The COVID-19 pandemic changed the way we live, work and purchase even the most essential items, including medicines. As people began to rely more on digital options for safety and convenience, the pharmaceutical industry also moved online. In recent years, more than fifty new online pharmacies have opened across the country. The advantage of online platforms is that they often provide attractive discounts that local medical stores cannot usually offer. However, post cough syrup tragedy the biggest concern remains the same, how can one be sure that the medicines they will receive are genuine and safe? Unfortunately, both online and local pharmacies fail to guarantee the quality of their products. In this blog, you will learn a variety of things about pharmacies and where you can buy medicines that guarantee effectiveness without causing any harm. Stick around until the end to uncover this mystery. 

What is E-Pharmacy? 

E-Pharmacy, also known as online pharmacy, internet pharmacy or mail order pharmacy, is a form of pharmacy business that provides medicines and other medical equipment through the internet. Some of the main advantages of an online pharmacy are mentioned below: 

Advantages of Online Pharmacy 

1. Accessibility: Even a person living in the most remote area can have access to all types of medicines that are usually not available in the local pharmacy. With the help of third party logistics services, medicines can now reach consumers in almost every region. 
2. Delivery at Your Doorstep: If you order your medicine from an online pharmacy then in most cases you do not have to leave your home, as medicines will be delivered directly to your doorstep. If you are living in a hilly area, the delivery will be made to the nearest possible location, and you may only need to walk a few steps to collect your medicine. 
3. Discounts: Online pharmacies usually provide attractive discounts on medicines and medical products, which are not commonly available in local pharmacy stores. 
4. Variety of Medicines: Doctors often prescribe branded medicines that are quite costly. Online pharmacies such as SayaCare offer tested substitute versions of the same medicines, providing the same therapeutic effect at a price difference of nearly 80% compared to the maximum retail price. 
5. Systematic Verification of Medicines: Medicines that can cause addiction or lead to drowsiness and sleepiness are not easily provided by online pharmacies. Unlike local pharmacies that may sell them freely, e-pharmacies require a valid prescription before processing the order, ensuring safety and accountability. 
6. Information: Pharmacists at local stores generally give limited information about medicines, such as when to take them and whether to consume them before or after food. However, when you buy from an online pharmacy, you receive additional information such as dietary precautions, possible drug interactions, and other relevant medical details that help ensure safe use. 

What is more Reliable E-Pharmacy or Local Pharmacy 

Medicines purchased from either a local pharmacy or an online pharmacy cannot always be considered completely reliable. In a government funded study conducted over a period of fifteen years, it was found that nearly 3% of medicines in market are fake [Singh A. Combating Counterfeit and Substandard Medicines in India: Legal Framework and the Way Ahead. Current Research Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities. 2023;6(1)]. A report published by the Associated Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ASSOCHAM) revealed that almost 25% of medicines available in the Indian market are counterfeit, while the World Health Organization has stated that around 10% of medicines in India are fake. Although the figures may differ, these findings clearly indicate that fake medicines exist in the market and there is currently no effective way to identify them. 

Medicines are often re-labelled, meaning that expiry dates are extended to prevent financial losses. In some cases, manufacturers reduce production costs by using lower grade therapeutic agents. The only way to determine the true quality of a medicine is through a proper test report. This leads to an important question, where can one buy medicines that come with a verified test report? This concern takes us to the next segment……… 

Where Can I buy My Medicines From? 

With everyday news of fake medicines in India, the numbers reported so far appear to be quite low compared to the real situation. The issue of counterfeit medicines was first identified by economist Dhruv Mathur Gupta several years ago, which led him to establish SayaCare. Along with Dr. Shivangi, he decided that every single medicine procured from manufacturers would be tested for quality and authenticity. Only those medicines that successfully pass all the tests prescribed in the Indian Pharmacopoeia are listed on the SayaCare’s website and sold to customers, each accompanied by a verified test report. 

Their efforts did not stop there. Instead of promoting branded medicines that are usually prescribed by doctors, they chose to focus on selling generic medicines to help people understand that generic versions are equally effective as their branded counterparts. By adopting this model, SayaCare eliminates the role of middlemen, allowing them to offer medicines at prices up to eighty percent lower than the maximum retail price. 

Conclusion 

In the end, both online and local pharmacies play an important role in making medicines accessible to people, but trust and quality should always come first. While local pharmacies provide personal interaction and immediate access, they may not always guarantee the authenticity of medicines. On the other hand, e-pharmacies have made it possible to order medicines conveniently and often at lower prices, but even they face the challenge of counterfeit products. The only way to ensure safety is to choose platforms that maintain complete transparency and provide proof of testing, like SayaCare, which gives a verified test report for every medicine it sells. As consumers, it is our responsibility to remain informed, purchase only from reliable sources, and make sure that the medicines we use are both genuine and effective. Trust should not come from convenience alone but from clear evidence of quality and authenticity.