Posted At 10 NBC
BY : Matthew Rothschild
There are hundreds of on-line website offering cheap prescription medicine but buyer beware. I-Team 10 conducted a six-month investigation and found the drugs you may be ordering could make you sick.
There are many legitimate web sites that offer consumers prescription drugs with the benefits of convenience, privacy and sometimes-cheaper prices but as we found out the internet has also created a marketplace for unapproved, illegal medicine.
We wanted to know what people were buying and from who.
So we logged on. The results of our six-month investigation may shock you.
You see the on-line ads pop up all the time: save money on cheap prescription drugs. We wanted to know who was selling these discount prescriptions and do you really get what you pay for.
We enlisted the help of Webster resident Charlie Bell. He ordered five of his prescription medicines from some of the lowest priced websites he could find. "When you're selling fake stuff the price is there they just want to grab the money."
The web sites only asked Charlie for his credit card. It took six weeks for the medicine to be shipped back to Webster. The packages arrived poorly wrapped with just a receipt inside. They were from India and Chile. There were no instructions or pharmacy warnings and the label was in a foreign language.
We then showed our prescriptions to Park Ridge Hospital physician Dr. Philip Bonanni.
He says red flags also went up when he saw the packaging. Attached to the diabetes medicine. was a vile of laticain, which was not ordered there was no explanation?
"This is also used intravenously to correct heart rhythms but what's it doing in this box?)
The first thing I would say is they sent is the wrong drug."
I-Team 10 then attempted to get the five prescriptions tested, and analyzed for authenticity. Pfizer, the maker of Norvasc and Biagra, welcomed our requests and tested the drugs. Pfizer not only tested the drugs but also agreed to share their results in person.
I-Team 10 traveled to company headquarters in New York City. "They are selling an array of junk that frankly I would be afraid to put in my system," said John Theriault, vice president of global security for Pfizer. The former FBI head has been hired by the drug company giant to crack down on illegal internet pharmacies. He has people working all over the world to try and shut down these illegal companies.
"A lot of what you see on the internet is bait and switch. We've seen generic drugs that are not approved for sale in the US, counterfeit products."
India doesn't recognize U.S. pharmaceutical patents spawning a thriving industry in knock-off drugs.
Chile, Russia, and Germany are also in the counterfeit pharmaceutical business.
As for our results: the Norvasc, for high blood pressure was a fake, and the Viagra also a generic which is not approved in the united sates with only a small dose of active ingredientÂ…
Theriault says since online pharmacies are largely UN regulated and unmonitored, drug companies have to protect themselves. That's why john therault has started doing his own investigations.
"Canada meds has gone beyond the boarders of Canada to bring you quality online drugs for our patients. Yet we're telling you that we get our drugs from wherever we can get them."
Theriault ordered Pfizer medication from another website and received a flashing telephone bell ringer. An email alerted him that a screwdriver would be needed in order for him to open his medicine. The drugs were hidden inside.
So what's the answer? For now, Dr. Bonanni says its buyer beware. "It's a two edge sword for the drug companies. They are protecting their own interests to some degree and I don't blame them."
And then there's Charlie Bell who sees first hand how the cost of staying healthy has spiraled out of control. "I wish they could bring their prices down. So people could buy their medicines and do the therapy their doctors want.but that's not going to happen but I respect them that they are going after all these fake websites."
If you want to buy your prescription drugs online, the FDA recommends purchasing only from state-licensed pharmacies in the U.S.
Remember the legitimate sites will require valid prescriptions. A web site can look sophisticated and legitimate but actually be an illegal operation. If the price is too low, or no prescription from your doctor is needed be wary.
