It is now several years that the online pharmacies have obtained authorization to operate in Italy and their number has progressively increased. At the end of the 2023, the final data communicated by the Ministry of Health showed that they were well 1.452 active exercises (to be precise 1.096 pharmacies and 356 parapharmacies).
From a technical point of view, pharmacies and parapharmacies operate with the same methods as a common e-commerce: they receive online orders and ship them to the customer's home via post or courier in a relatively short time.
It is worth pointing out that in our country online pharmacies can only operate if they have a specific authorization and if they are connected to a physical pharmacy located on the national territory.
Generally, Italian online pharmacies do not only sell drugs, but also a whole range of products related to the health and wellness sector, as can be seen for example on the nocepharm.it website, where you can order not only medicines, but also electromedical devices, herbal products, phytotherapeutic products, cosmetics, food supplements, etc.
Since the reality of online pharmacies is increasingly present on the national territory, let's try to understand how these digital shops operate and what drugs can be purchased.
How do you recognize an authorized online pharmacy?
It is essential to be sure that an online pharmacy has been properly authorized by the Ministry of HealthThe check is quite simple: you have to check for the presence of a logo defined by the EU Commission, that is, an image on which four horizontal stripes are visible (one grey and three in different shades of green), a white cross on the four stripes and a white band at the bottom which is a flag and a message inviting you to click to Check the legality of the site.
By clicking on the logo you will be redirected to a page of the Ministry of Health portal where all the information relating to the pharmacy in question is present.
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What medicines can you buy from an online pharmacy?
Unlike physical pharmacies, online ones they can't sell any medicine. In fact, a user will be able to order online only those medicines for which a medical prescription is not required, that is, the so-called self-medication drugs.
This last term indicates two categories of medicines: OTC drugs (Over The Counter) ei SOP drugs (Without Prescription Requirement).
These are essentially those self-medication medicines indicated for treat temporary and minor ailments such as headache, toothache, gastric problems, etc. For example, it is not possible to buy an antibiotic based on amoxicillin and clavulanic acid since it is a product that requires the presentation of a medical prescription.
It is worth pointing out that pharmacies usually impose a certain limit on the number of packages of purchasable drugs; the purpose of this limitation is to avoid inappropriate use of medicines.
The purchasing procedure
La purchase procedure in an online pharmacy is essentially identical to that of any other digital store. Usually it is also possible open an account, which speeds up the purchasing process.
Returning to the procedure: you select the various products, add them to the cart, choose the payment method and finalize the purchase.
Within 24-72 working hours, the ordered products will be delivered to your home. Usually, online pharmacies eliminate shipping costs if the order has an amount above a certain amount.
Comments (1)
It is important that online pharmacies are licensed, but it is not always easy to find clear information. Many users may not know how to verify the legality of a site and this can create confusion and problems.