(First in a series)
CSIP and its partners continue to work to raise awareness among consumers about these dangers and to provide tools to help them identify safe and legitimate online pharmacies.
For consumers who purchase prescription drugs from illegitimate Internet sites, sometimes all it takes is completing a simple questionnaire. There are generally no examinations, lab tests, follow-ups, or medical records. Often the origin of the prescription drug is unknown, increasing the likelihood of consumers receiving counterfeit, tainted, and substandard pharmaceuticals. In addition, the potency and efficacy of the delivered product could vary wildly, with some pharmaceuticals containing no active ingredients at all.
Real unsuspecting people who purchase medications from rogue online pharmacies bear the brunt of these pharmacies’ unscrupulous practices. In an ongoing series, CSIP will highlight some of their stories.
Ryan Haight
Ryan Haight, a 17-year old high-school student from La Mesa, CA, often used his computer to chat online with friends, read emails, and play fantasy sports. On February 12, 2001, that all stopped when he died from an overdose of Vicodin, a prescription drug. His mother had no idea where he got the meds, until one of his friends and a DEA investigation of his computer confirmed that he purchased them online.
Ryan had ordered the drugs from a medical doctor he never saw, and an Internet pharmacist, who are both serving time in prison.
Mrs. Haight told Ryan’s story to the United States Senate, when the Ryan Haight Act was introduced by Senators Diane Feinstein and Norm Coleman. The Act requires internet pharmacy sites to display identifying information and to require a valid prescription.
Are you thinking of buying medicines online? One in five Americans has purchased prescription medication via the internet without a valid prescription, exposing themselves to dangerous substances that have caused serious illness and death. To be safe, before you buy, make sure your online health purchases are safe by using CSIP partner LegitScript’s pharmacy-checker tool.
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The Center for Safe Internet Pharmacies (CSIP) and our 13 member companies have the shared goal of helping address the growing problem of consumer access to illegitimate pharmaceutical products on the Internet. Continue to read this blog for updates on CSIP’s education, enforcement and information-sharing efforts.