Illegal online pharmacy warning: Antifreeze, mercury, concrete may be in your meds

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A new warning from three industry groups paints a grim picture of illegal online pharmacies that appeal to senior citizens with low costs on knock-offs of popular medications.

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Beware of toxic ingredients in meds from rogue online pharmacies

The Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacies (ASOP Global), Center for Safe Internet Pharmacies (CSIP) and National Consumers League (NCL) have teamed up to issue a warning about illegal online pharmacies that could pose a deadly threat to their customers.

After looking at more than 11,000 websites selling prescription medications online, it was determined that approximately half of all of medicines sold online are fake or counterfeit.

But the meds aren’t merely bogus with little to no active ingredients present; they can be downright detrimental to the health of anyone who takes them because of a wide range of toxins.

Some online medications have been found to include deadly substances like floor wax, mercury, concrete, chalk, boric acid, road tar, paint or anti-freeze.

How can you steer clear of this deadly stuff?

If you’re concerned about the safety of meds from your online seller, heed the following advice:

  • Avoid websites that don’t require you to have a prescription.
  • Be very wary if they’ll sell you a prescription in exchange for completing an online questionnaire.
  • Ridiculously low prices are a clue that something isn’t right.
  • Ask if you can get in touch with a licensed pharmacist who works with the online seller. If you can’t, that’s a bad sign.
  • Be sure wherever you’re buying from has a physical street address.
  • Don’t accept any shipments from other countries.
  • Check that a seller is verified by the National Association of State Boards of Pharmacy (NABP).
  • Look for sites ending in .pharmacy as evidence of NABP verification.
  • Check for VIPPS (Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites) certification, which indicates the seller has passed rigorous vetting by the NABP.

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