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Buying Medicines and
Medical Products Online
Tips and Warnings for
Consumers
By FDA
How
can consumers tell which sites are legitimate ones with hundreds of
drug-dispensing Websites in business, 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 and the Food
and Drug Administration agrees.
Here
are some tips to buy health products online:
-
Check
with the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (www.nabp.net,
847- 698-6227) to determine whether a Website is a licensed pharmacy in good
standing.
-
Do
not 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.
-
Do
not 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 a U.S.
address and phone number to contact if there's a problem.
-
Do
not 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 U.S. 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 healthcare professional before using any medications for the first time.
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