Additionally, customers have difficulty knowing whether an Internet pharmacy is a legitimate operation. Each of these types of pharmacies operates differently with regard to how a patient seeks to have a prescription filled. All require the patient to set up a personal account by choosing a user name and password. This account contains basic personal information such as name, address and phone number, primarily for the purpose of billing and shipping. Only a few of the Internet pharmacies require patients to complete any type of health questionnaire detailing such relevant specifics as allergies, diagnosed illnesses and medical history.
Internet pharmacies offer the consumer several different options in filling their prescriptions.
Initially, consumers can mail their prescription to an address given on the web site. This works the same way as mail order pharmacies that have existed for many years. Second, patients can have their physician phone, fax or mail the prescription to the Internet pharmacy, just as they would with their traditional neighborhood pharmacy. Third, patients can enter their prescription information directly into the web site themselves. Depending on the particular Internet pharmacy, the web site may contact the physician to verify the prescription in every case or only on an as-determined basis.