PORTLAND, Oregon, Nov. 8, 2010 /PRNewswire/ — A leading
Internet pharmacy verification service offers a new message for
patients: There are ways to get affordable medicines without using
unregulated, potentially dangerous “rogue” Internet pharmacies.
LegitScript, a firm that monitors “rogue” Internet pharmacies
and verifies legitimate ones, now offers a free feature
allowing Internet users who cannot afford their medicines to find
patient assistance programs that offer free or low-cost
prescription drugs.
The new feature allows patients to search for a prescription
drug and select from available patient assistance programs.
Internet users can continue to search LegitScript’s database to
verify an Internet pharmacy’s legitimacy, or to report a rogue
Internet pharmacy.
LegitScript President John Horton said, “‘Rogue’ Internet
pharmacies often target patients who are struggling with the price
of medicines, offering seemingly low prices and claiming to be
legitimate. Yet we find that these are not pharmacies at all, but
just websites without required pharmacy licenses, selling
unregulated and potentially substandard drugs without a
prescription.”
Many “rogue” Internet pharmacies illegally sell prescription
drugs without requiring a prescription and without necessary
pharmacy licenses. In most countries, it is also unlawful to sell
medicines that fail to meet that country’s safety requirements. “If
cost is an issue, we’re pleased to offer safe, legitimate
alternatives to help patients get access to needed medications,
rather than risk getting medicines that may or may not work,”
Horton stated.
The new feature is a product of an agreement between LegitScript
and NeedyMeds.org, the leading
source of patient assistance programs on the Internet. Dr. Rich
Sagall, M.D., President of NeedyMeds.org, said, “NeedyMeds is
pleased to partner with LegitScript t
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