As Americans increasingly turn to online pharmacies to purchase necessary medications, DEA is issuing this Public Safety Alert to warn of an increase in illegal online, often foreign-based websites that are deceptively targeting American consumers. DEA has identified websites being operated in India and the Dominican Republic. These website operators are going to great lengths to make the websites look like legitimate online pharmacies – they offer 24-hour customer service, post online reviews and safety facts, and offer deep discounts to deceive customers into believing they were buying from a reputable business.
For more information and a list of fake pharmacies, visit the DEA Alert here: DEA Issues Warning About Illegal Online Pharmacies | DEA.gov
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PHARMACIES
Pharmacies are required to provide a warning sheet for every drug given to customers. The warning sheets provide information on the safe use of a prescribed drug, warnings about potential side effects, and other safety information. Patients should read these sheets before taking the prescription and call the pharmacist or doctor with any questions.
PHYSICIAN DESK REFERENCE
Information about prescription drugs can be found in the Physicians Desk Reference, a reference book used by doctors and pharmacists. This reference tool is available at any library. An online version is available to the public for a membership fee.
MEDLINE PLUS
Consumers can also find safety information on prescription medications on the internet at the National Library of Medicine website,
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginformation.html.
U.S. FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION
Consumers can find safety information on prescription medications by calling the FDA’s information line, 888-INFO-FDA or by searching on the FDA website, https://www.fda.gov/drugs/resources-you/drug-information-consumers.
HOW TO FIND PROVIDERS IN CONNECTICUT’S COMMUNITY RESOURCES DATABASE:
Search by service name:
Consumer Safety Standards
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SOURCES: Medline Plus; U.S. Food and Drug Administration; U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration
PREPARED BY: 211/jm
CONTENT LAST REVIEWED: August2024