Question about prescription...

[Mississippi_RN]

I don't know that this is the correct forum to post this in...but I suppose it will do. I have a question regarding the legality of something.

You hear all about those websites that you can get prescription medicine through. I'm not talking about the pharmacies from Canada or Mexico that they were talking about people getting sugar pills from...but a pharmacy from in the USA (where, I suppose, you have just as much of a chance of getting sugar pills... ). Well, I, as well as my director, two other nursing directors, and the DON (come to find out later) went through this website where you complete a health questionnaire, it is sent to a AMA Board Certified physician...and they write you a prescription for the medication (in our case Adipex for weight loss). Then, the prescription is forwarded to a pharmacy where you are able to purchase the medication. The medicine is not ALL that much cheaper than in a regular pharmacy. You don't get a copy of the paper prescription, however, the medicine bottle has a pharmacy name, address, phone number, name of med, strength, "take as directed" directions, and the doctor's name. It ALSO comes with a handout (just like from the real pharmacy) telling you all about the Side Effects, possible Adverse Reactions, what to stop taking med for, things to report to Dr etc papers. Everything is EXACTLY the same as getting it from a personal Dr...except you never have to physically lay eyes on the Dr... (or pay for the office visit).

My questions is this: I am have searched and searched and searched ALL over the internet trying to find something that lays my mind at ease that this is legal. I do NOT want to do anything illegal and risk loosing my license. I am worried that, if I am drug tested, I know the Adipex with show up as Amphetamines...I want to know if me showing the prescription bottle will be sufficient evidence to support me not being a drug abuser. I take this medicine AS directed...IF not less. However, if it will risk me loosing my license in any way...I would stop in a heartbeat. I didn't know all the other directors and even the DON did this until my director and I were talking one day and she told me. They ordered it from the DON's house. That eased my mind SOME...but not much. "the higher they are, the farther they fall"

Also, when I went to my DR for the first time as a new visit...I even listed the Adipex on my home med list and I told her how I got it. She didn't have a problem with it. I'm not trying to hide it in the least.

I just wanted to get all of your opinions/help with this matter.

Thanks,

MS RN

[elkpark]

While no one here at allnurses can give you specific legal advice, I will share that I recall there were a couple of these on-line prescription businesses operating out of my state a few years ago, and, when the state pharmacy and medical boards found out, they promptly shut down the businesses and the physicians involved lost their licenses. I remember reading about it in the papers at the time. It was definitely illegal in my state (to operate the business and for a physician to practice in that manner -- I have no idea about the legal status of people using such a service). The standards and regulations vary somewhat from state to state, but I think a lot of these companies are either using loopholes within state law, or just haven't come to the attention of the state regulatory systems yet.