New York ? People using Internet-based pharmacies to buy medication and beauty products can put their health and physical well-being at stake.

That’s why the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, a licensing agency in Mount Prospect, Ill., has developed the Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites program, or VIPPS, to assure consumers that they are dealing with licensed pharmacies. Pharmacies whose Web sites bear the VIPPS seal have certified compliance with board standards for storing medication, quality control and protecting patient confidentiality.

“As consumers continue to turn to the Internet for access to hard-to-find medications such as Tamiflu, or for better prices on drugs not covered by insurance or Medicare, they need to be extra vigilant to ensure they aren’t receiving counterfeit, improperly stored, diluted or otherwise tainted medication,” said Matthew Stepka, vice president of online pharmacy drugstore.com.