Many websites sell pain medications without a prior physical examination, which is often illegal. In California, for instance, a legitimate physician-patient relationship must exist for a prescription to be valid; prescribing based solely on an online questionnaire is generally prohibited for controlled substances.
Medications from unregistered websites may be diluted, fake, or expired . The DEA has also warned that drugs bought through social media or unverified sites may contain lethal substances like fentanyl, posing a high risk of overdose. Safe Practices for Online Purchases buy pain meds online review
Recent reviews also examine the actual effectiveness of the pain meds often sought online: Many websites sell pain medications without a prior
A 2022 systematic review published in Pharmacy noted that while online pharmacies offer convenience, there are major public health concerns regarding the questionable legitimacy of many sites and the quality of the drugs sold. Inappropriate use of online-purchased prescription drugs can lead to severe harm or overdose. The DEA has also warned that drugs bought
Legitimate UK-based pharmacies, for example, often display a green GPhC logo .