As the price of prescription medications continues to spiral upwards, many consumers find it increasingly difficult to afford the price of medical treatment. It is therefore quite natural that a large number of such consumers would look for alternate ways of finding affordable drugs. One of the ways they do this is by purchasing online medication. It is quite possible to save money in this way, but consumers should not be unaware of the facts and risks, before proceeding.

   First, there is the well-founded concern for quality. The medication you receive through an online order could possibly be contaminated. In other cases, products have been discovered to contain no medicine at all, or a different medicine from what was advertised. Sometimes you can be cheated in terms of the dose. For example, a drug advertised to contain 500 milligrams of the active ingredient can in reality contain only 100mg.

   Another danger is related to the ease with which online medication can be obtained without prescription. Many drugs are strictly regulated by prescription, and for good reason too. Most drugs interact adversely with some other drugs. When you buy your medicine online without a valid prescription and therefore without consulting a doctor, you give up the opportunity to become aware of its interactions with other drugs you may be taking. This is a potentially life-threatening situation.

   Also, in the case of online medication you have no way of knowing whether the product is imported from some foreign country. In the US, it is illegal to import drugs, because they are often manufactured without regard for the quality assurance guidelines that are the norm there. So purchasing online medication is a potential health hazard as well as a legal hazard.

   Some companies, however, are perfectly legitimate and dependable, and provide fine products at reasonable prices. Generally, companies whose names do not appear on the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy's website should be avoided. The same goes (at least for US citizens) for companies that aren't based in the US. Specially avoid doing business with those who are ready to sell you online medication without prescription, or to write a 'prescription' for you.