The month of October is also known as the “Talk About Prescription Month,” according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In a recent email to consumers and patients, FDA reminded the public about resources the agency has to ensure that individuals receive safe medicines.
Back in June of this year, FDA took swift action to protect consumers from dangerous medicines sold by illegal online pharmacies. Specifically, the agency took action against more than 9,600 websites that illegally sell potentially dangerous, unapproved prescription medicines to consumers. These actions include the issuance of regulatory warnings, and seizure of offending websites and $41,104,386 worth of illegal medicines worldwide.
The action occurred as part of the 6th annual International Internet Week of Action (IIWA), a global cooperative effort to combat the online sale and distribution of potentially counterfeit and illegal medical products. As part of this year’s international effort – Operation Pangea VI – the FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations, in coordination with the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado, seized and shut down 1,677 illegal pharmacy websites. The effort ran from June 18 to June 25, 2013. In 2012, FDA shut down over 4,100 Internet pharmacies.
The FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations Cybercrime Investigations Unit banner is now displayed on seized websites to help consumers identify them as illegal. Here are some examples:
- http://www.canadianhealthandcaremall.com/
- http://www.walgreens-store.com
- http://www.c-v-s-pharmacy.com
FDA is committed to protecting consumers from unlicensed “fake” online pharmacies and has developed BeSafeRx: Know Your Online Pharmacy to help. FDA told patients and consumers to visit the BeSafeRx Web site and watch a short video featuring FDA’s Health Fraud Coordinator Gary Coody explaining how to avoid unsafe online pharmacies.
Illegal online pharmacies are unlicensed and often allow patients or consumers to
- buy drugs without a prescription,
- offer discounts or cheap prices that seem too good to be true, and
- send unsolicited email or other spam offering medicines.
Products purchased from these pharmacies could be counterfeit, expired, or may contain ingredients that can harm you.
BeSafeRx: Know Your Online Pharmacy is designed to help identify fake online pharmacies, the risks of purchasing from them, and how to find one that’s safe and legal. FDA launched this campaign in late September 2012.
In addition to the “how to” video, BeSafeRx
provides other helpful tools such as an interactive map for finding licensed sites where you can safely buy medicine, fact sheets, digital toolkits, a patient discussion guide, and other materials. FDA also has a frequently asked questions (FAQ) page with useful information for patients and consumers, as well as a consumer alert.
FDA reminds patients that they should only buy prescription medicine through online pharmacies that:
- require a valid prescription from a doctor or other health care professional;
- are located in the United States (here’s a list and interactive map from FDA);
- have a licensed pharmacist available for consultation; and
- are licensed by the patient’s state board of pharmacy.