Thursday 24 January 2013

Buying online drugs - a very risky activity




In today’s era, I find, In fact we all find internet a very useful tool. Starting from browsing  the entire earth in seconds to online shopping, getting the exclusive e – books, saving time to run to the shops in our busy schedule and getting updates of  bunches of information. But, this is not how we use the all the time available internet facility, such as to buy online medicines to avoid the embarrassment of seeing the doctor or visiting the pharmacist.
So, this is the kind of information we should all be anticipated of  and  prevent getting into a dangerous life threatening situation.
When I went through a report , I very interestingly came to know that The number of people buying prescription drugs online without a prescription is increasing significantly, 50% of the pharmacists’ customers worldwide have admitted buying drugs online.

Now, let me inform you how exactly this number is increasing.
Some of us who have access to the internet are being targeted by these websites for selling prescription drugs without a prescription. Did you know what prescription drugs are? - drugs which are not legally available to patients without a prescription.
I also came to know that many  websites  selling drugs online which may seem very legit and authorized but actually are illegal and supply fake and even dangerous and narcotic medicines to their customers. Also many of us who want to avoid the embarrassment of seeing a doctor and because of its quick and easy nature. Well, it is not unobvious that a lot of people don't understand the risks involved when purchasing prescription medicines on the Internet. I think, all these factors are causing this number to increase.
The role of a pharmacist to advise their patients about how not to misuse medicines .So, I think in this case pharmacists also mainly have a role in decreasing the number of such people.
But I was really surprised to know that even pharmacists were tricked to think that they are the proper drugs and these drugs look very much like the real drugs whereas they are not.

The only way to tell if the drug is real or fake by testing it in a lab and informing your doctor as soon as any symptoms arise. We in particular hope people to stay away from these fake websites and buy drugs as much as possible from regulated and authorized pharmacies.
While I was looking through this report I encountered  a 64 year old women who can be exemplified  about the risk associated with online drug buying, who was diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome, her vision was falling and she also developed glaucoma and cataracts after using online oral prednisolone therapy.
I believe, in this modernized world, visiting doctors and pharmacists is a smart act of approach towards our health rather than being embarrassed.
                                   

Make sure you know the following facts before buying medicines online :
Some dangers of buying medicines online :
Some websites :
1. May not know the cause of your health problem. They could also give you the wrong medicine for your illness.
2. Will sell you prescription drugs even if you don’t have a prescription. This is against the law.
3. Doesn’t protect your private information like your credit card no.

Some medicines sold online :
1. Are fake,
2. Have things in them that could hurt you,
3. Are too strong or too weak,
4. Are too old to work,
5. Are not approved by the FDA,
6. Are not made using safe standards,
7. Are not safe to use with other medicines or products you use,
8. Are not labeled,
9. Are not stored or shipped the right way,
Does not the  above points make it clear that the risks of buying medications online greatly outweigh any potential benefits.

So , lets raise awareness among us about the dangers of buying medicines online without a prescription.