Why is FDA concerned about unlawful drug sales on the Internet?
Patients who buy prescription drugs from Websites operating outside the law are at increased risk of suffering life-threatening adverse events, such as side effects from inappropriately prescribed medications, dangerous drug interactions, contaminated drugs, and impure or unknown ingredients found in unapproved drugs. The current system of federal and state safeguards for protecting patients from the use of inappropriate or unsafe drugs has generally served the country well. These laws require that certain drugs be dispensed only with a valid prescription because they are not safe for use without the supervision of a licensed health care practitioner. Generally, before the practitioner issues a prescription for a drug the patient has never taken before, he or she must first examine the patient to determine the appropriate treatment. Subsequently, the patient receives the drug from a registered pharmacist working in a licensed pharmacy that meets state practice standards. The Internet m
