The Food and Drug Administration issued a statement today alerting patients to 24 websites suspected of selling counterfeit prescription drugs, including an imitation of Hoffmann La-Roche’s obesity drug Xenical.
On several recent occasions, the FDA said it has received information that counterfeit versions of Xenical were being sold to consumers on two different Internet sites. Analyses of the counterfeit Xenical showed that none of the capsules contained orlistat, the drug’s active ingredient.
One of the capsules contained an ingredient known as sibutramine, which is found in Meridia—another weight loss drug. Even though Meridia is used for similar purposes as Xenical, the drugs have different chemical profiles and are not always appropriate for the same patient populations.
Other Internet-obtained drugs contained only starch and talc.
Despite their seemingly authentic appearance (some include valid lot numbers), counterfeit drugs can pose serious health risks. Consumers are urged to exercise caution when purchasing prescription drugs over the Internet.
The FDA says consumers should be wary of the following:
- Dramatically lower prices than competitors
- No doctor’s prescription required
- No way to call the website pharmacy
For a complete list of the 24 websites, all of which appear on pharmacycall365.com, please visit the FDA website.
(Article source: FDA website)
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