Thinking of getting prescription drugs on-line to save time and funds? A word of caution: With counterfeit medicines on the rise, occasionally the best cost isn’t the ideal deal.

The FDA reports that some on the internet pharmacy websites are selling unknowing shoppers counterfeit pills. To date, the FDA has uncovered much more than 30 on the internet pharmacies selling counterfeit drugs. At least 4 of these web sites have been previously identified by FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations as being associated with the distribution of counterfeit generic versions of well-known brand name drugs.

The FDA is encouraging consumers to stay away from foreign and offshore pharmacies, especially those based in India, Mexico, and China. Typically these overseas pharmacies sell what they call generic versions of FDA-approved drugs, and claim their pharmacies are either FDA or WHO approved. Unsuspecting consumers may not be aware: The FDA does not approve pharmacies. It is up to individual states and nearby boards of pharmacy to approve or license drug stores.

An Net drug store can appear really sophisticated and legitimate, but actually be an illegal operation. Customers really should be especially suspicious if there is no way to get in touch with the on the web pharmacy by telephone, or if the advertised costs are dramatically lower than other competitors. Customers are urged to treat any drugs bought from overseas pharmacies or firms claiming to be FDA-approved as getting suspect.

According to the Globe Wellness Organization, counterfeiting poses “an huge public health challenge.” Just about every sort of drug has been counterfeited, from antihistamines and erectile dysfunction remedies to medicines developed to combat critical diseases, such as AIDS, malaria, and cancer. Numerous of the counterfeit drugs are produced by organized criminals in unsanitary conditions that would never pass FDA approval. These criminals make huge profits by avoiding overhead costs, quality manage and regulatory enforcement.

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Since January 2006, customs officials around the world have seized far more than 3 million counterfeit or suspected counterfeit tablets, in a lot more than 1,000 separate actions. In 2004 a woman with mild anemia died of liver failure right after taking a highly toxic counterfeit. An additional woman was fatally poisoned by fake drugs she received more than the Internet laced with deadly metals.

In February 2004 an overseas pharmacy based in India was caught selling counterfeit contraceptive patches which contained no active ingredients. The phony birth control patches had been being sold as Ortho Evra transdermal patches made by Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical, Inc.

In Might 2007, the FDA uncovered a ring of 24 on the web pharmacies selling fake Viagra, the erectile dysfunction therapy manufactured by Pfizer Inc. According an analysis conducted by Pfizer and submitted to the FDA, none of the capsules ordered off the internet sites contained sildenafil citrate, the active ingredient in authentic Viagra. An FDA analysis showed that other “prescription drugs” from the bogus pharmacy web sites contained only talc and starch.

The FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigation is working with the Department of Homeland Security’s Bureau of Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s (ICE) Cyber Crimes Center to combat counterfeiting and other illegal web drug sales. A warning by the FDA states, “Trafficking in counterfeit, unapproved adulterated, or misbranded products is a felony violation of the Federal Food Drug, and Cosmetic Act.” Buyers who are searching to buy prescription drugs more than the world wide web really should only acquire from websites bearing the Verified World wide web Pharmacy Practice Web sites (VIPPS) seal, showing that they comply with the National Boards of Pharmacy standards.

“The FDA will continue to do all it can to safeguard Americans from unsafe and counterfeit drugs bought from illegal foreign web sites,” said FDA Commissioner Mark B. McClellan. “This case highlights the critical risks posed by foreign drug operations that bypass FDA safeguards. Men and women are risking their health, in some instances their quite lives, by buying illegal internet drugs.”

Legitimate on the internet drug stores supply consumers health products with the benefits of convenience, privacy, and less costly costs. Even with the benefits afforded by on the web pharmacies, buyers should be wary of the risk of counterfeit drugs. You might throw your dollars away on ineffective pills, or even worse, you could be harmed by taking drugs that are not what they pretend to be.

Here are some internet web sites providing guidelines and suggestions for purchasing prescription drugs on-line:

The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy gives a list of Verified World wide web Pharmacy Practice Web sites (VIPPS). The NABP was established in 1904 to help state licensing boards in developing, implementing, and enforcing uniform standards for the pharmacy business.

The FDA has more data about counterfeit drugs at http://www.fda.gov/oc/initiatives/counterfeit/qa.html

Shoppers can support in the fight against counterfeiting and illegal internet drug sales by reporting any suspected counterfeit drugs at http://www.fda.gov/oc/buyonline/buyonlineform.htm or by calling 1-800-332-1088.

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