In the dark days of the last century, you would get in your car and drive down to the local pharmacy to have your prescription filled. There was often no choice about the price (except for take it or leave it). Those who had full insurance were sanguine. Everyone else made sacrifices and coped as best they could.

With the rise of the internet has come the online pharmacy. The first and most obvious change is that you can now get almost every possible drug in the world without having to produce a prescription. The way it works is really simple. The online pharmacist has a batch of questions about your medical history to make sure you do not have any of the conditions or disorders that might make it dangerous for you to take the medication. Then come the questions about any other drugs you are taking. Some combinations can have really unpleasant results. It is obviously in your best interests to give honest answers. No matter how great you think your need is, it is not worth your health to take a medication when it may harm you. The online pharmacists have the same ethical standards as those in the real world.

But then comes the question of price. Well, here is the latest innovation. When you come on to the site, the system checks your ISP address and sees where your service provider is located. If you are actually living in a different state, you should adjust the choice in the pull-down menu. The system will display the number of pharmacies that will list their prices.