HOSPITAL POLICY REGARDING PRESCRIPTIONS
FOR 1-800-PETMEDS®, INTERNET WAREHOUSES,
AND HUMAN PHARMACIES
To our valued clients,
Our hospital currently does not authorize fax or phone prescriptions to 1-800-PetMeds® or other pharmaceutical warehouses for prescription products. We have thoughtfully chosen this policy for the following reasons:
- Novartis, Zoetis, Bayer, Merial, Merck and other veterinary drug companies have informed the veterinary community that they do not sell their products to these warehouses nor do they sell the majority of their veterinary products to human pharmacies such as Target, Walgreen’s or Costco. Since they cannot be sure of the origin and handling of these medications, veterinary drug companies will not honor product guarantees on veterinary medications purchased from Internet warehouses or human pharmacies. They will only guarantee medications that are dispensed by licensed veterinarians.
- Some of these companies fail to employ licensed pharmacists or veterinarians trained in drug storage, handling, or pharmacology. Instead, they are simply large warehouses staffed with customer service personnel. Therefore, there are no trained professionals to discuss side effects, adverse reactions, or appropriate medication selection and administration. Unfortunately, this appears to be true even in our trusted human pharmacies such as Target, Walmart, and Walgreen’s.
- Federal and state regulatory agencies have taken legal action against some of these companies for fraud, illegal distribution of drugs, and selling misbranded products.
By authorizing a phone or fax prescription at one of these Internet warehouses or human pharmacies, we are responsible for the products that you receive. For the reasons discussed above, we cannot support products that are obtained from these companies.
We have made an effort to make the cost of our medications comparable to these companies so that we can help you provide the best care for your pets at a reasonable cost. If you still choose to purchase medications through an Internet warehouse or a human pharmacy, we will provide you with a written prescription for the product. We cannot and do not, however, warrant or guarantee, in any respect, products that you do not receive from us. Please note that this policy does not apply to prescriptions for generic human medications that are prescribed for your pet by your veterinarian through a reputable human pharmacy.
We have carefully constructed this policy because we believe in education of our clients and the best medicine and care for our patients. If you have any specific questions, we would be happy to discuss them with you. More information is also available at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website at http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates under Purchasing Pet Drugs Online.
Sincerely,
The Doctors and Staff at St. Francis Animal Hospital