Laws surrounding U.S. citizens purchasing medicines from India or elsewhere can be confusing. Many laws are in place to protect consumers' health and safety, but it is often unclear when it is appropriate for U.S. citizens to import prescription medication for their own use.

While the American Food and Drug Administration can be very strict about drug distribution from other countries, no American has ever been prosecuted for purchasing drugs from a foreign country for their personal use. This is because the FDA is less stringent about these types of cases.

Although individual citizens importing drugs by mail or in person is technically illegal, the FDA outlines several occasions where the law may not be enforced. For example, if a drug is not approved in the U.S. but it is approved in another country and is needed for a serious condition, it is unlikely that the FDA will take action. Additionally, the person purchasing the drug must be the person who will use it and must agree not to sell it to anyone else. Finally, if the prescription is for no more than a 90-day supply for one person, this is less of an issue.

The one piece of legal information that it is imperative for online pharmacies to understand is that they must require a prescription for all orders. The purchaser must have a relationship with the doctor who writes the prescription and have that doctor's signature on the prescription slip. In addition, prescriptions can only be written for 90-day supplies or less.

By keeping your orders to 90-day supplies and ensuring that all customers have a prescription, both you and your customers can feel secure and protected.