Archive for the ‘Legal’ Category

What to Remember When Purchasing Medication Online

Tuesday, December 18th, 2007

With the rising costs of prescription pharmaceuticals, many people are turning towards the internet as a tool to affordably purchase their medications. There are several tips that an individual needs to remember when purchasing medication from an online pharmacy. Before you make a purchase from an online pharmacy, you need to make sure that the pharmacy has a reputable reputation.

In some countries, up to 25% of prescriptions purchased online are counterfeit.  Do not let this happen to you. Research an online pharmacy before you purchase your medications. There are several online pharmacies that provide customers with high-quality prescriptions for a terrific price.

How Do I Know if a Pharmacy is Legitimate?

An online pharmacy should have the VIPPS seal of approval; this stands for Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites. In order for an online pharmacy to obtain this seal, they must be licensed and pass an inspection by the NABP, or the National Association of Boards of Pharmacies.

Another way to know if an online pharmacy is legitimate is if the pharmacy is linked with a pharmacy that is “bricks and mortar.”  This means that you could physically visit the pharmacy in the “real world” and “cyberspace.”  The National Consumers League assures consumers that it is safe to purchase prescription medication at this type of online pharmacy.

What about a Pharmacy That Has an On-Site Doctor?

The FDA does not believe that an online survey of your medical history is a substitute for a face-to-face examination.  Without an exam, it is difficult for your doctor to have a complete record of your medication and medical history.  To mitigate this potential harm, ensure that you provide your doctor with the full scope of your medical history and prescriptions.  The more candid you are about your medical history, the more effective an on-site doctor can be. 

Always Have a Prescription Beforehand

It is much safer if you purchase online medications that your healthcare provider has prescribed for you. If you take a prescription medication without the advice of your doctor, you could be at risk for dangerous drug interactions and adverse reactions. Your healthcare provider will know your medical history and the current condition of your health.

It is important that you only buy online medication from a site that requires a prescription. Make sure that the online pharmacy is in good standing and is licensed. It is also beneficial if the online pharmacy has a licensed pharmacist that will be able to answer all of your questions. A reputable online pharmacy should only sell prescriptions that have been approved, researched, and tested.

The Steps to Purchasing Online Medication Successfully

1)      Purchase medication that you have a prescription for already.

2)      Double-check to see if the online company is licensed and in good standing.

3)      Make sure that there is an online pharmacist on hand.

4)      Ensure that the pharmacy has contact information, where you can call them with your questions and concerns. 

5)      The pharmacy should only allow people to purchase medications that are approved for human use.

6)      Review the privacy policy on the website and ensure that you understand it.

7)      Always check with your healthcare provider before taking a new medication.

Purchasing medications online is a very popular, cost-effective, and convenient way to obtain your prescriptions.  No longer do you have to pay exorbitant fees and wait in long longs at the drug store; instead, you can have your medications delivered right to your door – and save money at the same time.  By taking the measures discussed above, you can fill your prescriptions from the comfort of your own home, with your pocketbook thanking you at the same time. 

A Fake Propecia Scam

Sunday, December 16th, 2007

It is important that one only gets a prescription for Propecia from their healthcare provider. Propecia should be obtained from a local pharmacy, or from a reputable online pharmacy. Before you order Propecia online, it is crucial that you check into the pharmacy’s reputation to ensure that you are receiving quality Propecia.

A recent announcement by the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency in the UK successfully stated that three men were recently jailed for 10 years for selling fake Propecia. The three men were involved in a global conspiracy that consisted of multi-million dollars. The men were jailed in different correctional facilities located in the United Kingdom.

This is one of the largest counterfeit drug rings to be busted in all of British History. Judge Nicholas Price said, “Greed is the overriding motivation to such offenses. The scale of this criminal enterprise was truly global. It was long-running, it was highly organized, and it was conducted with total and cynical disregard for unsuspecting and vulnerable customers.”

While on their crime spree, the three men laundered and sold fake medications without a wholesaler’s license. The men were living a lifestyle lapped in luxury as a result of the profits made from their criminal and deceitful activities.  The three men were convicted of eleven counts of a conspiracy to sell fake medication. For the next several years, the men will be behind bars, far away from a life a luxury.

The Internet has created a breeding ground for a new type of criminal. If you purchase Propecia online, make sure that you know who you are dealing with.  There are many reputable pharmacies online, and it is important to differentiate the legitimate ones that will save you money from those that are counterfeit.  Review our guide here that advises on what to look for in a verified pharmacy.  By conducting the needed research and verification, this will ensure that you are only receiving high-quality prescription Propecia.

Propecia and Drug Counterfeiting

Monday, November 12th, 2007

Slightly over one year ago, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning about counterfeited drugs purchased from Canadian websites. These drugs – all requiring a prescription from a licensed physician – included Lipitor, Diovan, Actonel, Nexium, Hyzaar, Ezetrol (known as Zetia in the United States), Crestor, Celebrex, Arimidex, and Propecia.

The last, Propecia, from Merck & Co., is the first, clinically proven, pharmaceutical treatment to reduce hair loss and even re-grow hair in men. In studies in both the U.S. and abroad, Propecia was shown to restore some or all of the hair in approximately 80% of men who used it for more than two years.

The FDA warned users not to purchase Propecia or other drugs from websites that subscribed to the Mediplan Prescription Plus Pharmacy or Mediplan Global Health network. These networks, located in Manitoba, Canada, were apparently (and perhaps unwittingly) selling counterfeited versions of drugs like Propecia to U.S. consumers over the Internet.

The counterfeiting was not a new occurrence. In August of 2005, the FDA conducted an operation at airports in LA, New York, and Miami, and found that almost 50% of drug imports from selected countries were, in fact, fakes that U.S. consumers believed they were buying online from Canadian pharmacies (whose drug prices are cheaper than those in the U.S.). More than two-thirds of the drugs were actually manufactured in countries other than Canada, and nearly a third of those were contaminated or otherwise altered.

Drug counterfeiting is illegal for several very good reasons. Counterfeits cheat consumers, who could – for the same amount or slightly more – buy a real medication like Propecia from a licensed pharmacy. Counterfeits are also dangerous. They may contain fillers like talcum (which was never intended to be ingested) or toxins, which can sicken or kill. If nothing else, they often contain lesser amounts of the intended ingredient (which, in the case of Propecia, is finasteride) and will do nothing whatsoever.

More recently, in Brussels, the Europeans held the first parliamentary symposium intended to address EU drug counterfeiting. The discussion focused on several factors: European and international measures to prevent counterfeiting, newest industry initiatives focused on securing the supply chain of pharmaceuticals, and newly developed technological systems to monitor counterfeited drugs. The symposium acknowledged that, as the speed of transportation increases, the proliferation of counterfeit drugs is becoming an international health menace, and counterfeiters must be prosecuted more severely than international law now provides.

For too long, we have underestimated the drug counterfeiting situation. It used to be marginal, it is now totally industrialized,” said Jean-François Dehecq, the chairman of Aventis.

In September of 2007, a young Nigerian was convicted in a British court of running counterfeit drugs like Propecia through the Bahamas into the U.S. Similar scams are gaining impetus, as borders shrink and trade increases between nations.

If you are using – or plan to use – Propecia, the warning is clear: caveat emptor (let the buyer beware). Purchase your Propecia from a recognized pharmacy in your neighborhood. The Internet, while a superior tool for research and communication, is also a minefield of scammers looking for your dollar and willing to sell you anything to get it. You don’t want your epitaph to read, “Hair today. Gone the next.”

Real Propecia vs. Generic Propecia

Tuesday, October 23rd, 2007

Consistently researching solutions for male pattern baldness, I stay abreast of all of the changes and news in the industry.  Without my persistent research, I would have missed the article about counterfeit Propecia. 

Global Medz: Counterfeit Propecia

Recently, a startup venture called Global Medz, based in the Bahamas, began selling Propecia and other counterfeit medications online and on the street.  Counterfeit Propecia, manufactured in illegal factories in China, India and Pakistan, were first shipped to the UK, and then to the Bahamas and the US.

The kingpin of this empire, Ashish Halai, a 33-year old British businessman from Essex, was convicted of selling the “fake” drugs by a jury in London.  This case is being called the biggest drug bust of the century by British law enforcement officials. According to the report, millions were made by Halai and his henchmen on sales of Propecia and other drugs.

Labels and packaging were faked, and fraudulent documents (including patient information sheets and clinical testing protocols) were linked to legitimate companies like Merck, which manufactures Propecia.

The drugs, including Propecia, contained less than 90% of the active ingredient, which in Propecia’s case is finasteride.  Unfortunately, customers did not know this information, and they purchased Propecia online or in stores, often paying up to £20 for a single dose, which was more than 400 times more than the vendors themselves paid for the counterfeit goods.   

The counterfeit Propecia was either purchased online, or through stores located in the UK, the US, the Bahamas, and Mexico.  There were scores of retail businesses, both legitimate and illegitimate ones. The question now is: why?

Protecting yourself against costly and counterfeit Propecia

A prescription for Propecia, which is not considered a Type A controlled substance, can be obtained from any licensed medical practitioner. The prescription itself, available at almost any pharmacy, costs approximately £25 for a month’s supply.

If you are a male, over the age of 18, have evident balding, go to your doctor, and ask for a prescription, your doctor will most likely give you one.  However, the visit to obtain the little slip of paper that allows you to buy Propecia will cost approximately £50, depending upon your insurance.  The Propecia itself will cost you another £25. The first month is expensive, but in the subsequent months, the cost-benefit ratio of using Propecia declines to a definite range of affordability.  £25 a month is quite affordable in today’s economy. 

Make sure you obtain your Propecia the right way.  Go to a doctor, get a prescription, and obtain your Propecia from your local pharmacy or definitively reputable online pharmacy that operates in the UK or North America.  Getting Propecia the right way will ensure that your hair, body, and wallet will remain healthy! 

Ordering Medication Online: Getting it Into the Country

Friday, October 12th, 2007

If you are buying medications or hair loss treatments that are not on the “exempt” list you are going to find that it’s much more difficult to deal with the hubbub and the regulations, and it may be nearly impossible to get the pharmacy to actually ship the item to you. Many products that are pharmacy related can be found online in both name brand and generic varieties.

If you live in the UK, or The European Union, the hard part won’t be finding a reputable online pharmacy to buy from; the hard part will be actually getting the medication into the country itself. In the case of hair loss medication (such as Rogaine or Propecia), there are two reasons why it would be ceased at customs:

  1. It is considered counterfeit – Counterfeiting is a massive international business that operates entirely underground. Everything from cologne to speakers are counterfeited, and the both the EU and the UK governments take active steps to prevent counterfeit products from reaching the UK population.

  2. It is a controlled substance – In the case of Propecia (which requires a prescription in order to use), importing Propecia from overseas may not be a good idea. In fact, if you are caught you could face some pretty significant charges and fines.

Ordering Hair Loss Treatments Online

Always ensure that when you are handing out your personal information you are still on the actual site itself and not a site that has been designed to imitate the look of the legitimate product website. Paypal is one such website that is very often “spoofed” (copied appearance wise)- users are constantly receiving e-mails from PayPal telling them what and what not to do.

If you’ve found a safe and secure online pharmacy to order from, the next step is arranging for appropriate shipment. If you have a prescription for the medication being order (Propecia, for example) you should forward that information to the pharmacy so that it can be included with the customs paperwork. If you do not have a prescription and you are ordering it anyway, well, I suppose it’s time I said the following:

We do not take any responsibility for medication that is ceased at the boarder or any legal complications that arise as the result of ordering hair loss medication, or any other kind of medication, online from unauthorized or international pharmacies. The information on this website is for entertainment purposes and as such we maintain no warranty or obligation in regards to the information presented on this web site.

Use at your own risk!

There, I think that adequately sums up my feeling on that doesn’t it?