Q: Several of my friends and neighbours have bought medications through the internet from other countries. They said it was more convenient than waiting for hours in the doctor’s office and wasn’t much more expensive than buying them in Canada. Mostly they go for health food products like vitamins and herbals, but they have also been able to get prescription drugs without a prescription. How safe is this?
A: It is not at all safe. Doctors in Canada are becoming increasingly concerned about the use of on-line self-prescribed medications. There are many reasons for them to be worried by this.
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First, there are few or no checks on the patient’s medical history and obviously no physical examination. Some websites do have a self-evaluation form, but if all people could judge their own state of health, we would not need doctors any more.
Another major problem is that people are getting access to certain medications that their doctor has refused to give them for good reasons.
For example, anorexics can get slimming or appetite-suppressing pills, and people who are not depressed but may want to get “high” can get antidepressants such as Prozac or addictive tranquillizers like Valium. Medications for treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder such as Ritalin are much sought after by drug addicts who mix it with a painkiller and inject as “poor man’s heroin” or take it on its own because it is a type of amphetamine similar to speed.
Viagra and related drugs such as Cialis are constantly being touted in junk mail. The problem is that much of it is fake. Who knows what is in the little blue pills? It is not just being taken by elderly impotent men, but by much younger ones who want to enhance their sexual prowess. There is also concern that Viagra is becoming a “clubber’s drug” and is mixed with ecstasy.
Even appropriate Viagra use should be supervised by your doctor because it can be dangerous to those who have heart disease or high blood pressure.
The sale of counterfeit medication over the internet is now a multibillion-dollar industry. In the U.K., the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency seizes more than $6 million worth of fake or stolen Viagra every year, and this is just the tip of the iceberg.
Drugs may be obtained easily without prescription from countries where you no longer need one for certain types of medication.
For example, Britain now allows a statin drug for lowering cholesterol to be sold over the counter because of the clear benefits of reducing cholesterol. The drug is not Lipitor made by Pfizer, but it is similar. This drug is generally considered safe, but there is a small risk of serious side effects in some people.
The sale of health food products is also prevalent over the internet. You have to be just as careful buying these as with prescription drugs.
Health Canada has recently issued a warning advising people not to buy Power 1 Walnut made by Guangzhou Xinkauili Ltd. in China. It is marketed for sexual enhancement for both men and women.
It contains both sildenafil, which can raise blood pressure, and a hypoglycemic agent, which could lower the blood sugar to dangerous levels. Health Canada points out that products authorized and approved for sale in Canada will have either an eight digit drug identification number (DIN) a natural product number (NPN), or a homeopathic medicine number (DIN-HM).
Clare Rowson is a retired medical doctor living near Belleville, Ont. Her columns are intended for general information only. Individuals are encouraged to also seek the advice of their own doctor regarding medical questions and treatments.
