Florida Pharmacies Raided Over Counterfeit Medications

Florida Pharmacies Busted for Selling Dangerous Counterfeit Medications

Posted on August 31, 2015 by Shapiro Law Group

Authorities recently raided two Florida pharmacies for selling counterfeit medications to patients. Counterfeit medications can contain deadly impurities and are difficult to tell apart from the real products. Pharmacies in Ocala and Belleview filled counterfeit prescriptions for patients, marketing them as “Canadian meds”. In an ABC News investigation, a producer was given a fake prescription for Propecia, a drug used to treat hair loss. Another producer was given counterfeit Cialis, a drug used to treat erectile dysfunction.

Many counterfeit medications come from countries with fewer regulations. A 2005 FDA investigation discovered 4,000 drug shipments coming into the United States from places such as India, Vanuatu and Costa Rica contained dangerous impurities. In some cases, these impurities can be fatal or cause serious injuries.

According to an article in the Sun Sentinel, a drug that had been marketed as a diet pill caused a Texas doctor to suffer a stroke. The doctor had ordered the medication online, unaware of its foreign and misleading origins.

In many cases, drugs like the one responsible for the death of the doctor are sold online. It is suspected more than 96 percent of “internet pharmacies” peddle dangerous and unregulated medications. When local pharmacies sell these dangerous drugs, patients can face severe risks to their health.

What Else Should I Know About Counterfeit Medications?

A warning can be found on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s website not to buy popular prescription medications online. The website warns users they do not know what they are getting. Additionally, the FDA warns counterfeit drugs might be contaminated with toxins and contain too much or too little of the active ingredients.

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