Better Business Bureau warns consumers to be extremely careful when considering the purchase of prescription medication from online pharmacies.
While there are some reputable Internet pharmacies, there are many imposters and sites that sell medication of questionable quality.
The Internet is teeming with offers for prescription medication at discounts from 10 to 20 percent. Aside from fake pharmacy websites that may put unauthorized charges on a consumer’s credit card, some of these sources sell brand name prescription drugs that are from outside the country, counterfeit, pharmacologically-inactive or the wrong dosage.
Unlike medication manufactured in the United States, prescription medicines from other countries are not subject to the same scrutiny, nor provide the same assurance of safety and efficacy, source and purity as manufacturers that are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
There is a significant risk associated with online pharmacies, according to an FDA study, which found that 85 percent of medication supposedly shipped from Canadian online pharmacies, actually came from manufacturers in two dozen different countries. Many of the products intercepted were counterfeit.
Patients with serious medical conditions may end up with worthless, adulterated or substitute medications, which could translate into a trip to the emergency room or worse.
Connecticut BBB recommends consumers watch out for several red flags before buying prescription medication from an online pharmacy:
No prescription required – No legitimate pharmacy will fill an order without a prescription. No medication should be taken without the patient first being examined by an MD.
Drugs not approved by the FDA – These can include “experimental” medications, which are either counterfeit or have potentially lethal side effects because they did not go through clinical trials.
Offers for prescription medicine offered in SPAM email – Consumers should be proactive and choose goods and services suppliers rather than respond to unsolicited email offers. These often lead to scam sites which may download malware onto your computer or put unauthorized charges on your credit card.
Sites that do not provide contact U.S. contact information – It is essential to verify contact information in case of a problem or emergency.
Before purchasing medication from an online source, check the company’s name or web address at www.legitscript.com, which is a verification service operated by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy.
To check out a business, selected a BBB Accredited Business, file a complaint or find additional consumer tips, visit bbb.org.
It’s important to help Americans stay clear of rogue pharmacy sites but equally important to help them afford their medication. This blog post wrongly suggests that only U.S. online pharmacies are safe and all others are not. It is also wrong about the discounts found online; they are much greater than 10-20%, often approaching 90%. Here are the facts;
If you’re looking for the best price on prescription drugs, your best bet depends on what kind of medicine you’re ordering. For generic medication, U.S. pharmacies, either online or down the street, are your best bet. Coupons and discount programs may help, too. For brand name medication, however, you may want to turn to online pharmacies, including those not based in the U.S. Your savings could be as much as 80% for the same exact medicine purchased in your neighborhood. Buying your medication from other countries is usually, according to the FDA, technically illegal, but the FDA affirms that its enforcement actions are dedicated to wholesale not personal drug importation (small orders for personal use only) and over 99% of orders are received.
There are many rogue, dangerous pharmacy sites out there so you use caution. Reputable international online pharmacies will have the PharmacyChecker.com Seal on their website. Make sure you click the seal to validate its authenticity by confirming that the seal profile is hosted by our website. You can also compare prices at http://www.pharmacychecker.com.
Good luck finding the best price!
PharmacyChecker.com Support Team
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A study published by the National Bureau of Economic Research found that verified foreign online pharmacies were just as safe as those verified by NABP or LegitScript.com.The study also reports the findings confirm the FDA warning against rogue websites but suggest “that a blanket warning against foreign websites may deny consumers substantial savings” from verified foreign pharmacies.
According to FDA data, 80% of active pharmaceutical ingredients are imported, and 40% of finished products are imported.
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