If you get any of your drugs or prescriptions from an online pharmacy, then it’s important that you make yourself aware of a global crackdown of online drug purveyors claiming to be Canadian pharmacies when in reality they were fronts for an apparent criminal operation.
The Food and Drug Administration joined with agencies across the globe to take part in an operation held in conjunction with the International Internet Week of Action. The initiative, known as Operation Pangea VI, took place over the course of a week and saw various warnings being issued and products and websites being shut down by the FDA. Authorities believe that their actions led to 1,677 illegal sites being taken down and up to $41 million in drugs being seized.
The problem was that these sites did not have the certification necessary to conduct a legitimate online operation, and the authenticity of the products was also in question. Persons purchasing from these outlets could get ahold of prescription drug items without a prescription, and some drugs claimed to be approved by the FDA or to carry a brand name when in reality they met neither of these qualifications.
These websites also posed an apparent financial threat. The FDA notes that visitors to these websites, and especially buyers, could be susceptible to fraud if they provided their credit card number and other financial information. In addition, computers could be infected with a virus.