Buyer Beware: Your Health May Be in Danger!

With concern over the H1N1 flu reaching an all-time high - Americans are scrambling to find ways to either prevent the virus, cure it if they get it or try to get out of getting the flu shot. And as a result, many people are turning to the Internet for help.

I have said it a thousand times and I'll say it again_ It's not safe to buy medication over the Internet from sources that are not reputable! There are thousands of medications available on the Web, and more and more companies are popping up each day offering fast access and delivery of both over-the-counter and prescription medications. We know the dangers associated with buying drugs online, but for some reason, people continue to do it!

In fact, it poses such a problem, that in the midst of the H1N1 flu pandemic and the hysteria it's created, the FDA felt the need to warn consumers about purchasing products over the Internet that claim to diagnose, prevent, treat or cure the H1N1 flu virus. Trust me - nothing could be more dangerous than thinking that you can fight the H1N1 virus with unregulated medications available on the Web.

The FDA issued the warning after the agency purchased and analyzed several products online that were marketed as Tamiflu, which is an antiviral drug that slows the severity of the flu. After checking out the products, many of them were found to be unsafe.

Here is an excerpt taken directly from the FDA press release:

"One of the orders, which arrived in an unmarked envelope with a postmark from India, consisted of unlabeled, white tablets taped between two pieces of paper. When analyzed by the FDA, the tablets were found to contain talc and acetaminophen, but none of the active ingredient oseltamivir. The Web site disappeared shortly after the FDA placed the order. At the same time, the FDA also purchased four other products purported to diagnose, prevent, treat or cure the H1N1 influenza virus from other Web sites."

The products that the FDA analyzed contained varying levels of oseltamivir, and were not approved in the U.S. And furthermore if you're ordering medications from other countries, most of them will not even arrive in time to treat someone suffering from the H1N1 flu! It's just not worth it, people! When you order medications that are not regulated, you're putting yourself and/or your loved ones at risk for getting counterfeit or contaminated products, and the effects can be deadly.

So instead of logging onto the Internet the next time you need a prescription drug - pick up the phone and call your doctor. After all - that's what we're here for.

Click here for more information from the FDA on how to protect yourself.