Illegal pharmacies selling prescription drugs on the internet are increasing every year. These sellers usually operate out of another country; rarely require a prescription and often sell drugs that are illegal in the U.S. Buying prescription drugs from an illegal online pharmacy can be dangerous because the quality and ingredients are unknown.

If you are addicted to prescription drugs and purchase them illegally online, get help from a treatment center listed on Recoverycorps.org.

Why Are They A Problem?
Buying drugs from illegal pharmacies poses a number of risks that include but are not limited to the following:

  • Counterfeit drugs
  • Adulterated drugs
  • Mislabeled drugs
  • Adulterated drugs
  • Contaminated drugs

Many are also are made in underground labs with suspect raw materials.

How Big Is the Problem?
Eighty-thousand “portal” sites sell ads for these prescription drugs linking to 1,400 “anchor” sites that sell drugs through illegal pharmacies.

According to the US National Association of Boards of Pharmacies, counterfeit drug sales account for about $75 billion in sales worldwide. One to two percent of North American drugs are counterfeit.Illegal Online Pharmacy

In 2008, a group in Utah was charged with the distribution of prescription medications from Mexico through Internet pharmacy businesses. They sold more than 11 million pills from 2001 to 2008. Many including Ritalin, Xanax and Phentermine were sold without a prescription or evaluation.

In 2007, another group (three physicians; two pharmacists and one pharmacy operator; an administrator and manager; two recruiters of physicians and pharmacies; a credit card processor; and eight affiliate website operators) was charged with operating an illegal online pharmacy that processed 1 million orders in 50 states generating $126 million.

Pharmaceuticals by the Numbers
“According to research funded by the Alliance for Save Online Pharmacies and released by The Partnership at DrugFree.org, illegal online pharmacies have sold drugs to 36 million Americans.”

The National Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) found that 96% of the 7,000+ websites they reviewed were in violation of state, federal and/or NABP patient safety and pharmacy standards. And 84% did not require a valid prescription.

New Scams
According to a January 7, 2011 U.S. Food and Drug Administration press release:

“The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning the public about criminals posing as FDA special agents and other law enforcement personnel as part of a continued international extortion scam. The criminals call the victims -- who in most cases previously purchased drugs over the Internet or via "telepharmacies" -- and identify themselves as FDA special agents or other law enforcement officials. The criminals inform the victims that purchasing drugs over the Internet or the telephone is illegal, and that law enforcement action will be pursued unless a fine or fee ranging from $100 to $250,000 is paid. Victims often also have fraudulent transactions placed against their credit cards.

"The criminals always request the money be sent by wire transfer to a designated location, usually in the Dominican Republic. If victims refuse to send money, they are often threatened with a search of their property, arrest, deportation, physical harm and/or incarceration.”

What is the Law for Foreign Pharmacies?
According to the U.S Food and Drug Administration, “It is illegal for anyone, including a foreign pharmacy, to ship prescription drugs that are not approved by FDA into the U.S. even though the drug may be legal to sell in that pharmacy's country.
“Prescription drugs available from a foreign pharmacy that are products that FDA has not approved; products with similar, but not identical formulations as FDA-approved products; products not made under the quality standards required by U.S. law or labeled according to U.S. requirements; or products not stored or distributed under the quality conditions required in the U.S. cannot be legally sold in the U.S.”

How to Tell If an Online Pharmacy Is Legit?

  • Require a prescription from a licensed doctor by phone, email or mail. If by fax, they’ll call the doctor to verify.
  • Require you to submit a detailed medical history.
  • Clearly state their privacy, payment and shipping policies.
  • Use secure connections for transactions.
  • They’re a licensed pharmacy and in good standing with the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy.
  • The site should have a pharmacist available to answer questions by phone or email.

What’s Being Done?
The following states have take some action against physicians prescribing online: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Michigan, Kansas, Nevada, New Jersey, Ohio, Texas, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

Google, Microsoft and other large online companies are setting up a non-profit organization to target illegal online pharmacies, according to the White House Office of Management and Budget. The group will help combat the illegal internet drug trade by serving as Internet “choke points".

Sources:
http://www.drugstorenews.com/article/companies-band-together-end-illegal-online-pharmacies
http://www.safeonlinerx.com/
http://www.fda.gov/ICECI/CriminalInvestigations/ucm239309.htm
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2007/August/07_crm_576.html
http://www.heraldextra.com