Consumers were warned this week that fake weight-loss Alli tablets are being sold online and could lead to a heart attack or stroke. Other common fakes include swine flu medicine, antidepressants, painkillers and vitamins.
In the UK, consumers are most likely to encounter fake medicines when shopping online, but you may also be offered counterfeit medicines or vitamins at markets, car boots sales and some independent discount shops. More than 14 per cent of British adults admit to bypassing the healthcare system to obtain prescription-only drugs online. Buying drugs from disreputable online retailers also puts you at risk of credit or debit card fraud (see case study, right). Once customers hand over their card details, they could have their bank accounts emptied if the details fall into the wrong hands.
Dr Bill Beeby, a GP and member of the British Medical Association, says: “Erectile dysfunction may be a symptom of wider problems such as early diabetes or prostate cancer. Viagra and diet pills are commonly bought online, as people are too embarrassed to consult their doctor. For more widely available drugs, such as Alli (which costs £32.95 from Boots for a pack of 42), many are tempted to buy online because the drugs can appear significantly cheaper; the site my-alli.eu claims to sell the same dose of Alli for £27.90.
It was discovered this week that some fake Alli tablets sold online did not contain the correct active ingredient, orlistat. The tests were carried out by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). If you prefer the convenience of buying online, high street pharmacists such as Boots and Lloyds have their own websites. Prescription drugs can be bought once you have entered your prescription number.
So it would be better to have branded medicines or if you don’t want to go for branded medicines please make sure that cheap version must contain same ingredient as in brand one. Be aware of these fake medicines, stay alert buy only safe and approved drugs.