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FDA campaign aims to protect consumers from risks of fake online pharmacies
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The FDA recently launched a national campaign to raise public awareness about the prevalence of fraudulent Internet pharmacies and to help consumers make safe purchases.
BeSafeRx — Know Your Online Pharmacy provides resources for patients and caregivers who might purchase medication online to better understand who they are buying from and that the medication purchased matches what is prescribed by their physician.
Nearly one in four Internet consumers has purchased prescription medication online, according to a FDA survey. At the same time, nearly 30% of consumers reporting a lack of confidence about how to make safe online purchases. The risk of purchasing from a rogue seller is high; the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy reports that less than 3% of online pharmacies meet state and federal laws, according to a press release.
Patients who buy medicines from these websites may be putting their health at risk because the products may contain the wrong ingredients, contain too little or too much or no active ingredient at all, or be made with other harmful ingredients.
The FDA developed BeSafeRx campaign materials for patients and caregivers, other federal agencies, and nonprofit and private organizations to use for their own educational efforts. The campaign reminds patients, physicians and their caregivers that patients should only purchase prescription medicine through online pharmacies that require a valid prescription from a health care professional; are located in the United States; have a licensed pharmacist available for consultation; and are licensed by the patient’s state board of pharmacy.
The BeSafeRx campaign resources can be found at fda.gov/besaferx.