Buying medicine on the internet increases risk
Buying medicine from the internet is appealing to many people as a convenient and sometimes cheaper alternative but safety remains a risk factor.
An article in MedicinesTalk, a newsletter edited by consumers and published by independent medicines information provider National Prescribing Service Limited (NPS), alerts consumers to the dangers of buying medicines on the internet.
While for some people – such as consumers in remote areas – the website is a preferable way to access a range of medicines, buying a medicine over the internet without talking to a pharmacist puts consumers at risk.
Buying and taking a medicine that is not appropriate can have serious effects and interact with other medicines.
“Although many websites selling medicines are legitimate, many are not,” says Hannah Baird, of NPS. “Fake sites selling out of date, poor quality, contaminated or even fake medicines exist and can be hard to identify.”
Overseas medicines may not meet Australia’s strict quality and safety standards and consumers should be aware that it is illegal for some medicines to be brought into Australia by post.
For more information visit www.nps.org.au/consumers
