FDA lends hand on online drugs

SUSAN COBURN, Washington Post News Service
The Record (Bergen County, NJ)
05-19-2003

FDA lends hand on online drugs
By SUSAN COBURN, Washington Post News Service
Date: 05-19-2003, Monday
Section: HEALTH
Edtion: All Editions.=.Two Star B. Two Star P. One Star B
Column: ON THE WEB

If your e-mail inbox looks anything like mine, then you are inundated with dubious offers for prescriptions at drastically reduced prices through the Internet. My mailbox is full of messages from pharmacies touting "no prior prescription required," "no doctor visit necessary," "fully confidential," and "overnight shipping."

With hundreds of drug-dispensing Web sites in business, it is important for consumers to be able to distinguish the legitimate ones from the fly-by-night outfits. The Food and Drug Administration maintains its own Web site geared to consumers that is full of tips, warnings, and guidelines for those who prefer the online route for medications. In addition to important consumer alerts, the site outlines methods of detecting online health fraud and critical safety concerns.

The FDA's site on buying medicines and medical products is at www.fda.gov/oc/buyonline/.

Look and feel: The format and design of the FDA site is clean and simple, making navigating the content a cinch. A list of general tips and warnings for consumers buying drugs online appears on the home page, as do the titles and direct links for each of the site's major content sections. A site map is available, as is a search function. Contact information to reach an FDA representative also is provided.

A quick tour: A good place to start your tour is the frequently asked questions, or FAQ, section. Here you will find answers to popular questions such as the legalities of selling prescription drugs online, whether to buy drugs from foreign dispensers, and how to forward a complaint about an online pharmacy to the FDA.

The FDA also publishes an informative online Consumer Safety Guide, available on its site, with a list of dos and don'ts for purchasing online prescriptions. Tips include meeting with your own doctor before obtaining any new prescriptions and ensuring there are appropriate security and privacy precautions.

How safe is purchasing contact lenses and other medical devices online? The FDA site addresses these concerns also, with specific sections within the content offering additional tips and guidelines.

Links: The FDA's online guide to buying medicines and medical products online offers links to several other reputable sites that help consumers make wise choices about the information and advice they receive on the Internet.

Funding: The FDA site, like all government-maintained initiatives on the Web, is supported in large part by tax dollars. There are no advertisements.

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Keywords: DRUG, INTERNET, COST

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