The drug company Pfizer warned that men could be “gambling with their lives” if they buy fake medicines online.
“Men were more likely to bypass the NHS in order to obtain treatments anonymously,” said Dr. David Gillen, medical director for Pfizer.
Pfizer surveyed 900 men over 35 and found that one in 10 had bought prescription medicines without a prescription.
Buying medicines online is not illegal, but it is not a good idea, according to the UK’s medical regulator.
Those who create fake medicines have traditionally targeted medicines for “lifestyle” conditions such as erectile dysfunction and weight loss drugs, the report said.
However, the report showed that UK authorities have recently seized counterfeit versions of heart attack and cancer treatments.
Among those men surveyed who had bought prescription-only medicines without a prescription, half used the web to do so. A third cited convenience and speed as the key reasons for buying medicine without prescription.
But according to the report, up to 90% of all medicines sold on the Internet are thought to be fakes.
“It seems that men are turning a blind-eye to the health risks associated with purchasing counterfeit medicines from unregulated sources and are particularly naive about the ingredients that counterfeit medicines might contain,” the report said.
It also warned that fake versions of drugs can be almost impossible to spot, but can containing inactive ingredients like talcum powder, or even toxic ingredients such as rat poison.
“Men bypassing the health system to purchase medicines is a growing problem in the UK, particularly relating to the increased availability of counterfeit medicines,” said Dr. Gillen.
“These new findings show that men are not only often ignorant about what medicine actually requires a prescription, but worryingly they know buying medicine from illicit sources might be harmful – but convenience and anonymity often outweigh their fear levels.”
“People are advised that they should only take prescription-only medicines after an appropriate consultation with their GP,” said Naeem Ahmed, head of intelligence at the MHRA.
“Only suitably qualified healthcare professionals can take into account risks and benefits associated with medicines. Anyone who self-medicates and buys their medicines from Internet sites could be in danger of receiving counterfeit or substandard medicines.
“At best these will be a waste of money, at worst they can harm or even kill.”
Anyone who suspects they have been offered or sold counterfeit medicines should contact the MHRA, Ahmed added.
“It is not illegal to buy medicines online but we strongly advise people that buying medicines from the internet is not a good idea, unless buying from a website that has a Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (RPSGB) internet pharmacy logo.”
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