Is it possible to buy the pill online, risk-free?
Buying the pill online has many advantages. Even so, a lot of people are scared to take the plunge. We are always hearing arguments against doing so, whether or not there are laws, rules and precautions in place. Our teams are here to set the point straight on buying your contraceptive pill online: here is our opinion on the benefits and risks.
Buying your contraceptive pill and renewing your prescription can be such a hassle!
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Buying your pill is a nightmare in itself. You have to make an appointment with the doctor (which means remembering to do so soon enough), and then you need to be lucky enough to get an appointment, rush over at lunchtime or after work, then go to the pharmacy and wait in line with everyone else at 7pm after work.
This is what thousands of French women do every day in order to renew their prescription; that precious document that allows them to buy the pill and protect them from unwanted pregnancies. However, this often does not go to plan.
Many women forget that they are nearing the end of their contraceptive packet and suddenly realise not only that they are short of pills, but also that their prescription is no longer valid. If this happens at night or on the weekend, it might make you so stressed that it interferes with your weekend plans.
Keeping track of your stock of pill packets is not an easy thing to do. Even organised women will testify to how difficult it is to keep track.
There are numerous reasons you might forget about your pill prescription: busy lives, tight schedules, lack of time, more important things to do; these are all reasons why renewing your pill might just end up on the “to do” list.
Despite all the excuses, it’s true that renewing your pill is a hassle. Who hasn’t asked at some point in their lives “why can’t I just go straight to the pharmacy without going to the doctor first?”
You might even have thought “why can’t I just order my pill online as well as renew my out of date prescription?” Well, ladies, this is now possible.
Can I buy my pill online? Yes, you can!
Today, the law requires that the pill is sold based on a valid prescription for 6 months to a year. You might think that this leaves ample time to renew your prescription, but by the end of a year’s prescription it’s hard to remember that it needs redoing, let alone what date.
To overcome these quarterly, bi-annual or annual inconveniences, some online pharmacies not only allow you to renew your pill once you have finished a packet, but also let you renew the prescription, too.
It is legal to buy your hormonal contraception online…provided that you have a prescription!
In some European countries, the law authorises pharmacists and nurses to renew birth control pills for a maximum period of 6 months. This law was strengthened in July 2012 by a decree which states that prescriptions that have been outdated for less than 1 year may be extended 6 months by the pharmacist.
The latter may therefore still prescribe your pill beyond the validity for 6 months.
However, they can only prescribe a limited number of pills and the prescription must have been delivered. To reinforce this system, the July 2013 decree also authorised licensed online pharmacies to sell drugs.
Thanks to this new system, some online pharmacies allow you to buy your contraceptive pill online. You simply send your request along with an account of your history and a medical questionnaire that you must complete. The pharmacists and doctors will then verify your order.
Other online pharmacies are also able to issue you a prescription if your previous one has an expiration date of over a year. The doctors take a look at your questionnaire and based on its results and your outdated prescription, they will issue you a new prescription for the same pill or a similar one.
However, this procedure only applies to women who have already used oral contraception before, and not to those who are wanting to try the pill for the first time. Prescribing the pill for the first time has to be up to your doctor or gynaecologist.
It is completely legal and safe to buy your pill online through licensed pharmaceutical platforms. This is thanks to the new public health policy that aims to make access to contraception easier and limit the number of unwanted pregnancies and their resulting abortions.
The benefits of buying your contraceptive pill online
Many online pharmacies also have a physical store as well, but some are specialised online drug retailers. This means the end of that obstacle course to get a prescription, the long wait at the doctor’s and the queues at the pharmacy: the pill can be delivered to you quickly and simply.
There are numerous other benefits from buying the pill online other than saving time and effort. Women who want to be discrete will also like this method, as the prescription is delivered by post anonymously. Those who like a follow-up will appreciate that online pharmacies do not just deliver the pill, but they are also available afterwards for you to contact and ask any questions you might have about your prescription (assuming that it is a qualified online pharmacy).
But be careful when choosing your online pharmacy!
There are other platforms that want to offer you this service that isn’t pharmacies. Especially beware of sites that allow you to purchase the pill without a prescription. Stay clear of these.
These sites are dangerous and illegal.
It is mostly dangerous because the very nature and authenticity of prescribed birth control pills can be suspicious. They are often counterfeits, contain inactive substances, or are even filled with harmful ingredients. You cannot guarantee their contraceptive effectiveness and you are, quite simply, not protected. This is also completely illegal. As the law clearly states, you need a prescription to buy the pill.
The reason for this is simple. Because the pill can have various side effects it is not suitable for every woman. This is why you must undergo a medical examination beforehand in order to ensure your safety.
Therefore the prescription certifies that you are eligible to take a hormonal contraceptive pill that has been chosen especially for you.
So be careful of websites that claim to be pharmacies but that allow you to get hold of the contraceptive pill far too easily; that is to say without a questionnaire, doctor or prescription.
Buying your pill online is a backup solution that gives you time to renew your prescription and have over a year’s break before you need to go to the doctor again.
We remind you, however, that it is necessary to visit your doctor regularly for check-ups and other assessments.
How do I buy the pill online safely and securely? Our opinion.
After studying every option that it is available to you, we advise you to go through euroClinix to purchase your oral hormonal contraceptive treatment.
It is completely safe to buy your pill online through this site, which is certified and approved by the EU. They are registered with the Pharmaceutical General Council which allows them to safely sell drugs on the net, including their doctors, consultants and pharmacists.
So, for example, you can buy Dianette or order Yasmin online and have it delivered to your house within 24 hours (after you have obtained a free, valid prescription online from a certified doctor).
Medical review on March 10, 2017 by Dr. Davis Taylor
