Is it safe to buy medicines online?

Bengaluru

Need medicines after pharmacy hours? Delivery apps offer late night doorstep delivery of medicines and online consultations - but what’s the catch? Ordering medicines through mobile delivery apps is becoming increasingly popular, with many consumers opting for online medical consultations and home delivery instead of visiting a doctor and purchasing medicines from a pharmacy. The convenience of selecting medicines online and having them delivered to any location has driven this shift in consumer behaviour.

While these platforms promise speed and convenience, medical experts caution that relying on online consultations and purchasing medicines through delivery apps may carry significant risk. “There is a standard protocol in medical practice we follow while diagnosing a patient. We begin by reviewing the patient’s medical history, followed by a physical examination. “We then assess the results of investigations such as blood tests or other diagnostic tests before arriving at a diagnosis.

In online consultations, however, the crucial steps of physical examination and diagnostic investigations are often missing, which can compromise the accuracy of the diagnosis”, said Dr Krithika Ganesh, Consultant in Family Medicine, Bengaluru. Dr Ganesh explained that while patients can provide their medical history during an online consultation, relying on history alone is often insufficient for an accurate diagnosis, particularly when the patient’s identity cannot be verified.

 Schedule H drugs She also expressed concern over the online sale of Schedule H prescription drugs. While the sale of certain over-the-counter medicines through online platforms may be acceptable, she said the easy availability of prescription medicines without adequate medical evaluation raises serious concerns. “Online consultations were useful during the COVID-19 lockdown when in-person visits were difficult. But continuing to rely on them for all cases, especially when Schedule H drugs are involved, needs to be approached with caution.

We need to ask whether it is truly benefiting patients or whether it could be dangerous”, she said. Protecting your sight Dr. Sushmitha Sriganesh, Cornea, Phaco & Refractive Surgeon, Nethradhama Super Speciality Eye Hospital, said that buying eye drops through delivery apps may seem convenient, but it can pose significant risks. “These platforms are designed for convenience rather than medical safety. They often do not adequately verify prescriptions, and online consultations cannot accurately assess a patient’s specific eye condition”, she said.

According to Dr Sri Ganesh, easy access to eye medications encourages self-medication, which can lead to serious complications. “A red eye, for instance, could be caused by an allergy, a viral infection or even a foreign body. Using antibiotic eye drops without a proper diagnosis may not only fail to treat the condition but could also worsen it”, she explained. She added that using the wrong dosage can damage the delicate surface of the eye or leave the underlying condition untreated.

Eye drops can also interact with existing medical conditions, medications or even other eye drops, leading to unexpected side effects or reduced effectiveness. Dr Sriganesh also warned against the indiscriminate purchase of antibiotic eye drops online, saying misuse contributes to the growing global problem of antibiotic resistance, where bacteria become resistant to medicines intended to eliminate them. She stressed that eye diseases cannot be accurately diagnosed through a smartphone camera or based solely on a patient’s description of symptoms.

“A comprehensive eye examination requires specialised instruments to measure eye fluid pressure, examine the retina and detect subtle signs of disease. Many conditions appear similar on a screen but require entirely different treatments”, she said, adding that an in-person consultation is essential, particularly when a new eye problem develops.