Buying Rx Drugs Online

NEA Member Benefits

Starting in the 1990's, many seniors and others living along the borders of Canada and Mexico began crossing the border to obtain prescription drugs for as much as 70 percent less than the prices charged by U.S. pharmacies. Today an estimated one million Americans use the Internet to import prescription drugs by mail each year.

Pharmaceutical prices are usually (but not always) much lower in Canada than here, even for U.S.-manufactured drugs. This is mainly because Canada, like many other Western governments, regulates drug prices (the U.S. does not). In addition, patent laws in Canada are different, and some lower-cost generic versions of brand names come to the market more quickly.

The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) estimates that there are 80 to 90 Internet sites that sell prescription drugs legitimately at lower Canadian prices. Unfortunately, there are a higher number of fraudulent web sites scamming people out of their money. CBS News has reported about the growing number of online scam artists taking advantage of this multi-million dollar business.

In addition to being aware of the dangers of online purchases of prescription drugs, one must also weigh the legal risk. The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act of 1987 makes it illegal to import prescription drugs, whether they are made in the U.S. or not, because the U.S. government cannot guarantee the performance of drugs imported from other countries and, as such, cannot assist if health problems occur with the imported pharmaceuticals. Employers or groups that "aid and abet" the importation of prescription drugs can be found "criminally liable."

Internet Drug Sales - Safety Concerns for Members

Internet sites that provide prescription drugs by having consumers fill out a health questionnaire rather than see a doctor can pose serious health risks for consumers. A questionnaire generally does not provide sufficient information for a healthcare professional to determine if a drug is appropriate or safe to use, if another treatment is more appropriate, or if the consumer has an underlying medical condition where using the drug may be harmful. Finally, it must be noted that in the case of foreign-based web sites, if consumers have an adverse drug reaction or any other problem, they have little or no recourse because the physical location or operator of the "pharmacy" often is not known or the seller is beyond the consumers' reach. The FDA says it has no ability to take effective action against foreign operators on behalf of U.S. citizens.

A number of Canadian drug web sites and U.S. ordering services state that the Canadian drugs are dispensed pursuant to existing prescriptions that are rewritten by a Canadian doctor in order to comply with Canadian law. However, the dispensing of medication on a prescription written by a physician who has not seen the patient or conducted a physical exam is generally contrary to any U.S. state's medical practice standards. Additionally, Dr. Henry Haddad of the Canadian Medical Association has said that under the Canadian Code of Ethics, physicians have a responsibility to take a medical history, perform a physical exam, and discuss the risks and benefits of the medication with the patient.

FDA Tips

The FDA offers these tips to consumers who buy medications online:

• Check with the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy to determine if a site is a licensed pharmacy in good standing (visit the Website at www.nabp.net, or call 847-698-6227).
• Don't buy from sites that offer to: prescribe a prescription drug for the first time without a physical exam, sell a prescription drug without a prescription, or sell drugs not approved by FDA.
• Don't do business with sites that do not provide access to a registered pharmacist who can answer your questions.
• Avoid sites that do not provide the name of a contact person or a U.S. address and phone number to contact if there's a problem.
• Beware of sites that advertise a "new cure" for a serious disorder or a quick cure-all for a wide range of ailments.
• Be careful of sites that use impressive-sounding terminology to disguise a lack of good science or those that claim the government, the medical profession, or research scientists have conspired to suppress a product.
• Steer clear of sites that base their marketing case histories on claims of "amazing" results.
• Talk to your health-care professional before using any medication for the first time.

NEA's Position

In the current regulatory environment, NEA affiliates and members are discouraged from using drug distribution channels (e.g., health plans or direct-to-consumer web sites) without seriously considering the implications of such use. NEA encourages members and affiliates to support public policy that would ensure that importers and wholesalers are not shipping counterfeit medication, and that makes it possible for the FDA to better monitor how drugs are stored and transported so that these lower-cost medications can be made available safely to American consumers.

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