The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has advised consumers not to buy prescription drugs from a number of Canadian web sites over concerns about counterfeit drug sales.
According to the agency's warning, consumers should not buy prescription drugs from web sites that have orders filled by Mediplan Prescription Plus Pharmacy or Mediplan Global Health in Manitoba, Canada. There have been reports these companies have sold counterfeit versions of prescription medicines to consumers in the U.S.
The FDA is also recommending consumers who may have purchased prescriptions from these companies to not take them because of safety issues. So far, the agency has found counterfeit versions of Lipitor, Diovan, Actonel, Nexium, Hyzaar, Ezetrol or Zetia, Crestor, Celebrex, Arimidex, and Propecia have made there way into the U.S. from Canada.
The agency also added an advisory that consumers use caution when buying prescriptions online. According to an agency press release, "Although a Web site may appear reputable and similar to legitimate retail pharmacy Web sites, many actually operate from outside the U.S. and provide unapproved drugs from unreliable sources."
Web sites identified by the FDA that are either operated by Mediplan or have orders filled by the company are:
- www.RxNorth.com
- www.Canadiandrugstore.com
- www.Rxbyfax.com
- www.Northcountryrx.com
- www.Canada-pharmacy.com
- www.My-canada-pharmacy.com
- www.NLRX.com
- www.Canampharmacy.com
- www.Canada-Meds-For-Less.net
- www.Canadian-safe.com
Discussion Questions: What do you see as the issues related to consumers going online to purchase less expensive prescription medicines? Does this latest case make the point for retail pharmacy groups, the federal government and others in the U.S. who are opposed to giving consumers access to prescription medicine sources outside the country?