It’s not unusual today for many people to forego paying for private health insurance in the aftermath of losing their jobs and insurance benefits. Unfortunately, many people are also turning to online or out-of-country pharmacies to fill their prescription medications. If you have bought, or considered buying, the medication that you need from a discount pharmacy, there are several things that you need to be made aware of:
1.Counterfeits are Rampant
If you find your prescription medication for an unbelievable price, trust in your gut when it tells you that the deal is too good to be true. Counterfeit medication is running rampant throughout the world. As the counterfeit medication business booms, counterfeiters are becoming more adept at making drugs look almost exactly like their authentic counterparts. Some of the most popularly prescribed medication can be found in fake versions that can be difficult for the typical patient to discern.
2.Unregulated Sites
When you purchase prescription medication from your pharmacist, you can be sure that it is produced in a regulated facility under sanitary conditions. According to Pfizer, counterfeit medications are a very serious issue when it comes to patient safety; these fake pharmaceuticals are manufactured in unsanitary, unregulated facilities. In fact, some of these counterfeit substances have been found to contain pesticides and other toxic chemicals. You never know what you’re putting in your body when you swallow one of these counterfeit pills.
3.No Therapeutic Benefit
If you’re doctor has prescribed medication, it’s because the contents of the capsule will provide therapeutic benefit. When you take counterfeit medication, you will receive little to none of the benefits of the actual medication. Not only will you find a lack of therapeutic benefits, but you may make your condition worse, or develop other conditions thanks to the substances contained in the counterfeit drug.
4.Identity Theft
If you conduct an Internet search for “online pharmacy” or “Canadian pharmacy”, you will receive pages and pages of results in return. Click on any of the sites and it will be incredibly difficult for you to tell that the site is fake. You may also not realize that the site could be based anywhere in the world. In fact, Pfizer Global Security has located counterfeit copies of their medications in more than 104 countries across the globe. 55 countries call themselves home to fake pharmacies. But what does this mean to you? It means that not only are you playing Russian roulette with your health, you are putting yourself at very real risk for identity theft should you decide to complete a transaction.
5.What to Look For
The good news is that not all online pharmacies are fake. Before you purchase medication online, visit SpotFakeMeds to educate yourself about counterfeit medication. You should also look for sites that are VIPPS, or Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites, certified. You can find a listing of each VIPPS certified site on www.AWARERx.org. Whether you’re immobile, looking for a cheaper alternative or just like to shop online, visiting these sites and conducting a fair amount of research can help you lean what you should be looking for.
We can all agree that some prescription medications are ridiculously expensive. The cost of medication coupled with the loss of health insurance for millions of Americans has caused the counterfeit pharmaceutical industry to boom. While you may think that you can’t afford your medication, can you afford to take risks with your health? If you can’t afford your prescription medications, speak with your pharmacist who may be able to give you legitimate options.
Nick Ryan writes for several health sites and uses https://www.edrugstore.md when researching his articles. You can find information on the dangers of counterfeit medications at these sites.
