Purchasing medications online is convenient for some people, but others may consider purchasing medications online simply because they’re too embarrassed to purchase the drug from a public pharmacy. The reasons that a consumer may opt for the purchase of medications online are varied. But whatever his or her reason, the consumer needs to be wary.
Unsafe Medications Online
Individuals who order medications and supplements online are subject to fraud. One has to be very careful of ordering supplements online. Although many websites provide assurances of FDA approval, validation is not a certainty.
Cheaper Medications
Some websites include nutritional supplements and muscle supplements as part of their selection of “cheap medications.” The company will claim to have generic medications that are FDA approved and therefore safe, effective and less expensive. Is their claim true?
What are Generic Medications?
Medications have three names, a multisyllabic chemical name that basically only chemists use, a generic name which is a simplification of the chemical name, and a trade name. The system is similar to generic brands of a product in a grocery store.
For example, a store may have several different brands of coffee – Maxwell House, Folgers, Starbucks, and the list continues, but each different brand is labeled as coffee. Coffee is the generic name, and the generic brand of coffee is cheaper than the name brands.
Generic Name and Trade Name Drugs
The same principle can be used to explain the difference between generic drugs and trade name drugs. According to Richard Lehne, author of Pharmacology for Nursing Care, “it is reasonable to conclude that all FDA-approved generic products are therapeutically equivalent to their brand-name counterparts” (page 23).
Lehne goes on to say that “The only concern with generic formulations is the rate and extent of their absorption – all products, generic or brand name, contain the same amount of the same drug (page 23).” Only a few medications have a narrow enough margin between under-dosing and overdosing (such as warfarin, a blood thinner) to justify sole use of trade name brands.
Online Medications Not Reliable
So the rationale behind the websites providing “cheap medications” is sound; generic medications are equivalent to name brand medications but less expensive. However, the FDA is the entity that ensures that the generic brand is effective.
If the drugs are not approved by the FDA, they may not be safe or effective. Medications, drugs, or supplements that are purchased from online sources may not be genuine generic brands.
FDA Approval of Drugs and Supplements
How can one determine the potency or safety of medication or supplements purchased from an online source? The answer is that one can only take precautions. Caveat emptor – let the buyer beware! Websites offering medications and supplements online at low prices are numerous, and some of them are not valid. The site may supply fake medications that are useless or toxic.
Not only should one be cautious about providing personal information and credit card numbers to such online medication distributors, one should be very apprehensive about the ingestion of products that are received from such companies.
Purchasing Medications and Supplements Online
The FDA list some tips for safely purchasing medications online:
- Check the website for a VIPPS ((Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Site) seal.
- Don’t purchase medications from sites that sell prescription drugs to individuals without a prescription (some sites promise consultation with a doctor or pharmacist; this is not the same as a prescription).
- Don’t purchase any medications that are not approved by the FDA.
- Verify that the website is registered with the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy before purchasing any medications, drugs, or supplements.
- Consult with a doctor or other qualified healthcare provider before taking a medication for the first time.
- “Use sites that have a pharmacist to answer your questions online. Only buy from sites based in the U.S. It's against the law to buy prescription drugs from other countries. It could also be unsafe” (FDA).
Safe Medications and Dietary Supplements
For those who are considering purchasing drugs, medications, or nutritional supplements online, go to the FDA website, do some research, and use caution. Online medications may be more than ineffective, they may be deadly. The consumer who purchases these products is in pursuit of health and happiness, but a reckless purchase can lead to tragedy. Caveat emptor.
Suggested Reading:
Griffin, M. Beyond the Pharmacy: Online and Mail Order Prescription Drugs. WebMD
References:
Dietary Supplements. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. FDA.gov
Lehne, R. Pharmacology for Nursing Care. New York, N.Y.: W.B. Saunders. 2001.
Weise, E. "FDA Lacks Authority over Supplements." USA Today. 3 March 2009.
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