Health Canada warns on Internet buying

Health Canada is reminding Canadians about the potential dangers of buying prescription medicines on-line, following the release of the British Columbia Coroner's report on the death of a woman which was attributed to drugs purchased over the Internet (Marketlerrs passim).

While legitimate on-line Canadian businesses are an option to consider, the Internet purchase of any drug poses the potential for serious health risks, especially when these are shipped directly to consumers from sources outside the country, say the regulator. Consumers should be aware that some Internet sites may falsely claim to be Canadian, and people can identify if a drug has been shipped to them from a foreign country by checking the shipping information on the exterior of the package. Buying drugs from an Internet-based business that does not provide a street address and telephone number may pose serious health risks because consumers have no way of knowing where these companies are located, where they get their drugs, what is in their drugs, or how to reach them if there is a problem, Health Canada points out.