You have the option
Our clients always have the option of having a prescription filled at an Internet pharmacy. However, because some Internet pharmacies have dubious business practices, we will need a direct request from you with the name of the Internet Pharmacy and what prescription drugs your pet needs. In order to process a prescription the law requires that a veterinarian must have seen your pet within the past 6 months. Depending on the patient’s medical condition and medication prescribed, this time frame may be shorter.
If the Internet pharmacy is a safe and ethical provider of pharmacy drugs we will ask you to give them our contact information. They will fax the request to us for approval and then theorder can be filled and shipped to you. This process is a little involved, and involves acharge from us, but there are other important reasons why we feel that an Internet Pharmacy is not always the best choice for our clients and patients.
If the internet pharmacy does not require a prescription from us for a schedule 4 (or above) drug, this is illegal and we highly recommend that you do not become involved in such a transaction.
If you need a prescription refilled at any time, a phone call to our office will have it readyfor you to pick up within a short time frame, or if you prefer we can drop your prescription in the mail.
Our pharmacy is a vital and integral part of our practice. It provides our clients and their pets with the latest technology, convenience, and the right medications – all at a competitive price. Revenue from our pharmacy allows us to purchase the latest equipment and pay for our caring, dedicated staff of professionals.
Why our hospital pharmacy is your best choice
Price – Internet Pharmacies are not always the cheapest source for medication. Our price for most items is typically, less than most Internet Pharmacies would charge. In addition, some medications are temperature sensitive and require next day of 2nd day air delivery,which adds to the cost. Prescriptions sometimes need a signature on delivery, so you needbe home to receive the shipment. According to a news story by Channel 5 news, WCVB Boston, “In all but one case the medication purchased from the veterinarian was less expensive” than the Internet Pharmacy.
Rebates – Our veterinary practice also passes on manufacturers’ promotions and/or rebates and these frequently result in greater savings. These rebates are not usually available from online stores or catalogues.
Convenience – Using an Internet pharmacy means a delay in getting your medication. It typically takes 1-2 days for the online pharmacy to contact us and process the prescription, then there’s a 2-5 day shipping time.
Safety – Any prescription medication purchased from our hospital has been inspected and approved by the APVMA and manufactures and packaged according to government regulations. Medications purchased online may have been purchased outside Australia and have different strengths and labeling than Australian products. Sometimes you can tell by checking the label.
It is far too easy to break the cold chain for temperature sensitive products when a postal/courier service is used and this may render the product ineffective.
Guarantee – Pharmaceutical manufacturers will only honor product guarantees when the medications are prescribed by and purchased from the pets’ veterinarian. Internet and mail order catalogues, do not qualify for these guarantees.
Insurance –If you have pet health insurance you may be reimbursed on medications when purchased from a legal online pharmacy. You will be required to provide a copy of your veterinarian’s prescription order and a copy of the Internet pharmacy’s invoice. When you purchase a prescription from our hospital there is no additional paperwork. Your hospital office call along with any prescription is all itemized on one invoice for easy submission to your insurance company.
Education – Every week representatives from companies like Bayer, Pfizer, Novartis, Merial, and others visit our office. These representatives have access to the latest data and research, and are a valuable source of up to the minute information. In addition, our staffregularly attends veterinary conferences and reads the latest veterinary medical journals and research papers. We stay up to date on the latest disease trends in our region and stayabreast of recent advances in veterinary medicine. However, our first source of information about products and treatment protocols are the pharmaceutical representatives. Because we offer a full service dispensing pharmacy on site, these folks make a point of visiting our hospital frequently.
We want you to know
While most online pharmacies are trustworthy, some have questionable ethics and even some of the top pharmacies have been fined in several American states. You are always welcome to call our office to discuss any questions you may have with veterinary online pharmacies.
Please review our requirements for working with a Pet Internet Pharmacy along with the important benefits our pharmacy offers to you and your pet.Keeping your pet healthy and happy is important. From routine, to advanced optimal care, our veterinary practice is proud to offer the very best in veterinary medicine.