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Using
the Internet for a Pharmacy Website:
1.
How can I protect myself from "questionable" pharmacy
Internet websites?
Make
sure the site is operated by an accredited Ontario pharmacy and
overseen by licensed pharmacists.
In Ontario, all Internet "pharmacy" or "drugstore"
websites must be operated by a "bricks and mortar" pharmacy.
The site must display:
The identity of the pharmacy to which the website belongs
The pharmacy's OCP Accreditation number (Certificate to operate)
The name of the owner
The physical location of the pharmacy including the address (street,
town/city)
The telephone number to contact the pharmacy
The Designated Manager of the pharmacy
The hours that a licensed pharmacist is available (the pharmacy
cannot dispense medications when a pharmacist is not on duty)
All Ontario sites must also display the Point of Care and OCP Accreditation
links.
You can retrieve the OCP Accreditation number of the pharmacy from
the site and call the Ontario College of Pharmacists
at 1-800-220-1921 to verify its legitimacy.
Accreditation
#002527
(*A list of the complete rules for operating a Pharmacy website
are provided below)
2.
What types of websites should I avoid using?
The Ontario College of Pharmacists advises you to:
Avoid websites that offer to prescribe medications to you without
you having a proper assessment by your physician
Avoid websites that offer to sell you prescription drugs without
a valid prescription or to sell you drugs that are not approved
for sale in Canada
Avoid websites where the pharmacist cannot be directly identified,
contacted, or verified
Avoid websites that provide only a post office box address or can
only be reached through a phone number that is answered by a customer
service representative
Avoid websites that only ask for a list or copy of your prescriptions,
and a list of symptoms, without valid new prescriptions. If they
require a letter from your physician, ensure your physician can
contact the physician that is requesting this information.
3. How do I verify websites operated by pharmacies from other provinces?
The rules for operating an Internet pharmacy may vary in other provinces
so we encourage you to contact the local college of pharmacists
directly for verification.
4. Can the pharmacist fill a prescription that was written by a
U.S. doctor?
No. Ontario pharmacists can only fill and counsel for prescriptions
authorized or signed by a licensed Ontario prescriber (i.e. physician,
dentist, etc.)
5. Can the pharmacist fill a prescription for me that was faxed
from other than my doctor's office?
No. Ontario pharmacists cannot release a prescription to a patient
until he/she has received the original prescription.
6. How do I verify websites operated out of the United States?
Pharmacy websites in the United States are reviewed and verified
by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy through its Verified
Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites™ (VIPPS™) program.
7. What can I do if I am unhappy with the care and service that
I have received from an Internet pharmacy?
If you have questions or concerns about the care you have received,
we encourage you to first raise your comments with the pharmacist.
If that is not possible or sufficient we encourage you to talk to
the pharmacy's designated manager or owner. Otherwise you can call
the Ontario College of Pharmacists directly at 1-800-220-1921.
*Rules
for Operating an Internet Site:
The
technical guidelines for pharmacists seeking to operate a site are
on the www.ocpinfo.com website
here.
The Ontario College of Pharmacists regulates and licenses pharmacists
and pharmacies in Ontario and has provided guidelines and policies
for licensed pharmacies in Ontario who wish to operate on the Internet.
Currently
in Ontario, a pharmacy website cannot exist on it's own, i.e. a
"virtual" or "online" "pharmacy" or
"drugstore" site must not be operated without it first
being part of an actual accredited pharmacy that is operated by
a licensed pharmacist.
The
websites of pharmacies wishing to operate on the Internet must conform
to the same legislative requirements and College policies that apply
to all other pharmacies. This means:
A pharmacist must be available to every patient for consultation.
A pharmacist must be available for the sale of specified drug products
such as prescriptions.
A pharmacist must provide counselling to the patient on all new
prescriptions.
A pharmacist must comply with the College's Standards of Practice
.
Receiving and sending of prescriptions must be in compliance with
all federal and provincial legislation and the Standards of Practice.
A pharmacists must have a valid prescription authorized or signed
or by a physician licensed to practice in Ontario. Prescribers from
out of the country are not recognized as prescribers in Ontario.
If a prescription is faxed from other than the doctor's office,
the pharmacy cannot release that prescription until the original
is received.
The pharmacy must be accredited (licensed) to operate in Ontario
and a pharmacist must be available while the pharmacy is open.
All Ontario sites must also display the Point of Care and OCP Accreditation
links (shown below). You can retrieve the OCP Accreditation number
of the pharmacy from the site and call the Ontario College of Pharmacists
at 1-800-220-1921 to verify its legitimacy.
The
homepage of any pharmacy Internet site must:
Identify the pharmacy to which the website belongs
The pharmacy's Accreditation number (Certificate to operate)
The name of the owner
The physical location of the pharmacy including the address (city
and town)
The telephone number to contact the pharmacy
The Designated Manager of the pharmacy
The hours that a licensed pharmacist is available
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