FDA Issues 22 Warning Letters (Operation Pangea II)

Have you heard of the International Internet Week of Action (IIWA)? The other day, the FDA completed a coordinated international effort called the International Internet Week of Action (IIWA). The code name for this operation was Operation Pangea II and it was intended to curb illegal actions involving medical products. According to the FDA:

The IIWA provided an opportunity to enhance cooperation among international and domestic regulatory and law enforcement partners to effectively act against those involved in the manufacture and distribution of illegal medications.

As a result, the FDA issued 22 warning letters to web sites that appeared to be engaged in the illegal sale of unapproved or misbranded drugs to U.S. consumers. None of the Web sites are for pharmacies in the United States or Canada.

We see ads for online drugs all the time, don't we? Do we know what we're getting? Recently, I've started wondering more about the quality associated with generic drugs. Whether I get my drugs from Walmart, CVS, or some mail order company, do I really know what I'm getting?

Many patients purchase drugs on the Internet from illegal pharmacies. According to FDA Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D., "these drugs are often counterfeit, contaminated, or unapproved products, or contain an inconsistent amount of the active ingredient." So how do we educate and inform consumers? Let's hope that through the use of social media such as blogs and Twitter, we may help consumers become more aware of these types of issues.

To learn more about the recent FDA actions related to the International Internet Week of Action, click here.

Would You Purchase Drugs Online?

What do you think about this concept about purchasing drugs online? How can you really trust your source? Would you buy from an online pharmacy? What if the online pharmacy was across the globe?

We live in a world where people are selling counterfeit drugs and it's becoming more and more difficult to discern the reliability of some generic manufacturers. On the flip side, because of soaring drug costs, it's becoming more difficult for patients to afford their medications here in the United States. The same drug may be much cheaper if you go to a different country. Why? That doesn't seem quite fair, does it? For instance, many generic drugs are manufactured in India. Would you feel comfortable purchasing pills directly from India? Can you trust a foreign pharmacy? Do you even need a prescription to do that? You may be surprised to know that in many other countries, you can purchase prescription medications without a prescription. Drugs like antibiotics are literally over-the-counter.

Soaring drug costs are a huge burden to our current healthcare system. New drug development costs billions of dollars. Pharmaceutical companies spend a large amount to market their drugs. As a result, new drugs are branded and no generics are available. Drug costs are high. Patients are getting desperate and resorting to unusual means. Some patients are cutting their pills in half. Others are taking their daily medications every-other-day. As a result, blood pressures are rising in those with hypertension, glucose control is worsening in patients with diabetes, and patients are ending up in the hospital.