The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) this week warned Americans of a potential overdose risk associated with fake prescription medications sold online.
Americans who may have ordered medications from such pharmacies could be at risk for an overdose, the agency also warned. “There are online pharmacies that claim to sell prescription drugs at deeply discounted prices, often without requiring a prescription,” it further stipulated. “These internet-based pharmacies often sell unapproved, counterfeit, or otherwise unsafe medicines outside the safeguards followed by licensed pharmacies.
Individuals should only take medications prescribed by a licensed healthcare provider and dispensed by a licensed pharmacy.” Nearly 95 percent of websites that offer prescription drugs online operate illegally, the CDC also said, citing data from the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. The CDC urged individuals to be cautious of online pharmacies that operate without a license, do not require a doctor’s prescription, and offer significant discounts.
It added that people should have naloxone, an opioid overdose reversal drug, on hand. For those who may be having an overdose, it’s also recommended to call 911 and seek medical attention immediately, it added. In its announcement, the DOJ said that Francisco Alberto Lopez Reyes and 17 other individuals in both the United States, Dominican Republic, and India were charged over a scheme to advertise, sell, manufac.
