Buying medicines online is risky
The Self-Medication Manufacturers Association of SA talks about purchasing medicine online and the dangers involved.
There’s more to buying medicine online than you may realise – especially when what you purchase wouldn’t normally be sold without a prescription, said the Self-Medication Manufacturers Association of South Africa (Smasa).
According to a recently released statement, buying medicine online certainly has its perks. It’s quick, you can do it from anywhere, it circumvents discussions with medical professionals, and with fewer overheads, it’s cheaper than shopping at regular pharmacies. So, e-commerce for medication makes sense … right?
But, what if we told you online stores that skip some of the prevailing regulations are not only illegal, but can be deadly?”
• Dangers of purchasing online
British student, Liam Brackell, committed suicide in 2001, aged 24. But according to his mother (Barnett, 2003), there was more to the case than Liam’s own issues. With a history of drug abuse and depression, he bought up to 300 antidepressants a day via online pharmacies – without a prescription. If he’d consulted a professional, Liam might have lived.
However, unmanaged medication buying isn’t the only danger. When it comes to drugs bought online, you never know exactly what you’re getting. Here’s what could go wrong:
• The wrong drug
According to Hoogendijk (2015), unregulated medicine purchased online could contain the incorrect amount of the active ingredient, but it could also be the wrong active ingredient altogether. Some unregulated drugs are even cut with dangerous substances like rat poison.
• Bad handling
Even authentic medicines can be a risk when acquired online, said Whitaker (2009). Medicines that haven’t been manufactured, packaged, or stored correctly could have expired, lost their effectiveness, or even become poisonous over time.
• Confusing names
Whitaker (2009) points out that “as many as 105 American brand names have foreign counterparts that look or sound so similar [that] consumers who have such prescriptions filled abroad may receive a drug with the wrong active ingredient”. For example, the USA’s prostate medication, Flomax, has the same name as an anti-inflammatory drug in Spain.
• Untested ‘miracles’
Terminal patients are often desperate. They’ll try anything to stay alive and this can mean taking untested, experimental medicines – the kinds of substances that some online pharmacies market as miracle drugs. Doing so is not only dangerous to their health, but any bad press from uncontrolled use can also badly undermine the efforts of formal clinical trials.
• Limited insight
Without professional medical advice, drugs can interact with other medications you might be taking, and have a negative effect based on your own medical history. These are the kinds of factors that trained medical professionals are able to pick up during a consultation.
Some online pharmacies ask customers to complete a questionnaire before they dispense medication, which creates the impression of authenticity. But Whitaker (2009) warned that this input often feeds into a computer programme, rather than an actual pharmacist.
What are the regulations?
South African law states that any Schedule 1 substance – and those above Schedule 1 – can only be sold in a pharmacy.
It’s therefore illegal to sell any scheduled substance online, in addition to the ones that require a prescription. There are also restrictions in place for other things, like the way medicines are stored and distributed.
The problem with the internet is that it’s borderless. All sellers need to do is register a website in a country where the laws are more flexible and they will appear to be above board. Plus, if they are caught, they can simply start a new website on another domain.
Purchasing medicine online
Of course, not all online pharmacies are bad.
There are some (like the ones connected to a physical, in-store pharmacy) that are safe and reliable. But how can you tell which are trustworthy?
Here are seven things to look out for when buying medicine online:
• A prescription requirement
One thing that’s standard in most countries is the requirement of a script for a controlled substance.
Rogers (2015) recommended that if you come across an online pharmacy that says you don’t need one, leave the site.
• An available pharmacist
Not just an online checklist – someone with verifiable credentials, that you can talk to directly.
• Only approved medicines
According to Hoogendijk (2015), legitimate pharmacies will only sell approved, tested substances. Anything that claims to be a wonder drug – without having passed strict human clinical trials – is not an approved substance and is therefore not safe to take.
• Location specificity
Hoogendijk (2015) pointed out that pharmacies must be licensed in their own country and in the patient’s country. Buying controlled substances from abroad is illegal and dangerous.
• Feedback from others
People who’ve been scammed will tell the internet about it. Search for reviews of the website to find out what people are saying.
• Information security
Read the company’s privacy policy so you know how they plan to use your information. Don’t give credit card details before you’re ready to pay, and don’t enter credit card information unless the screen has the SecureSign lock symbol in the address bar (Rogers, 2015).
• Unbelievable deals
An online store’s prices can be different to those of a physical pharmacy, but they shouldn’t be astronomically so. If the drug you can’t afford in-store is surprisingly cheap online, there’s a good chance it’s too good to be true (Rogers, 2015). Think carefully before you buy.
Do you perhaps have more information pertaining to this story? Email us at randfonteinherald@caxton.co.za (please remember to include your contact details in the email) or phone us on 011 693 3671.
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