Protecting Patients Online and at Home: How NABP’s Safe Pharmacy Initiative Helps Patients Safely Buy Prescriptions Online

In today’s digital age, ordering prescription medication online offers undeniable convenience. However, this convenience carries significant risks. In fact, the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy® (NABP®) has found more than 40,000 websites that fail to comply with NABP patient safety and pharmacy practice standards or applicable laws. Alarmingly, 95% of these illegal online pharmacies do not require a valid prescription for the sale of prescription-only medicine.

To combat this public health threat, NABP launched its Safe Pharmacy Initiative in 2010. This program provides consumers with education and resources about medication safety, prescription drug misuse, medication disposal, and more. With the threat of illegal drug sales online and on social media continuing to rise, NABP’s goal is to increase awareness of these issues and provide consumers with reliable information on safe medication practices that impact their health and well-being, as well as that of their loved ones.

Buying Medication Safely Online

For patients seeking the ease of home delivery, separating legitimate pharmacies from rogue operators is crucial. Illegal pharmacy websites try to tempt patients with deep discounts and the ease of drug access without first seeing a doctor. The drugs coming from these websites can cause adverse effects and even death. Among Americans who have used an online pharmacy, 24% have been exposed to harmful, counterfeit, or substandard medications. These substandard drugs have been known to contain toxic fillers such as drywall, rat poison, brick dust, or potentially lethal doses of active ingredients.

NABP makes safe online purchasing simple through its Safe Site Search Tool at www.safe.pharmacy. Patients can type in any web address to instantly verify whether a site is verified or listed as “Not Recommended.”

Key rules for consumers buying online include the following:

• Always require a valid prescription from a licensed health care provider.
• Verify licensure with the state board of pharmacy.
• Look for a physical address and phone number in the United States to contact a pharmacist directly.

Additionally, legitimate online providers often carry accredited status, signaling compliance with state laws and rigorous safety standards. For example, NABP offers its Digital Pharmacy Accreditation and Healthcare Merchant Accreditation programs. The Digital Pharmacy Accreditation program is for pharmacies that have a website offering at least one interactive pharmacy practice component, and the Healthcare Merchant Accreditation is available to a wide range of health care and health care-adjacent business models around the world. Both programs require accredited customers to hold an active .pharmacy domain, which is a “seal of approval” that can’t be faked. Web addresses with this domain are only issued to accredited organizations and cannot be obtained by illegitimate online businesses.

Promoting Safe Medication Use in Daily Life

Safe pharmacy practices extend beyond digital storefronts. Promoting safe medication use means helping patients understand dosage schedules, proper storage, and potential drug interactions. Further, open dialogue between patients and pharmacy personnel reduces medication errors and ensures maximum therapeutic benefit.

Encourage patients to visit the Safe Pharmacy website, where they can learn more about safe medication use, including tips to understand prescription and over-the-counter medication labels and resources dedicated to preventing drug misuse.

Disposing of Medication, the Safe Way

Unused, unwanted, or expired prescriptions left in home medicine cabinets create opportunities for accidental poisoning, environmental contamination, or misuse. They can also cause confusion for elderly people who may have multiple prescriptions. Each year, there are approximately 35,000 emergency department visits due to unintentional overdoses in children under five years old. Properly disposing of your medications helps to keep your household safe from potential harm.

NABP’s Drug Disposal Locator Tool connects consumers with over 10,000 permanent take-back locations nationwide, including community pharmacies, police departments, and hospitals.

If there is no drop-off location near the patient, the Safe Pharmacy Drug Disposal page provides useful information about safely disposing of drugs at home, as well as drug donation resources.

How Pharmacists and Technicians Can Help

As the most accessible health care professionals, pharmacists and pharmacy technicians play a vital frontline role in patient education. Pharmacy staff can spark lifesaving conversations during routine counter interactions, comprehensive medication reviews, or prescription pickups.

In addition to sharing the safe.pharmacy web address during conversations with patients, you can also spread the word through your pharmacy’s social media accounts and website by using shareable resources available in our educational toolkit.