Buyer Beware: Your Health May Be in Danger!
With concern over the H1N1 flu reaching an all-time high – Americans are scrambling to find ways to either prevent the virus, cure it if they get it or try to get out of getting the flu shot. And as a result, many people are turning to the Internet for help.
I have said it a thousand times and I’ll say it again: It’s not safe to buy medication over the Internet from sources that are not reputable! There are thousands of medications available on the Web, and more and more companies are popping up each day offering fast access and delivery of both over-the-counter and prescription medications. We know the dangers associated with buying drugs online, but for some reason, people continue to do it!
In fact, it poses such a problem, that in the midst of the H1N1 flu pandemic and the hysteria it’s created, the FDA felt the need to warn consumers about purchasing products over the Internet that claim to diagnose, prevent, treat or cure the H1N1 flu virus. Trust me — nothing could be more dangerous than thinking that you can fight the H1N1 virus with unregulated medications available on the Web.
The FDA issued the warning after the agency purchased and analyzed several products online that were marketed as Tamiflu, which is an antiviral drug that slows the severity of the flu. After checking out the products, many of them were found to be unsafe.
Here is an excerpt taken directly from the FDA press release:
“One of the orders, which arrived in an unmarked envelope with a postmark from India, consisted of unlabeled, white tablets taped between two pieces of paper. When analyzed by the FDA, the tablets were found to contain talc and acetaminophen, but none of the active ingredient oseltamivir. The Web site disappeared shortly after the FDA placed the order. At the same time, the FDA also purchased four other products purported to diagnose, prevent, treat or cure the H1N1 influenza virus from other Web sites.”
The products that the FDA analyzed contained varying levels of oseltamivir, and were not approved in the U.S. And furthermore if you’re ordering medications from other countries, most of them will not even arrive in time to treat someone suffering from the H1N1 flu! It’s just not worth it, people! When you order medications that are not regulated, you’re putting yourself and/or your loved ones at risk for getting counterfeit or contaminated products, and the effects can be deadly.
So instead of logging onto the Internet the next time you need a prescription drug – pick up the phone and call your doctor. After all — that’s what we’re here for.
Click here for more information from the FDA on how to protect yourself.
Tags: Americans, consumers, danger, Dr. Mannny Alvarez, FDA, flu, flu virus, H1N1, influenza, Internet, medication, oseltamivir, pandemic, prescriptions, Tamiflu, Websites
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Dr. Alvarez’s advice is good and you should pay attention to it. There are quite a lot of quack offerings out there on the Internet, including for over-the-counter medications.
Recently, I wanted to buy some potassium iodide tablets for my disaster preparedness kit. I almost was suckered into buying a product, from a reputable dealer, that was labeled as being from an “FDA approved” manufacturer. It turns out that their product is NOT FDA approved and they’ve received multiple FDA warning letters. I read the letters. Scary stuff.
Always go to the FDA web site and check out the manufacturer and the product. In the case of potassium iodide, there are only three specifically named manufacturer/product combinations that are FDA approved.
ALL other “potassium iodide” or “potassium iodate” products, even if made by “FDA approved manufacturers”, are NOT FDA approved, are NOT legal for sale in the USA, and you don’t know what you are getting. If you ever need potassium iodide, you’re going to want the real thing and not save $2 by buying the fake. I bought the real, FDA approved, stuff.
Thanks for the very timely advice and warnings. It seems that some people/companies will go to any extreme (including endangering others lives) for their own financial gain. Personally, I cannot understand how the logic of online prescriptions.
While I don’t think that scrambling to buy drugs to prevent the flu from the internet is a good idea I can see why the fear may prompt some to act in such a way. There are 5 in my family, 2 who are and have been pretty sick for the last 4 days. When I called the local clinic to try and get them an appointment I was refused, I was told that as long as they have a fever the Dr. would not see them and the most she would do is provide information over the phone. I explained the symptoms of which is a problem breathing and was still denied. I begged that one of the patients was only 7 and that she had been running a fever that was only lowered slightly with Tylenol, I was still denied. Whether my family has the flu or the swine flu I don’t know, all I know is that they are sick and miserable, and that they are not getting better very quickly. And when a DR. refuses to see them because they are running fevers, I don’t know what one is to do. If I was braver I might seek medicine from the internet to make them feel better. Then tonight I see on Yahoo news that there has been lung damage from the flu, and all these tests that can be run to identify the swine flu…
Tamara, don’t call the clinic to make an appointment. Go straight to the emergency room. A 7 year old with a fever that has lasted 4 days is a potentially life-threatening situation.
Even if you are still healthy, wear a mask, and make sure that the sick family members wear a mask as well. Use hand sanitizer as well.
It is probably necessary for the flu to run its course, but there are prescription medications that can alleviate the symptoms. That fever has to be brought down.
Doctors don’t like prescribing narcotics (for excellent reasons!) but as long as you’re not allergic codeine is the best thing when you are coughing your head off. A little bit would go a long way on a 7-year old, but if she’s comfortable and resting well that is probably the best thing.
Rest…lots of fluids…alleviate the symptoms…make sure that there is nothing life-threatening going on…that’s about all that can be done. Most of this you can do, but there are some things that you need a doctor’s help for.
As for fluids; if your 7-year old’s throat is sore, she may not want to drink cold water or milk. Find what she will drink, and give her plenty of it. There’s nothing magic about chicken soup; it’s just soothing and a fluid. Try warm tea with honey. I doubt that she’d prefer pop, but if she does, let her have as much as she wants and don’t worry about the sugar or calories until she’s better.
Tamara that sounds like a good reason to switch doctors. If you are part of an HMO I would suggest filing a complaint. If not I suggest taking that coughing child to get checked by a “real” doctor.
Feel better soon – all of you!
Call my doctor and get a prescription? Are you kidding! You mean, make an appointment, pay $200 then ask for a prescription. Sorry doc, I’ve lived overseas plenty and the meds they have outside the good ole US of A are also effective and at quite a discount too. I wonder why doctors remain the only medical professionals that can prescribe meds…with very few exceptions. Maybe it is that $150 five minute appointment?
Doc, you got this one wrong. You live in a perfect world where all of your patients can afford to see you and can pay for expensive meds.
How many people do you think need meds that can’t afford to see you guys and don’t know how to get them from abroad (if Canada is considered abroad!).
I would like to see more attention given to the condition of the swine and pigs in the first place when talking about swine flu. Pigs and swine, which are often confined in small spaces due to modern factory farming methods, make them fertile for contracting respiratory diseases such as pneumonia and flu. Animals need to be able to run around freely, not confined to small spaces just big enough to contain their bodies. Allowing them to move around would not only be more humane, would also be better for the environment and for everyone’s health.
People need to look at the condition of how pigs and swine are raised when talking about swine flu. Animals on factory farms are confined in small spaces no bigger than their bodies. Animals that can’t move and exercise their legs and lungs are sure to get respiratory diseases, just as people would. If we raised pigs, swine, chickens, turkeys, etc., in a more humane fashion and allowed them to move around as God intended them to, we probably wouldn’t be dealing with the swine flu epidemic or the bird flu epidemic.
Within the past year, two of my four daughters had thyroidectomies for thyroid nodules…one of which was malignant. As a retired PA certified school nurse…I sought info on the web. I was appalled at the mass of compelling data over the past 60 years from international and national studies that states flouride added to the public drinking water is linked to all types of cancer,brain dysfunction,learning disabilities,autism, osteoporosis, dental fluorosis and the list goes on. How can this drug continually added to outer water supply…toothpaste..foods/drinks without a Dr.”s written order? It has such harmfull and toxic effects to the unborn, disabled, diabetics, kidney diseased, cancer patients etc. Is this our next asbestos? With so many “green” initiatives I say it is time to revisit the practice and stop fluoride poisoning of .the masses. I would like Shawn Hannity’s passion to address this issue. Thank you for your time. Carol from Murrysville,PA
“People need to look at the condition of how pigs and swine are raised when talking about swine flu.”
Oh, please, now there’s a movement for “free-range” swine. The H1N1 virus was identified 90 years ago, and swine had nothing to do with it. H1N1, despite all of the media hype, is only as deadly as the regular seasonal flu. During the period that 1,000 people in the US died of H1N1, another 10,000 died of a different strain of flu. Another poster believes that a discussion of H1N1 warrants her paranoia surrounding fluoride. As H.L. Mencken claimed, “No one ever lost money by under estimating the intelligence of the American public.”
yep..Its safe to consult doctor and have medicines. I agree with you