Online pharmacies: Many weaknesses in advice
All content is checked by medical journalists.Ordering medication online is easy. But there are risks and side effects: Mail order pharmacies usually do not advise their customers at all, or if they do, they often provide inadequate advice. In the worst case, this can even be life-threatening. In the interview, consumer advocate Daniela Hubloher explains what is often a problem - and what you can do for your safety.
Daniela Hubloher
Daniela Hubloher is a doctor and works in the area of health and care at the consumer center in Hessen.
Ms. Hubloher, one of the most important tasks of the pharmacist is to advise the patient. Does this also apply to online pharmacies?
In principle yes - but the legal requirements are a bit watered down. Actually it says in the pharmacy operating regulations that the manager of the pharmacy must ensure that the patients and customers are adequately informed and advised about drugs and medical devices.
And what applies to mail order pharmacies?
The patient's right to advice also applies to mail-order pharmacies. But the duty to give proactive advice on how the local pharmacy can be found on site, for example on how to take medication correctly, which is not necessary in online trading.
Mail order pharmacies only need to ask their customers to provide a phone number when ordering. So that you can be reached in an emergency if, for example, you have ordered medicines that you are not allowed to take at the same time.
That's all?
Yes. That is far too little to comply with an obligation to provide advice. And some mail-order pharmacies don't even ask their customers for this information!
Isn't the most important thing in the package insert anyway?
Not necessarily - and not everything about the interactions. It may then say that a certain drug should not be taken at the same time as calcium. It is not clear to everyone that this also means milk. In addition, many consumers shy away from reading the package insert carefully.
What do I do if I have questions about taking an order online?
Of course, mail order pharmacies are also obliged to be reachable by telephone. Some have real service hotlines, which you can find on the site. With others, however, you sometimes have to click through to the imprint in order to find a number at all.
But then will I be given competent advice?
I have already participated in various mail-order pharmacy tests. Some of the deliberations were fine. However, it can happen to you that you receive wrong advice even if there is massive demand. Even with the interaction check, it was sometimes not recognized that two drugs were incompatible with one another. That shocked me. That doesn't speak so much for mail order pharmacies.
Am I on the safe side at the pharmacist on the corner?
Unfortunately, things don't always go as you would like at the local pharmacies either. They were also tested several times. And there, too, was often not followed up as necessary - even with important things.
What can I do as a customer?
I can only advise consumers to actively seek advice on their own initiative! You are entitled to it. This is of course easier in direct contact in the pharmacy on site. After all, drugs are not bags of oranges that you buy in the supermarket somewhere.
Be sure to include all medications you are taking, including over-the-counter and dietary supplements. Your pharmacist can only advise you on what information he can get from you.
But if you take a lot of funds, you can quickly forget something.
To prevent this from happening, have your doctor create a medication plan that lists everything. Even a calcium or potassium supplement can interfere with the effectiveness of important drugs - most people do not know that.
Are there any arguments in favor of mail order pharmacies?
They can be important, especially for people who do not have a pharmacy around the corner. And sometimes - not always! - The prices for over-the-counter drugs are also lower there.
So the crux of the matter remains the advice.
If you take certain medications regularly and if you know how to take them and what interactions and side effects they have, then you can order them from a mail-order pharmacy. But when it comes to a new drug, your health is unstable or you are unsure about how to use it - or if you want good advice at all, then the on-site pharmacy is the better solution.
