Online Drugs Are A Health Risk, Officials Warn

[Guest guest]

Online

Drugs Are A Health Risk, Officials Warn

(The

New York Times News Service) -- Many consumers believe they are beating the

system when they order prescription drugs from unregulated online pharmacies,

but authorities say they may be risking their health.

That's why consumers are encouraged to

purchase drugs online from reputable Internet sites such as Eckerd, CVS, Familymeds and Walgreens, which

have brick-and-mortar stores, as well as online vendors drugstore.com and Medco Health Solutions. They are among the 14 Web sites

certified by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, which helps

state licensing boards develop and implement uniform standards.

The certified pharmacies are part of the

Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites program, implemented in 1999.

They follow stringent criteria and have

checks and balances in place. They require a doctor's prescription to be

mailed or faxed, and they contact the patient's doctor, health care provider

or both to verify the order.

That is what sets them apart from

uncertified Web sites, which usually promise fast, discreet service.

" Unfortunately, it is difficult for

some people to distinguish between legitimate operators and online drug

diverters, " said Winckler of the American

Pharmacists Association.

Authorities say consumers should avoid

online sites that require completing only a questionnaire that will

supposedly be reviewed by a licensed doctor.

Drugs from what federal agencies regard as

renegade Web sites might be knockoffs of brand-name drugs. They might be

counterfeit or contain ingredients not found in the patented drug, and they

might be stronger or weaker than the original.

Authorities say you are at even higher risk

if the prescription medication is coming from an international source because

the composition of these drugs is even more suspect.

There are several ways to determine the

origin of prescription drugs. It is obvious when a Web site is named OffshorePharmacy.

The time needed to fill the order and the

lack of any patient requirements are other warning signs.

When the " Star-Telegram " ordered

the anxiety drug Xanax on the Web site

www.treatment-online.net, an e-mail said that the order would take 10 to 21

days to fill and would arrive by " international airmail. "

The Web site did not require a

questionnaire.

Still, authorities are having difficulty

persuading consumers not to accept drugs from foreign markets, even though

the Food and Drug Administration says such imports are illegal. And that includes

drugs from Canada and Mexico.

Some cities and states are defying the FDA

and have launched a prescription drug revolution. Leading the way is Springfield, Mass., which is allowing city workers and retirees to order

prescription drugs from Canada for significant savings.

Springfield Mayor Albano struck a deal with a Canadian wholesaler, which

not only eased the financial burden of health care for the workers but also

helped Albano deal with a city budget deficit.

Last week, Boston and New Hampshire announced they would allow residents to follow Springfield's lead. The FDA indicated Tuesday that it would

actively seek to have the cities reverse their positions.

Other countries can offer huge discounts

because they have price controls on U.S. drugs. In the United States, the sky's the limit.

Web site operators from foreign countries

sell drugs to U.S. consumers or make them available to online pharmacy

operators in the United States, which can discount them. This is also illegal,

according to federal law.

Pfizer, which makes Viagra, says the

prohibitive cost of developing drugs is the reason U.S. consumers pay higher prices.

" Research and development is not a

cheap process and carries a lot of risk, " said Haskins, director

of communications for Pfizer. " It costs $800 million to get a product on

the market. And a lot of them don't pan out. "

Americans are not commiserating with drug

makers. But Tom McGinnis, the director of pharmacy affairs for the FDA,

cautioned that even prescription drugs from Canada may carry risks.

" Some drugs made for the Canadian

market are different than for the U.S., " he said. " We still worry about Canada. "

Tim Gorski, an Arlington, Texas, physician, said one of his patients recently showed

him birth control pills she purchased in Mexico. It was a familiar brand name, he said, but it did not

have the company's typical packaging and address.

" Who knows what's in it? " he said.

Consumers who deal with unregulated online

pharmacies will receive enticements to order refills. E-mail reminders

arrived at the " Star-Telegram " less than a month after its orders

were received.

One identified the " Star-Telegram "

as a preferred customer, entitled to deeper discounts.

There is one more thing to keep in mind if

you are ordering drugs from these Web sites to be discreet: Your privacy

really isn't protected, as promised.

The " Star-Telegram " received a

phone call from a customer service representative for OnlinePharmacy.com who

asked: " How's that Prozac working out for you? "

Copyright 2003 The New

York Times News Service. All rights reserved.

Much

Love,

Deanna

LUPUS

Serenity Prayer...

Lord, grant me the

serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things

I can, and the wisdom to hide the bodies of doctors I shot when they said,

You're perfectly healthy, it's all in your head "