Beware of counterfeit medicines

Beware of counterfeit drugs from the internet.

Pharmacist associations currently warn against counterfeit drugs, some of which can be life-threatening. Above all, such drug counterfeits are distributed on the Internet.

The sale of medicines on the Internet is booming. In addition to reputable providers, however, more and more dubious providers, mainly distributing illegally manufactured drugs, are romping about. A clue for suspicious Internet pharmacies is the origin in the imprint. „Anyone ordering medication via dubious websites in exotic countries runs the risk of not only ruining their health, but risking their lives“, says Heinz-Günter Wolf, President of the ABDA - Federal Association of German Pharmacists Associations: „The safest source of a drug - whether prescription or not - is and remains the pharmacy around the corner.“ If no imprint is given, you should at least keep your hands off it.

According to the Federal Criminal Police Office exist on the Internet „countless pages“ for consumers in Germany: „The professional presentation of the illegal sites makes it difficult for the customer to distinguish reputable from dubious offers.“ Alone 100 websites have already identified the BKA, „on which allegedly German providers offer illegal drugs for sale“.Above all, so-called life-prolonging, performance-enhancing drugs and medicines are offered to build muscle. Furthermore, there are also numerous supposed remedies for hair loss, for weight loss and sexual enhancer. As the BKA further announced, so far 500 parcels containing around 30,000 tablets have been secured. In addition to a significant number of Potency and doping substances were also agents for depression, analgesics and antiallergic drugs discovered. Customs is seeing an upward trend in illicit drug trade. Last year alone, the number of presumed medicines increased by 58 percent. (sb, 19.10.2010)