A lot of the 35,000 on-line pharmacies world wide are working illegally and could possibly be promoting harmful or ineffective medicine, in accordance with the U.S. Commerce Consultant’s annual “notorious markets” report.
Ninety-six p.c of on-line pharmacies had been discovered to be in violation of the legislation, which means they had been working and not using a license and promoting drugs with out prescriptions. An estimated 20 new unlawful pharmacy web sites are created day-after-day world wide, in accordance with the 2024 report launched Wednesday.
“The well being and security considerations posed by counterfeit medicines are significantly troubling,” Commerce Consultant Katherine Tai mentioned in an announcement.
Over 30 on-line retailers had been recognized within the report recognized as engaged in promoting counterfeit merchandise. The web sites usually mimic reputable e-commerce platforms, with false claims that they’re accepted by the Meals and Drug Administration. The report compiled additionally singled out 19 nations over considerations about counterfeit or pirated merchandise.
On-line pharmacies gained traction in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic when the demand for prescription drugs was excessive and plenty of sufferers could have been confined to their houses. In the meantime, bodily pharmacies are shutting their doors and throughout the U.S., at the very least 7,000 pharmacies have closed since 2019, The Associated Press reported, citing information from the College of Pittsburgh.
In October, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Heart for Illness Management and Prevention each issued a public safety warning about unlawful pharmacy web sites promoting and transport counterfeit capsules to sufferers who imagine they’re buying actual pharmaceutical medicine.
Final 12 months, the FDA issued warnings to a number of on-line pharmacies promoting suspected counterfeit merchandise, demanding that the web sites cease promoting the merchandise.
