Are Online Pharmacies Safe?
Buying generic drugs online may be more convenient than going to the local drugstore but it can be dangerous for uninformed consumers searching for “bargain” products.
This warning comes from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) that has uncovered many bogus Internet sites engaged in hawking questionable products with outrageous and unapproved health claims. Over 800 sites and numerous Usenet newsgroups containing questionable promotions have been identified by these agencies.
Market research firm Cyber Dialogue Inc. said health concerns are the sixth most common reason people go online. This explains why more and more people surf the web for cheap generic versions or other substitutes for their expensive prescription drugs.
Buying drugs from online pharmacies offers convenience, privacy, the ease of going from one site to another to get the best prices as well as access to a variety of products and product information not always available in traditional pharmacies.
“But consumers must be wary of others who are using the Internet as an outlet for products or practices that are already illegal in the offline world. These so-called ‘rogue sites’ either sell unapproved products, or if they deal in approved ones, often sidestep established procedures meant to protect consumers,” according to John Henkel, a member of the FDA’s website management staff.
Without a doctor’s supervision, these rogue sites expose unwary patients to dangerous drug interactions and harm from contaminated, counterfeit or outdated drugs. Some online pharmacies based in foreign countries promise to deliver generic versions of prescription drugs at a much cheaper price than their domestic cost, but the drugs may be different from those approved here or may be past their expiration dates.
Although generic drugs are required by law in the United States to meet the same standards of safety, efficacy and purity as brand name drugs, those sold over the Internet by questionable manufacturers may fall short in terms of bioequivalence – the ability of their active ingredients to work in the same way and in the same amount of time as the brand name drugs. This poses a serious threat to patients suffering from serious diseases who may be lulled into a false sense of security offered by fake or substandard generic drugs.
One big market for fake drugs is obesity as consumers will do anything to lose weight. To be on the safe side, buy only from reputable dealers or manufacturers.
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