ZenCat
05-23-2008, 02:54 PM
Most manufacturers of pet medications (including Heartworm and Flea/Tick Preventives) will only guarantee their products (i.e. reimburse for treatment if their product fails when used as directed) if they are purchased directly from your veterinarian, not from online vendors.
If, with this knowledge, you choose to purchase these products from vendors other than your veterinarian, please be aware that both the FDA and EPA have standing warnings about counterfeit pet products being sold around the country.
Do some research first. Try an online search of the name of the vendor you are considering and include some keywords, for example, search "PUPPYMEDS-R-US* fines violations unregistered" and have a look through the returns you get to make sure they're not under investigation and have a reputable history.
Here are some more tips to choose a safe vendor from the FDA:
Tips for Buying Pet Drugs Online
Order from a Web site that belongs to a VIPPS-accredited pharmacy. VIPPS—the Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites—is a voluntary certification program of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP). NABP gives the VIPPS seal to online pharmacies that comply with stringent licensing and inspection requirements. Only pharmacies that sell human drugs are VIPPS-certified at this time, but sometimes veterinarians will prescribe human drugs to pets when there is no animal drug approved for the pet's illness. Check with NABP at www.nabp.net to find out if a pharmacy is VIPPS-accredited.
Order from an outsourced prescription management service that your veterinarian uses. These state-licensed Internet pharmacy services work directly with the veterinarian, require that a prescription be written by the veterinarian, and support the veterinarian-client-patient relationship. Ask your veterinary hospital if it uses an Internet pharmacy service.
For More Information
Veterinary NSAIDs
www.fda.gov/cvm/nsaids.htm
Buying Medicines and Medical Products Online
www.fda.gov/buyonline
Date Posted: December 14, 2007
http://www.fda.gov/consumer/updates/...1407.html#tips
*PETMEDS-R-US is a fictional vendor name I made up for the purpose of instruction in this thread. Any relation to real persons, companies, etc. etc. is unintentional.
If, with this knowledge, you choose to purchase these products from vendors other than your veterinarian, please be aware that both the FDA and EPA have standing warnings about counterfeit pet products being sold around the country.
Do some research first. Try an online search of the name of the vendor you are considering and include some keywords, for example, search "PUPPYMEDS-R-US* fines violations unregistered" and have a look through the returns you get to make sure they're not under investigation and have a reputable history.
Here are some more tips to choose a safe vendor from the FDA:
Tips for Buying Pet Drugs Online
Order from a Web site that belongs to a VIPPS-accredited pharmacy. VIPPS—the Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites—is a voluntary certification program of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP). NABP gives the VIPPS seal to online pharmacies that comply with stringent licensing and inspection requirements. Only pharmacies that sell human drugs are VIPPS-certified at this time, but sometimes veterinarians will prescribe human drugs to pets when there is no animal drug approved for the pet's illness. Check with NABP at www.nabp.net to find out if a pharmacy is VIPPS-accredited.
Order from an outsourced prescription management service that your veterinarian uses. These state-licensed Internet pharmacy services work directly with the veterinarian, require that a prescription be written by the veterinarian, and support the veterinarian-client-patient relationship. Ask your veterinary hospital if it uses an Internet pharmacy service.
For More Information
Veterinary NSAIDs
www.fda.gov/cvm/nsaids.htm
Buying Medicines and Medical Products Online
www.fda.gov/buyonline
Date Posted: December 14, 2007
http://www.fda.gov/consumer/updates/...1407.html#tips
*PETMEDS-R-US is a fictional vendor name I made up for the purpose of instruction in this thread. Any relation to real persons, companies, etc. etc. is unintentional.