Hazards of Buying Prescription Drugs Online

Posted on April 29, 2008

Many people are choosing to buy prescription drugs online, but unless they are very careful, this can be a risky undertaking. Drugs bought over the internet can be fake, substandard in potency, unapproved by the FDA, counterfeit, or just plain dangerous.

For example some people who ordered tranquilizers, such as Ambien (zolpidem tartrate), Xanax (alprazolam), Lexapro (escitalopram oxalate) and Ativan (lorazepam), actually received a product that may have contained haloperidol, a powerful antipsychotic used to treat schizophrenia.

Some of these people needed emergency medical treatment for difficulty breathing and muscle spasms. Haloperidol can also cause agitation and sedation.

If patients are concerned that the tranquilizers they ordered may contain haloperidol, they can see photographs of the affected tablets above, and packages at the "Additional Information" link below. If the product resembles these photos, consumers should not take the drug.

There has also been some concern lately about people buying Accutane over the Internet. Accutane can cause severe birth defects if taken by a pregnant woman.

There is a special risk management program where women of childbearing age taking Accutane must register and undergo periodic pregnancy testing. But buying the drug over the Internet can circumvent all these precautions, and babies may be at risk.

So, now when a person searches the Internet for Accutane or its generic equivalents, a link to an FDA web page that warns about this problem will appear.

If buying medicines over the Internet, make sure the site is reputable. The site should be licensed by a State Board of Pharmacy, and have a registered pharmacist on hand to answer questions. Some sites display a so-called “VIPPS® seal” (Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites™ Seal), which shows that they meet State and federal rules. And if the site does not require a prescription, it may not be legitimate.

Additional Information:

FDA MedWatch Safety Alert. Unsafe, Misrepresented Drugs Purchased Over the Internet: Ambien (zolpidem tartrate) , Xanax (alprazolam), Lexapro (escitalopram oxalate), and Ativan (lorazepam). February 16, 2007.
http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2007/safety07.htm#internet

FDA Website. Haloperidol Photos. February 16, 2007.
http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/news/photos/haloperidol.html

FDA MedWatch Safety Alert. Accutane (isotretinoin). March 28, 2007.
http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2007/safety07.htm#Accutane

FDA Website. FDA Warning: Risks of buying Accutane (isotretinoin) over the Internet. March 28, 2007.
http://www.fda.gov/buyonline/accutane/

FDA. Buying Medicines and Medical Products Online.
http://www.fda.gov/buyonline/

National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites™ (VIPPS®). January 2, 2007.
http://vipps.nabp.net/verify.asp