Almost everyone has seen those commercials for cheaper medications by mail. You know of a medication delivery service via a pharmacy in town. Pharmaceutical companies ship medications directly too. So, why not order your medications and have them delivered? Well, it is a very good and convenient service, but you should know a few things about prescription medication delivery first.

1. Scheduled Drugs Cannot Be Delivered Directly to Your Home

The government assigns drugs to a "schedule," which is a level that denotes the dangers of taking that drug, or allowing others to take that drug by accident. Schedule II drugs require constant supervision by a medical doctor. Most people who take medications for depression or heart conditions are on these drugs.  If you have a Schedule I drug, you can order and receive that anywhere. Schedule II drugs are shipped to your doctor's office, where you can pick them up.There are also Schedule III and Schedule IV drugs, which are not allowed to be shipped anywhere because they are administered by a doctor only or they are potent and expensive injectables.

2. You Can Receive Medications Via Delivery Right from the Pharmacy

Pharmacies that offer deliveries for prescriptions do so because they have a license for it. They cannot ship the medications in the mail, but the can and will make personal deliveries. The medications are prepackaged in a sealed daily dose bubble format, which also makes it easier for patients to take and remember to take the medicine. Most drugs can be delivered via a pharmacy's delivery service.

3. The U.S. Postal Service Has Lots of Restrictions on Medication Shipping

The postal service always asks shippers if there is anything toxic, fragile, explosive, illegal, etc., being shipped in a package. Under penalty of law, the shipper has to respond truthfully. That means that if there are any medications that are not allowed passage via U.S. mail, the package will not be shipped. One such example is shipping medical marijuana, as it is a violation of federal law, and the post office is under the federal jurisdiction. If you are not sure if your medications can be shipped to you, check with your doctor and/or the post office.

4. Because Medications Are Going to a Medical Clinic, Your Clinic Can Accept Your Medication Order

When you order medications that cannot be shipped directly to you, you can ship them to your doctor's office. Because the medications are going directly to a doctor's clinic where the medications can be stored safely, your doctor can accept them and keep them until you pick them up. Your doctor can also monitor what you ordered and what you are taking.

For more information, contact a company like On Time Delivery.