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... ease of possible side effects that caused heavy vaginal bleeding and death. An anonymous purchase had been made on the OCL's behalf and the company responded sending out an abortion kit. The OCL was able to trace the site Easy Life Labs in Columbia, South America, but this company temporarily went off-line.
In March of 1997, the OCL was contacted once again that this same company was online again. The OCL notified the foreign Drug Company's U. S. Internet Service Provider (ISP) and told them that one of their subscribers was criminally violating the FD&C Act and the service voluntarily removed violative ads.
As cases like the above example have increased with the widespread incorporation of online pharmacies into the consumer world, the FDA has contacted several agencies and States and initiated the address of the concerns brought on by these sites. Several new programs have been introduced to verify legitimacy of Internet sites dispensing prescription drugs. One new program announced by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP), known as the Verification of Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites, or VIPPS, will provide a NABP "seal of approval" to sites meeting the organization's standards. The FDA also believes that by working with the States, that they will be able to regulate the domestic sale of both approved and unapproved drugs, as well as the sale of prescription drugs without a valid prescription thereby reducing health fraud.
The FDA has also drafted and devised an action plan concerning online pharmacies. The FDA has identified five major areas of focus pertaining to the regulation of online drug sales which are to: Customize and expand the agency's regulatory and criminal enforcement efforts: Identify when and with which Federal agencies FDA should partner in joint activities; Partner with State bodies to address domestic Internet sales; Provide input to congress regarding legislation. Although many actions have been taken to curb health fraud and unsafe conditions for consumers, the public still remains at extreme risk by purchasing drugs from online pharmacies. Consumers are still subjected to risks involving factors such as the illegal sales of drugs because it is difficult to regulate foreign sites, health fraud, and counterfeit drugs that may be used in place of the perceived drug thought to have been purchased.
Regulating foreign sites is one of the most difficult tasks yet to be accomplished by the FDA. Regulation is hard to control because the FDA and other federal organizations have limited jurisdiction concerning sellers of prescription drug sales from other countries. They are working closely with the post offices to try and stop illegal drugs from crossing state borders but finding these packages is a task in items. Health fraud allows consumers to fall prey to health gimmicks. These fraudulent health products manipulate consumers into spending billions of dollars a year. FDA shares federal oversight of health fraud products with the Federal Trade Commission.
But because of limited resources, say Joel Anderson, team leader for the nontraditional drug compliance team in FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, the agency's regulation on health fraud products is based on a priority system that depends on whether a fraudulent product posses a direct or indirect risk. The most extreme hazard that consumer's are exposed to with the purchase of prescription drugs online are those which deal with the threat that the drug which they purchased could be counterfeit or tampered with and cause harm or serious complications. As a guide to consumers when purchasing drugs online the FDA has issued tips and warnings for consumers to be aware of which include: Purchasing a medication from an illegal Website puts you at risk. You may receive a contaminated or counterfeit product, the wrong product, an incorrect dose, or no product at all. Taking an unsafe or inappropriate medication puts you at risk for dangerous drug interactions and other serious health consequences. Getting a prescription drug by filling out a questionnaire without seeing a doctor poses serious health risks.
A questionnaire does not provide sufficient information for a health-care professional to determine if that drug is for you or safe to use, if another treatment is more appropriate, or if you have an underlying medical condition where using that drug may be harmful. The American Medical Association has determined that this practice is generally substandard medical care. FDA agrees. The Internet generates a haven where numerous illegal transactions can be carried out with almost no detection by authorities. The development of online pharmacies, although seemingly bring advantages to patrons, ultimately creates an unprotected environment for consumers. While the FDA and other organizations take action to improve the out dated safety regulations for online pharmacy purchasing, these sites still pose threats to the public's health and safety.
Woodcock, M. D. , J. (1999). Testimony By Janet Woodcock, M. D.
FDA Magazine (online). 30 July 1999. web Henny, M. D. , J. (2000). Testimony By Jane E. Henny, M.
D. , FDA Magazine (online). 21 March 2000. web Writing HTML: Enforcement of Existing Laws Regarding the Sale of Prescription Pharmaceuticals Over the Internet (online). (1999). FDA Magazine (online). 15 December 1999. web Writing HTML: Online Pharmacies FAQS (online). (2000). FDA Magazine (online). 28 January 2000. web Kurt well, P. (1999).
How to Spot Health Fraud FDA Magazine (online). 15 October 1999. web fraud. html Writing HTML: Tips and Warnings For Buying Online (online). (2000) FDA Magazine (online). 6 March 2000. web warnings.
html Bibliography: Bibliography Woodcock, M. D. , J. (1999). Testimony By Janet Woodcock, M. D. FDA Magazine (online). 30 July 1999. web [Accessed 11 April 2000 ] Henny, M.
D. , J. (2000). Testimony By Jane E. Henny, M. D. , FDA Magazine (online). 21 March 2000. web [Accessed 11 April 2000 ] Writing HTML: Enforcement of Existing Laws Regarding the Sale of Prescription Pharmaceuticals Over the Internet (online). (1999). FDA Magazine (online). 15 December 1999.
web [Accessed 11 April 2000 ]
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