Online Pharmacies: Dangerous Prescription?

(CBS)  Many of us get them every day: e-mails offering popular prescription drugs online at discount prices.

You may toss them into the spam file, but millions of Americans buy what they're selling - and could be putting themselves in danger, says Early Show medical contributor Dr. Mallika Marshall.

Why are so many people turning to the Internet for prescription drugs? More and more people are finding themselves without health insurance coverage, unable to afford the expensive drugs they need, and the Web appears to offer a cheaper alternative, Marshall explains.

But keep in mind, the Food and Drug Administration says, if you ask for generics, chances are you'll pay less at the drug store than you will if you order brand names online.

Then there are people who say they're too embarrassed or too busy to get to the doctor, and that buying online is easier and more private. But that creates another serious problem: People are looking to the Internet to diagnose their own illnesses, then searching for the recommended drugs online, leaving doctors completely out of the equation - a very dangerous practice.

There've been some truly terrible stories about the consequences of buying drugs from Web sites, Marshall points out. One man who was suffering from severe back pain received an e-mail offering Xanax and Ultam, two pain-killers. He took one of each tablet, suffered a heart attack and went into a coma. The tablets contained four times the usual starting dosage. A woman who decided she suffered from chronic fatigue syndrome bought steroids online, and ended up with severe cataracts, so severe they couldn't be removed. We're hearing more and more stories like this.

In some cases, the problem is the pills are either placebos, made of sugar with only a minimal amount of the drug in them. But some have been found to contain other substances that are dangerous, even potentially deadly. One offshore drugmaker was manufacturing Viagra tablets that were 85-percent cement. There are reports of Viagra that is actually made of vodka. Allergy medications were found to contain steroids, to suppress the symptoms. You just don't know what these counterfeit pills may be made of.

How can you tell the difference between a legit site and an unregulated, rogue one?

Most national drugstore chains, such as CVS or Walgreens, have their own Web sites, and they are completely legitimate, Marshall notes. Most Canadian sites are considered safe, as they are regulated by that government. But sites you become aware of from unsolicited, spam e-mails, could be operating offshore and be completely unregulated. Stay away from them.

ADVICE FROM MARSHALL FOR PEOPLE SHOPPING ONLINE FOR DRUGS

CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR

We can't say it strongly enough. Don't diagnose your own illness and prescribe your own care. See a doctor, and get a prescription.

AVOID SITES THAT DON'T INSIST ON A PRESCRIPTION

Many of those sites will ask for a doctor's name and nothing else. A recent study showed that only 11 percent of online pharmacy sites ask for a prescription. Most will send you the prescription drugs with no prescription. The site should ask for a prescription, should post its name and address, and have a licensed pharmacist you can speak to. If it doesn't, stay away.

ONLY USE LICENSED ONLINE PHARMACIES

To be sure it's licensed, you can check with the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy in your state. They license online pharmacies, and can tell you if the site you're looking at is safe.

AVOID SITES BASED IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES

There are sites based in places such as Belize, Thailand or China, and you don't know where the drugs are coming from, or whether they're counterfeit. That's where the danger lies, so you must be careful.

[bike13]

The most important advantage of online pharmacies is availability of generic drugs that are 5-6 times cheaper than the branded. Generic drugs are absolutely identical to expensive branded analogues. Check our drugstore http://www.thepharmacyone.com

[jacknancy]

Not all foreign pharmacies are dangerous. I get from Indian Online pharmacy named International Drug Mart ( http://www.internationaldrugmart.com/) They are into pharmaceutical business for more than a decade. Very reliable.

[csa25]

Whoops, I meant http://www.pharmnet.com

[csa25]

Sorry for the typo's. It's <a href="http://www.pharmnet.com">http://www.pharmnet.com</a>

[csa25]

Not all online pharmacies are from other contries, there are many right here in the USA. Besides the big chain drug stores, I found one that has grewat discounts on gene4ric and brand name drugs. I have been using PharmNet-Rx for 7 plus years and have nevewr had a problem with my prescriptions and have always receivewd very professional service. You can call them at 1-877-697-9638 or they also have a website at www.pharmnet.com that shows all their prices. They even take my Medicare Part D insurance and FSA spending card.

[csa25]

Whopps - I meant http://www.pharmnet.com -- sorry :-)

[rf35]

Beware of so-called "all-natural" products, especially those that claim to treat or cure something. "Natural" seems to have a pretty broad definition of late. Patented blends that are mostly caffeine and sugar with a bunch of presumptuously named plant extracts that are just the scientific names for weeds you can find in most lawns. The blend gets an officious sounding name or one that is remarkably close to a real product and sold to anyone gullible enough to shell out "just $29.95 (+ S&H).%u201D The warning label is longer than some books, but because it%u2019s %u201Call-natural,%u201D people don%u2019t bother and start popping the pills in blissful ignorance. If the pills actually do anything beyond a placebo effect, it%u2019s probably nothing good...just raises your blood pressure (hopefully temporarily). The drugs from your doctor aren%u2019t much better, they just admit to having carefully researched chemicals in them. That%u2019s not to say that if the research proved them deadly, they wouldn%u2019t still be aggressively marketed and sold. So what%u2019s a person to do? Live healthy, take only the drugs you absolutely must have, use remedies you make at home so at least you know what%u2019s going into them, and grow as much of your own food as possible. Then you can quit complaining about all those genetically modified crops or meat shot up with steroids and antibiotics and devote your energy to something more positive.

[rf35]

The thing that kills me about my doctor is that I can only be seen for one complaint at a time. Each separate problem requires a separate appointment. This started about a year ago. Before, I would make an appointment only after at least three things were wrong. Nowadays, I seldom bother with the doctor...I just self-diagnose and self-medicate with OTC stuff whenever possible. I only see the dr as a last resort.

[rf35]

fixhist: just buy a good spam filter program and you won''t get more e-mails. Be sure to unsubscribe from those you already get if they offer the option. This will require an initial time investment, but is well worth it.
Finally, set up a web-based e-mail account. Every time you are asked for your e-mail by a company you think/know will sell your address or otherwise use it for spam, give them that e-mail. Then just go in once a week and delete everything. Since I started doing this, 99% of the e-mail in my inbox is legitimate.

[hologram5]

Big Pharma companies are what is running this medical industry as well as lining the pockets of 99% of all politicians, why would they want to change that? too much money involved to make changes now.

[brainteaser2]

The idea is to find a reputable online pharmacy. Just like land based pharmacies there are good ones and bad ones. I have one that has an excellent customer department and has professionals available to answer questions. Like so much else on the internet you will find fraud.