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Pharmacy Times
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When educating patients, emphasize the importance of buying drugs from only licensed pharmacies.
Counterfeit medications are fake or imitation drugs that are deliberately mislabeled to resemble authentic products. They often use low-quality or ineffective ingredients, lack the necessary active components, or contain harmful substances. These products are designed to deceive patients, can be dangerous, and pose a significant threat to public health.
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The entire health care industry is increasingly going digital, including telemedicine and online sources for patients to directly purchase medications. Although tools like these can be convenient, many consumers do not understand the prevalence of illegal online pharmacies and their associated risks.
Kathleen Kenny, PharmD, RPh, earned her doctoral degree from the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. She has more than 30 years of experience as a community pharmacist and works as a clinical medical writer based out of Homosassa, Florida.
Thanks to the rigorous, closed drug distribution system the FDA uses, the US drug supply is considered one of the safest in the world. Therefore, patients are more likely to encounter counterfeit medications when purchasing online. Of the approximately 35,000 online pharmacies, approximately 95% are operating illegally at any given time. By offering medications without a prescription, not having appropriate licenses, and even selling fake medications, these websites are a threat to patient lives.1
Patients often turn to online pharmacies for affordability, privacy, and convenience. Safe online pharmacies always require a prescription order for legend drugs. They also have physical addresses and phone numbers in the US. Additionally, a licensed pharmacist must be available to answer questions, and the pharmacy will be licensed by a state board of pharmacy.2
Online pharmacies also have red flags to be aware of, including drugs that arrive in packaging that is damaged or broken, is written in a foreign language, lacks an expiration date, or is already expired. Prices that seem too deeply discounted are a warning sign, along with charges for products never ordered. Finally, an online pharmacy that does not provide clear privacy policies is probably not abiding by other regulations.2
Pharmacists play a crucial role in combating counterfeit medications by actively inspecting drug packaging and security features, educating patients about the dangers of buying from unreliable sources, reporting suspicious medications to authorities, and only purchasing drugs from verified distributors.
Key aspects of a pharmacist’s role in addressing counterfeit medications include the following3,4:
Pharmacists are crucial in this fight because they are often the last point of contact before a patient receives medication, allowing them to visually inspect products and identify potential counterfeits. Their knowledge of drug characteristics and packaging details helps them recognize inconsistencies that might indicate counterfeiting. Pharmacists are readily accessible to patients, enabling them to provide crucial information and guidance on how to avoid counterfeit medications.
