The Food and Drug Administration cannot warn people enough about the possible dangers of buying medications online. Some Web sites sell medicine, such as prescription and over-the-counter drugs, that may not be safe to use and could put people’s health at risk. The current system of federal and state safeguards for protecting consumers from using inappropriate or unsafe drugs has generally served the country well. But FDA says that the best way consumers can protect themselves is to become educated about safe online shopping.

Buying such prescription and over-the-counter drugs online from a company you don’t know means you may not know exactly what you’re getting.

While many Web sites are operating legally and offering convenience, privacy, and the safeguards of traditional procedures for dispensing drugs, consumers must be wary of “rogue Web sites” that aren’t operating within the law. A Web site can look very sophisticated and legitimate but actually be an illegal operation.

These sites often sell unapproved drugs, or if they market approved drugs, they often sidestep required practices meant to protect consumers. Some Web sites sell counterfeit drugs. Although counterfeit drugs may look exactly like real FDA-approved drugs, they are not legitimate and are of unknown quality and safety. If you’re considering buying medicine over the Internet, look for Web sites with practices that protect you. If there is no way to contact the Web site pharmacy by phone, if prices are dramatically lower than the competition, or if no prescription from your doctor is required, you should be especially wary.

Safe Web sites should

 
• Be located in the United States.  
• Be licensed by the state board of pharmacy where the Web site is operating.  
• Have a licensed pharmacist available to answer your questions.  
• Require a prescription from your doctor or other health care professional who is licensed to prescribe medicines.  
• Provide contact information and allow you to talk to a person if you have problems or questions.

Unsafe Web sites

 
• Typically don’t know your medical history or the details about your current illness or condition.  
• Send you drugs with unknown quality or origin.  
• Could give you the wrong medicine or another dangerous product for your illness.  
• May sell prescription drugs even without a prescription—this is against the law!  
• May not protect your personal information.

KNOW YOUR MEDICINES

Before you get any new medicine for the first time, talk to your doctor about any special steps you need to take to fill your prescription. In addition

 
• Any time you get a prescription refilled, check the physical appearance: color, texture, and shape of the drug. Even if all of these characteristics appear to be okay, there may be a problem if the medication doesn’t taste like it has in the past.  
• Pay special attention to altered or unsealed containers or changes in product packaging.  
• Alert your pharmacist, or whoever is providing treatment, if you notice any differences or anything unusual about the product packaging.  
• Make sure that you only use drugs that have been prescribed by your health care provider who is licensed in the United States to prescribe medications.

Be aware that some medicines sold online

 
• Are too old, too strong or too weak.  
• Aren’t FDA-approved.  
• Aren’t made using safe standards.  
• Aren’t safe to use with other medicines or products.  
• Aren’t labeled, stored, or shipped correctly.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration
http://www.fda.gov