There's been growing controversy about ordering medications online. With more and more people relying on prescription medications and prices, especially in the United States, so high, more and more of us are drawn to the emails we get and the ads we see for online pharmacies. I'm not talking about using your doctor's prescription to order from Canada. It's the online pharmacies that require no prior prescription that should be avoided, regardless of their enticing advertising.
Most of the time, medicines are sold directly to an authorized wholesaler who distributes them to your local pharmacy, doctor or hospital. In some cases, however, they can also move between middlemen or secondary wholesalers, opening holes in the U.S. "safety net" where drugs from other countries such as Mexico, China and India can enter without oversight.
A recent FDA/U.S. Customs investigation revealed that 88% of the imported pharmaceuticals examined contain unapproved drugs, many of which could be harmful. Experts offer the following tips to keep you and your family safe from counterfeit medicine:
- Make sure medication comes from a licensed U.S. pharmacy
- Examine packaging, labeling and product seals closely
- If medicine looks or tastes different, seems less effective or causes unusual side effects, contact your local doctor or pharmacist
To learn more about protecting yourself from counterfeit pharmaceuticals, and to see photos of seized counterfeit pharmaceuticals, click HERE.
Always put your health first and get your medications only with a prescription from your doctor. If your doctor isn't able to control your headaches or Migraine disease adequately, maybe it's, time to consider a new doctor, but don't put yourself at risk by buying medications that may be harmful counterfeits.
To view a short video on this topic click HERE. (Real Audio Player required for viewing.)
Resources:
Counterfeit Prescriptions. Newstream. November, 2003.
