A common question from patients is regarding the purchase of "cheap" prescription medication (especially generics) from so-called "Canadian," or other overseas webistes.
It has been well-established that buying prescription medications over the internet is fraught with problems. For example, “generic” overseas finasteride pills are not FDA-approved. Federal law prohibits importing drugs that are not FDA-approved, regardless of whether there’s a foreign or domestic prescription. U.S. Customs officials may seize and destroy all non-approved drugs. The FDA has issued warnings regarding counterfeit and/or illegally-diverted medications from bogus websites that ‘appear’ legitimate. Most often, the problem with web-based pharmacies (if the medication is actually real) is that the potency, quality, storage of the drugs is drastically inferior to US standards. Here are just a few of the places for more info on this common issue…
http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/consumer/buyonline/guide.htm
http://www.fda.gov/oc/buyonline/faqs.html
http://www.healthatoz.com/atoz/healthupdate/alert02152000.html
http://www.fda.gov/oc/buyonline/default.htm
http://www.fda.gov/ora/compliance_ref/rpm_new2/ch9pers.html
http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2000/100_online.html
http://www.customs.gov/imp-exp2/ipr/stats/tcommod00.htm
http://www.customs.gov/travel/med.htm
http://www.customs.gov/impoexpo/inetrade.htm#restricted
http://www.customs.gov/impoexpo/tools/archives/vol1n02/phas.htm
http://www.customs.gov/impoexpo/tools/archives/vol1n03/presmed.htm
http://www.the-surfs-up.com/news/news1vs2.html
http://www.fda.gov/ola/2003/pharmsales0327.html
Probably the main concern I have as a physician is that patients may have difficulty evaluating the benefits of the medication if they are not being properly tracked and examined in a medical setting.
