Health:
Buying medication online
With hundreds of drug-dispensing Websites in business, how can consumers
tell which sites are legitimate ones, especially when it is very easy
to set up a site that is very professional looking and promises deep
discounts or a minimum of hassles?
If you buy medical products online, be aware of the following dangers:
• Purchasing a medication from an illegal Website puts you at risk.
You may receive a contaminated or counterfeit product, the wrong product,
an incorrect dose, or no product at all.
• Taking an unsafe or inappropriate medication puts you at risk
for dangerous drug interactions and other serious health consequences.
• Getting a prescription drug by filling out a questionnaire without
seeing a doctor poses serious health risks. A questionnaire does not
provide sufficient information for a health-care professional to determine
if that drug is for you or safe to use, if another treatment is more
appropriate, or if you have an underlying medical condition where using
that drug may be harmful. The American Medical Association has determined
that this practice is generally substandard medical care. FDA agrees.
Tips to consumers:
• Don't buy from sites that offer to prescribe a prescription drug
for the first time without a physical exam, sell a prescription drug
without a prescription, or sell drugs not approved by FDA.
• Don't do business with sites that have no access to a registered
pharmacist to answer questions.
• Avoid sites that do not identify with whom you are dealing and
do not provide an address and phone number to contact if there's a problem.
• Don't purchase from foreign Websites at this time because generally
it will be illegal to import the drugs bought from these sites, the
risks are greater, and there is very little the government can
do if you get ripped off.
• Beware of sites that advertise a "new cure" for a serious
disorder or a quick cure-all for a wide range of ailments.
• Be careful of sites that use impressive-sounding terminology
to disguise a lack of good science or those that claim the government,
the medical profession, or research scientists have conspired to suppress
a product.
• Steer clear of sites that include undocumented case histories
claiming "amazing" results.
• Talk to your health-care professional before using any medications
for the first time.
