Before You Buy, Verify Resources

Help spread the word about the importance of buying prescription medication from legitimate, accredited pharmacies and pharmacy websites. Check out these resources to learn more about how to #BuySafely: social media posts, flyers, newsletter article, and presentation.

Sample Social Media Posts

Buy Safely Online

Twitter: Just because a website looks professional or legitimate doesn’t mean it is! Check whether a website is accredited with @NABPforPatients‘ #BuySafely search tool. And read these tips for spotting a risky online pharmacy. #SafePharmacy https://safe.pharmacy/buy-safely/

Facebook: Just because a website looks professional or legitimate doesn’t mean it is! @NABPforPatients‘ search tool can help you #BuySafely from an accredited online pharmacy and avoid rogue websites. Read more about protecting yourself and loved ones. #SafePharmacy https://safe.pharmacy/buy-safely/

Twitter: When it comes to medicine, do you know if you #BuySafely? Use @NABPforPatients‘ search tool to learn whether a website is a #SafePharmacy and share it with your loved ones. https://safe.pharmacy/buy-safely/

Facebook: Make sure the website where you get medicine is a #SafePharmacy. @NABPforPatients‘ search tool makes it easy: Just type in a URL to learn whether it is safe or Not Recommended. Share with your loved ones so they can #BuySafely, too! https://safe.pharmacy/buy-safely/

Twitter: @SafePharmacy is committed to protecting public health. That includes educating patients about the dangers of illegal online pharmacies. When surveyed, only 5% of consumers were aware of tools available to find safe online pharmacies. Share the Safe Site Search Tool with your loved ones today. https://safe.pharmacy/buy-safely/ #SafePharmacy #VerifyBeforeYouBuy

Facebook: Did you know that 95% of illegal online pharmacies fail to meet patient safety standards? @SafePharmacy is committed to protecting public health. Share the #SafePharmacy search tool with your loved ones and #VerifyBeforeYouBuy. https://safe.pharmacy/buy-safely/

Instagram: There have been more than 40,000 online pharmacies discovered that are out of compliance with patient safety and practice standards. Share the @NABPforPatients Safe Site Search Tool with your loved ones today and #VerifyBeforeYouBuy. https://safe.pharmacy/buy-safely/ #SafePharmacy

Fake Meds From Social Media

Twitter: Criminals are taking to social media to sell dangerous medications, targeting young adults and adolescents. Read @NABPforPatients‘ tips for buying medicine safely online and share with your loved ones. #SafePharmacy #BuySafely https://safe.pharmacy/buy-safely/

Facebook: Reaching young adults where they spend most of their time, criminals are flooding social media with dangerous medicine ads. Read @NABPforPatients‘ tips for buying medicine safely online and share with your loved ones. #SafePharmacy #BuySafely https://safe.pharmacy/buy-safely/

PSA Promo

Twitter: Charlie wanted back pain relief when he bought a Percocet on social media. Instead, it was a #fentanyl-laced pill, 50x stronger than heroin. Watch his story @SongforCharlie and learn why it’s important to use a #SafePharmacy #BuySafely https://youtu.be/mBLGTtRc6PU

Facebook: Charlie just wanted relief from back pain when he bought what he thought was a Percocet on social media. Sadly, the pill was laced with deadly #fentanyl, 50 times stronger than heroin and one of millions that have infiltrated each state, causing numerous deaths. Watch his story @SongforCharlie and learn why it’s so important to use a #SafePharmacy to buy medicine. #BuySafely https://youtu.be/mBLGTtRc6PU

Twitter: The day Charlie died, he took a single pill that he bought on social media, wanting to relieve back pain. But the pill was fake. Now his parents warn others about self-medicating and using unlicensed pharmacies. #SafePharmacy #BuySafely @SongforCharlie https://youtu.be/mBLGTtRc6PU

Facebook: The day that Charlie died, he took a single pill that he had bought through social media. He was hoping to alleviate back pain before a job interview. But the pill was fake. Now his parents are warning others about self-medicating and the dangers of buying medicine from unlicensed pharmacies. Watch their story @SongforCharlie. #SafePharmacy #BuySafely https://youtu.be/mBLGTtRc6PU

Sample Flyers

Share these flyers with others to learn how to use NABP’s Safe Site Search Tool when buying medication online. Plus, find ways to help spot a legitimate website. Before you buy, read how you can verify.

• Full Page Flyer (English)
• Full Page Flyer (Spanish)
• Half Page Flyer (English)
• Half Page Flyer (Spanish)

Sample Newsletter Article

Buying Medicine Online Can Be Risky, But NABP Helps You Do It Right 

Buying medicine online is so easy, right? You just browse, click, and it’s delivered to your door. The truth is not so simple. 

Of the websites reviewed by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP), nearly 95% of them operate illegally. Some may pose risks, such as 

• selling products that contain fillers like rat poison, dry wall, or even deadly fentanyl, 
• providing bogus medication that fails to treat your medical condition, or 
• stealing personal information and exposing you to fraud and identity theft. 

But the good news is that you can protect yourself and your loved ones from these online predators. Empower yourself with information from safe.pharmacy, a website from NABP that provides medication-safety resources to patients.   

The website features a Safe Site Search Tool that instantly reveals whether a website is safe or Not Recommended. Safe websites that have been accredited through NABP’s Healthcare Merchant Accreditation program will display as “Verified.” Sites that operate out of compliance with NABP patient safety and pharmacy practice standards, or applicable law, will display as “Not Recommended.” 

Safe.pharmacy is also packed with tips on: 

• Spotting the signs of a rogue website:  
  • Safe sites will always hold proper licensure and require a valid prescription. 
• How your pharmacist can share tips for getting the most out of your medications:  
  • They can evaluate your medication list for possible interactions. 
• Where to properly dispose of unused medications:  
  • Many communities have year-round disposal boxes. 

Plus, the website explains the dangers facing young adults on social media, who are often the target of ads for falsified, fentanyl-laced pills. 

Buying medicine online can be easy AND safe, as long as it’s done right. Safe.pharmacy gives families the tools they need to protect themselves. Because medicine should heal, not harm. 

Sample Presentation

This short PowerPoint presentation explains the risks of buying medicine online and the resources that NABP offers to help do it safely. Show it to colleagues and others to help raise awareness in your community.