Before digitalization, buying medicine meant going to the nearby pharmacy store and buying it. Today, more consumers are choosing to buy medicines online for convenience, discounts, and the ability to explore medicine substitutes without any pressure. A 2022 report found that nearly 32% of Indians surveyed bought medicines online.
However, before ordering medicines online, consumers often have three key concerns: Is the website legitimate? Are the medicines safe? And are they genuine?
This guide covers everything you need to know before ordering medicines from an online pharmacy, including how to choose a trusted pharmacy, understand prescription requirements, and evaluate medicine quality, with a look at how SayaCare approaches quality and transparency.
Table of Contents
What is an Online Pharmacy?
An app or website that has a license to sell various types of medicines, including OTC (over-the-counter), prescription, homeopathic, and Ayurvedic medicines, as well as other medical essentials, is called an online pharmacy.
How to Order Medicines from an Online Pharmacy?
To order medicine online follow you should:
1. Choose a Verified and Trusted Pharmacy
After carefully and thoroughly examining an e-pharmacy, proceed with the next steps.
2. Upload Your Prescription or Search for Your Medicine
If you have a prescription, you can simply upload it. If you are searching for an OTC medicine, you can simply add the medicine to your cart.
3. Add Your Address and Pincode
After adding the medicines to your cart, proceed to add your address and pincode. If you have a coupon, you can apply it to reduce the payment amount. After this, proceed to make the payment.
Is Online Pharmacy Safe? How to Choose One
Yes, online pharmacies with a legitimate license to sell medicines and that follow the applicable rules for prescription medicines and medicine safety can be safe. Currently, there are more than 300 online pharmacies in India.
However, with so many online pharmacies available, choosing a legitimate and trustworthy one is important. Before placing your order, here are a few things you should check:
1. Do they Ask for Prescription?
It’s a red flag if they don’t.
2. Do they Have Real Customer Support?
An online pharmacy should have customer support. Before placing an order, call customer support and ask for the necessary details. Refrain from making an advance payment initially and, if available, opt for Cash on Delivery.
3. Look for Google Review and Reddit Reviews
Go through the Google reviews and check what other customers are saying about the website and its services. You can also look for Reddit discussions and reviews about their services.
4. Do they Provide Test Report?
As per the rules, medicines should be tested before they enter the market. Many manufacturers conduct these tests but do not provide the reports as proof. Currently, SayaCare provides test reports for all of its medicines, which are also made available to customers.
SayaCare tests its medicines before listing them on its platform.
It provides test reports to customers to ensure transparency.
It stores medicines in a controlled environment.
It eliminates middlemen by sourcing medicines directly from manufacturers and sending the medicines for testing.
Why Do Online Pharmacies Require a Prescription?
Online pharmacies ask for prescriptions because they are required to do so under the applicable provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules and Act.
Some medicines under Schedule H or Schedule X can be misused or self-medicated, which may cause harm to the patient. These medicines should therefore be taken under the supervision of a doctor. Online pharmacies like SayaCare require prescriptions for such medicines to help prevent self-medication and misuse.
Online Pharmacy vs Local Pharmacy: Which is Best?
Online and local pharmacies both have their own pros and cons. Local pharmacies offer easy access to medicines, and customers feel cared as they can speak directly with a pharmacist. However, customers may have limited visibility into how medicines were sourced and stored before reaching the pharmacy.
Online pharmacies offer the convenience of ordering medicines from home, but verifying the quality and authenticity of medicines can also be a concern. SayaCare addresses this by providing quality test reports for its medicines, giving customers greater transparency about the medicines they purchase.
Conclusion
Buying medicines online can be convenient, but choosing the right pharmacy is important. Check whether the pharmacy follows prescription requirements, provides clear information about its medicines, offers customer support, and maintains transparency about medicine quality. Taking these steps can help you make a more informed choice when ordering medicines online. This is just one part of the picture, see our complete guide to generic medicines in India for how pricing and safety work.
FAQ’s
Which online pharmacy is best?
For quality medicines, SayaCare is the best online pharmacy because they provide a test report with every medicine to be transparent about their medicine quality.
2. Where Can I Order Medicines Online in Delhi?
You can order medicines online in Delhi from SayaCare. Their warehouse is in Noida, where you can visit and buy medicines, or you can order through their website or app, and your medicines will be delivered within 24- 48 hours.
3. Which Is the Best Medicine App to Buy Medicines Online?
For quality medicines, SayaCare is the best app to buy medicines online. They not only get their medicines tested by a gov. Approved third-party lab but also provide test reports on the quality of the medicines and offer discounts of up to 80% on medicines.
4. Which Online Pharmacy Gives Maximum Discounts?
SayaCare: Online Pharmacy for Tested Medicines provide discounts of up to 80% off the MRP. They are able to do so because they source medicines directly from manufacturers and get their quality tested by a government-approved third-party lab. In this way, they cut out commissions that are ultimately paid by consumers.
Mahak Phartyal completed her bachelor's in pharmacy from Veer Madho Singh Bhandari Uttarakhand Technical University. She previously worked as a Medical Writer at Meril Life Sciences, where she wrote numerous scientific abstracts for conferences such as India Live 2024 and the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). During her college years, she developed a keen research interest and published an article titled “Preliminary Phytochemical Screening, Physicochemical and Fluorescence Analysis of Nyctanthes arbor-tristis and Syzygium cumini Leaves.”
Mahak Phartyal completed her bachelor’s in pharmacy from Veer Madho Singh Bhandari Uttarakhand Technical University. She previously worked as a Medical Writer at Meril Life Sciences, where she wrote numerous scientific abstracts for conferences such as India Live 2024 and the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). During her college years, she developed a keen research interest and published an article titled “Preliminary Phytochemical Screening, Physicochemical and Fluorescence Analysis of Nyctanthes arbor-tristis and Syzygium cumini Leaves.”
