You can buy Viagra online safely and conveniently, if you choose your provider carefully, and you can buy it from online medical facilitators in the U.S., who contract with U.S.-licensed doctors and pharmacists. Read on to learn more about the myths and facts of purchasing prescription medications like Viagra online.
Long before the advent of the internet and online pharmacies, many Americans relied on mail-order pharmacies to fill their needs for prescription drugs. Many people used mail-order for convenience, good prices, or because they were required to by the terms of their health insurance’s prescription drug coverage.
Online pharmacies are a natural extension of the idea of the mail-order pharmacy, just as the upsurge in online retailers represents an online counterpart to the mail-order catalog.
Ordering medications online offers a way to safeguard one’s privacy, particularly with sensitive health issues. For example, many men find the experience of buying Viagra online to be less harrowing than taking a prescription to their local pharmacy.
Unfortunately, there are many shady rogue “pharmacies” online that sell counterfeit Viagra and other products to separate people from their hard-earned money. Watch the video below to learn more about counterfeit Viagra. Then read on to learn about the 5 myths of buying Viagra online and how to protect yourself from being swindled.
Myth 1: Viagra Purchased Online Is Only from Foreign Countries
You can actually purchase genuine, prescription Viagra online right here in the United States. Look for a U.S. phone number and U.S. street address on any online site before you purchase Viagra or any other prescription drug. Ordering prescription medications online from foreign countries (including Canada) is technically illegal. This means that your chances of receiving a legitimate product are slim to none if you order from any “pharmacy” that’s not located in the United States.
Myth 2: The Viagra You Purchase Online is Fake
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, along with parallel agencies in other countries, work around the clock to shut down sources of counterfeit drugs online, but given shrinking budgets and burgeoning counterfeit operations, it’s an almost impossible task. These sources often sell counterfeit drugs, and Viagra is the most counterfeited drug ever.
However, there are authentic Viagra retailers available online. If you’re unsure, ask for lot numbers on the prescription you’re ordering. A reputable supplier will always include packaging information with lot numbers that customers can use to confirm that the drug is the real thing. Trusted online sources will instruct customers on exactly how to confirm authenticity.
It’s also important to know the side effects of Viagra so you know what to expect from it. If you experience an unusual reaction to the drug, stop taking it immediately and see your doctor.
Myth 3: You Can’t Buy Generic Viagra Online in the US
Pfizer fought hard to prolong their patent protection for Viagra in the U.S., but in 2017, they entered into an agreement with two generic manufacturers: Teva Pharmaceuticals and Pfizer’s own generic manufacturer. These two manufacturers are now selling generic versions of Viagra in the U.S. These generics haven’t pushed the price down as significantly as the flood of generics in Western Europe and Canada, but they do offer lower prices than brand-name Viagra. Now that Pfizer’s patent has expired, you can expect many more generic drug manufacturers to offer their own versions of Viagra, and that’s when you should see more significant price relief in the U.S. Currently, eDrugstore offers both generic versions of sildenafil citrate for purchase online, saving you about half the cost compared to brand-name Viagra.
Myth 4: You Can Get ‘Herbal Viagra’ Online
Yes, you can get supplements that are advertised as “herbal Viagra” online, but they are not Viagra, and there’s no way to tell what’s actually in them. If you’re lucky, you’ll only waste money on something ineffective. If not, you could end up ingesting something dangerous. Many so-called “herbal supplements,” particularly those advertised as “natural” substitutes for drugs like Viagra, are made and sold with basically no oversight. In fact, some may include pirate pharmaceuticals in an attempt to duplicate Viagra’s effect, potentially leading to dangerous contraindications.
Many of these supplements are new, and there is no data supporting whether or not they are safe, let alone effective. And when they’re sold alongside legitimate supplements or over-the-counter medications, consumers may think these products have been safety tested, but that is rarely the case. Unlike Viagra, herbal medications do not have to go through a rigorous F.D.A. certification process.
Myth 5: It’s Illegal to Buy Viagra Online
There is a kernel of truth hidden in this myth: It is, indeed, illegal to buy Viagra online without a prescription, and it’s illegal to buy Viagra online from Canada and other foreign countries. If an online “pharmacy” offers to sell you Viagra without a prescription, it is operating illegally and is likely selling you a counterfeit product.
However, with a prescription, and when it’s dispensed by licensed pharmacists, it’s perfectly legal to buy Viagra online.
There are U.S.-based companies that, with the help of licensed pharmacists, sell prescription Viagra, just like online pharmacies where American consumers purchase other drugs like Lipitor or Nexium.
eDrugstore.com sells only F.D.A.-approved medications — including Viagra and other PDE5 inhibitors — all of which are sourced from licensed U.S. pharmacies.
And the prices you’ll pay at eDrugstore compare favorably with those charged at your local brick-and-mortar pharmacy, particularly when you consider the added value offered by eDrugstore.
Following are some common questions about buying prescription drugs online in the U.S.
FAQs about Buying Prescription Drugs Online
Q: When I search online for prices of the prescription drugs I am taking, the prices vary widely. Shouldn’t I simply pick the online vendor that’s offering the lowest price?
A: Not if you’re serious about staying healthy. Never order prescription drugs from an unknown vendor without first checking carefully to determine the legitimacy of its operation and the quality of the drugs it dispenses.
Q: Is there any way to determine if the drugs I receive are the real thing?
A: Unless you have access to high-tech analytical equipment, you probably won’t be able to differentiate between counterfeit and genuine medications. However, reputable dealers will provide packaging information with lot numbers that you can check online to confirm.
Q: What are the dangers of counterfeit prescription drugs?
A: Counterfeiters have grown increasingly sophisticated in creating fake drugs that look virtually identical to the brand-name medications they purport to be. However, as similar as these counterfeit and genuine medications may be to the naked eye, they are often far different in terms of their ingredients. Counterfeiters have been known to use drywall material as filler and toxic dyes as coloring agents. They may also use substances that can cause dangerous contraindications to other drugs the user may be taking.
Q: Is Teva the only company making generic Viagra?
A: No. There is also currently available a generic made by Pfizer itself, which is a “little white pill” rather than a “little blue pill.” In both cases, the generics cost significantly less than the brand-name drug. Now that Pfizer’s patent has expired, you can expect even more generics to become available.
Q: Can I buy generic Viagra online?
A: Absolutely! eDrugstore.com now offers sildenafil citrate (generic Viagra) for roughly half the cost of our brand-name Viagra.
If you already have a doctor’s prescription for Viagra — or any other prescription drug sold by eDrugstore — you can fax it or scan and email it along with your order. If you don’t yet have a prescription, eDrugstore can arrange a complimentary consultation with a member of its team of licensed U.S. physicians.
If you would prefer a video consultation — via your smartphone, computer, or tablet — with one of its medical professionals, we offer that as a complimentary service. To take advantage of this telemedicine option, all you have to do is fill out an online medical questionnaire.
The best way to protect your sexual health is to be your own advocate and know the facts about erectile dysfunction. For more information about ED, the lifestyle medications we offer, drug pricing, or mythbusting, follow the eDrugstore blog.
Dan is a long-time freelance writer focusing on technology, science, health, and medicine, with a lifelong interest in physics, biology, and medicine. His work has taken a particular focus on scientific studies “beyond the headlines,” reading the study to more closely examine the results.
