All over the world, there are people who are crooked enough to cash in on other people’s misfortunes. Some of these people sell counterfeit medicines in online pharmacies. These drugs are usually are tainted, contains wrong ingredients, or have no active ingredients at all. Some manufacturers even repackage and sell expired drugs to pass them off as legitimate ones.
The most recent examples of these counterfeit drugs sold online are fake copies of anti-influenza drug Tamiflu and weight loss diet pill Alli. Fake Tamiflu has cloxacillin (an antibiotic in the same class as penicillin) instead of oseltamivir. Cloxacillin is very dangerous for patients who are allergic to the antibiotic penicillin. Meanwhile, counterfeit Alli can cause elevated blood pressure, strokes, and even heart attacks.
The most common side effects of these drugs are headaches, diarrhea, and fever. Some may also feel psychological side effects such as depression, dementia, and addiction. The worst that could happen is stroke, a heart attack, or even death because of these fake medicines.
Besides all these side effects, taking these fake drugs also has another negative effect on human health. For example, when doctors prescribe antibiotics to a patient, it comes with a specific amount that is needed to help the body fight the disease effectively. However, when one buys fake medication online and it does not contain the right amount, the bacteria will only be resistant to the drug.
The US Food and Drug Administration has been vigilant in fighting these fake medicines. The agency publishes on its website some of important information on how to stay away from a fake online drugstore. They even encourage consumers to report these rogue pharmacies to the agency to stop these online drugstores from selling the counterfeit drugs.
People who buy medication online should also thank the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy or NABP for keeping tabs on online pharmacies through their Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites or VIPPS-accreditation efforts.
The internet has been a great tool for selling and buying a lot of products, including medical drugs. However, consumers should be aware that there are rogue online pharmacies out there that do not care about people’s health and who only want to make a living by selling fake medications. Being aware is the only way to stop the rise of fake medication online. If consumers are careful, they can be assured that they are buying from a legitimate online pharmacy selling legitimate brand and generic medication.
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