturer's product. In Canada, the U.S., western Europe, New Zealand and Australia regulate the entry of generics onto the market place with strict requirements that the generic be identical (bio-equivalent) to the brand product. Other countries may not have the same stringent regulations.

Bio-Equivalent: The short version - a generic drug is bio-equivalent if it contains not only the same quantity of active ingredient (raw material) but also is absorbed and eliminated by the body at the same rate as the brand drug it is compared to.

Prescription: That little piece of paper that your doctor gives you to take to the pharmacy to get your medications. A prescription is also a link in the chain of medical responsibility from doctor to pharmacist to patient.

Prescription drugs: In simple terms, a drug that needs a prescription from your doctor before you can get it from your pharmacy. But life isn't simple. Drugs that require a prescription in one country may not need it in another. Mexican pharmacies comes to mind. In some countries, you don't need a prescription for anything. On the other hand, those same countries might be hard pressed to provide any real protection to the patient regarding quality of the drug or pharmaceutical care.

The best plan when choosing an online pharmacy is to buy from countries that have the same or similar regulatory guidelines on what pharmaceuticals require a prescription.

Unfortunately, many internet pharmacies advertise "no prescription needed" which may lead some patients to think that a prescription is optional. It's not! Pharmacies that don't ask for a prescription are operating illegally, at least in Canada, the U.S. and most of the developed world. This is a RED FLAG: do not use online pharmacies that do not require you to provide a prescription from your doctor.

Drug cost: If you're ordering from an international pharmacy such as a Canadian online drugstore, the drug cost calculation will include the actual cost of the drug plus any shipping and handling fees, the current exchange rate and other miscellaneous changes that vary from pharmacy to pharmacy. Make sure you look at all of these factors.

Pharmaceutical care: One of the current buzzwords in the pharmacy industry, pharmaceutical care means that pharmacies should provide care that is patient-centered rather than revolving around the needs of the pharmacy business. It sounds fancy, but it really boils down to service and the responsibilities of the online pharmacy.

In terms of service, you should be able to contact the online drugstore by a variety of means" email, phone and fax. The response time should be short. Shipping should be fast and inexpensive. There should be clear policies concerning cases of disagreement.

As for responsibilities, a proper online pharmacy will have pharmacists on staff, not just pharmacy technicians. They will require a valid prescription from your doctor. They may also request a medical/drug history although it is often assumed that if you provide a valid prescription, your doctor has already evaluated your medical history. The internet pharmacy should also be registered with the local regulatory body and be in good standing.

FDA: The Food and Drug Administration has oversight over the importation of pharmaceutical products into the U.S. At the moment, the FDA believes that the importation of prescription drugs into the U.S. from other countries is illegal but they have found this position difficult to enforce. As a general rule, you are probably ok with importing up to 90 days of medication through an online pharmacy.

Medicare - D: A new U.S. Federal drug insurance plan introduced in the spring of 2006 that was supposed to put the nail in the coffin of the international online pharmacy industry. Well...Maybe. It is a "government" insurance plan after all, and we all know how well the government has looked after our health in the past. Here in Canada, our benevolent leaders regularly squander billions tinkering with our public health care system. For now, I will take a wait-and-see attitude to Medicare - D. Let me know how it's working for you.

Lifestyle drugs: These are drugs that have less to do with actual health problems and more with quality of life. Think Viagra. Some internet drug operations limit themselves to lifestyle drugs. This is another RED FLAG . These pharmacies are not interested in your health; they are very interested in your wallet. This is not to say that these pharmacies are operating in an illegal manner. Most are, a few aren't. But why take the chance. All prescription drugs have side effects. Choose an online pharmacy that provides a full line of products, just like your local pharmacy would. The internet should make things easier, not more complicated, right?

That's all for now but I'll probably add to this online pharmacy dictionary in the days and weeks ahead.