The Doctors: Counterfeit Prescriptions
Dr. Travis Stork wanted to talk about the trend of buying prescriptions online and how you could end up getting a fake on The Doctors. To help in the discussion, he welcomed Dr. Freda Lewis-Hall, who said counterfeit drugs are a health hazard. She said sometimes they’re really difficult to spot, and said the most counterfeited drug is the “little blue pill,” otherwise known an Viagra. She wanted to put Dr. Stork to the test to see if he could spot the fake.
The Doctors shared the shocking truth about fake online medications and what you can do to protect yourself. (Image Point Fr / Shutterstock.com)
He said he would have no clue, and Dr. Lewis-Hall said sometimes there’s no way to tell a difference without sending them off to a laboratory to get tested. She said sometimes the drugs lack the actual pharmaceutical ingredient which is what makes it work. It could have the wrong amount in it or even have a different ingredient entirely. Dr. Lewis-Hall said in the least it could make them ineffective, but it could potentially make the drugs deadly.
The Doctors welcomed John Clark, the chief global security officer of Pfizer, who said they have FBI agents and former homeland security executives who work with law enforcement around the world to take down counterfeiting organizations. They showed some footage of a drug bust in South America, and showed a large amount of boric acid, which is used to kill cockroaches, but they were actually using it as an ingredient in the manufacturing of counterfeit pills. They also showed footage of a disgusting-looking pill press that was being used to make the pills, which is obviously illegal.
The Drs TV: Shocking Ingredients In Counterfeit Medications
Dr. Lewis-Hall shared some other shocking ingredients that are often used in counterfeit medications. Brick is a common ingredient, as is lead paint. Counterfeiters also often use sheetrock dust to help hold the pills together. None of the ingredients are good for your health, and John Clark added floor wax to the list, which he said counterfeiters will use in the last stage to put a sheen on the pills to make them look authentic.
Dr. Lewis-Hall showed what proper manufacturing procedures looked like, pointing out that it was a clean and sterile environment. John Clark said counterfeit medications have been found in up to 120 different countries and Pfizer, working with law enforcement, has been able to prevent over 171 million counterfeit dosages from reaching patients.
The Doctors: Tips For Buying Safe Online Medications
If you want to purchase your medications online, John Clark said if the site says you don’t need a prescription for a prescription medication, go to another website. He said a lot of the sites have logos saying they’ve been approved by certain agencies, but even the logos can be counterfeited.
Another red flag is if you’re looking at a site that looks suspicious, and you buy medications from them, not only could you be buying counterfeit medications, but you could have have your identity stolen at the same time.
To make sure the drug you’ve received is safe, you should inspect the package and the product, check the color, texture, and smell of the medication, and look for any evidence of tampering. If it seems suspicious, call the pharmacist, manufacturer or FDA MedWatch Program. You need to make sure you’re buying from a reputable, licensed pharmacy or a reliable source. You can visit NABP.net and on there is a list of approved sites for online buying.
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