Buying your medications online is too risky
It is tempting, in an era of high drug prices, to try to search out a deal. Medications are often cheaper in other countries. If you travelled to Mexico, you could find your pills cost a fraction of the price here. Ordering them online could result in big cost savings. But this pecuniary gambit comes with one major risk: Those meds may be fakes or contaminated with potentially dangerous additives.
A prime example of this growing trend is semaglutide, the active medication in Ozempic and Wegovy. The medication has surged in popularity because it is useful in promoting weight loss and also reducing cardiovascular events. A flood of demand led to a drug shortage where many people who needed the medication to treat their diabetes couldn't get it. It also meant that the market was flooded with counterfeit Ozempic.
This summer the World Health Organization issued a global alert regarding fake Ozempic and cautioned consumers and physicians to get the drug only from reputable sources. Obscure websites and social media are awash with opportunities to buy Ozempic, but you may not know what you are getting. Unfortunately, the issue is not limited to this single medication.
Recently, Health Canada issued an update to its earlier recall of hyaluronic acid. In May, Health Canada recalled Umary hyaluronic acid dietary supplements because they contained two unlabelled ingredients: omeprazole, a proton-pump inhibitor that suppresses acid production in the stomach, and diclofenac, an anti-inflammatory. An updated advisory in August identified another contaminant: dexamethasone, a steroid.
These episodes highlight an important aspect of drug safety we often overlook.
It is imperative to ensure the safe manufacturing of medications, whether they be prescription pills or overthe-counter supplements. Neither one has a guarantee of safety if manufacturing standards are lax and purchasing either one from an unreliable source exposes you to risk.
Last year, the federal government planned to amend the Food and Drugs Act so the Protecting Canadians from Unsafe Drugs
Act would extend to natural health products and not just prescription medication. The goal was to apply a uniform regulatory framework and make sure unsafe products were reported to Health Canada and taken off the market.
We take it for granted the medications we take are safe to consume, but that is not always the case. As tempting as it might be to order medication off the internet, the risk of getting a counterfeit or contaminated product is serious. Sourcing medication from non-traditional suppliers to reduce costs simply trades one problem for another.
As tempting as it might be to do otherwise, you are safest getting your medications from reputable pharmacies. The risk of counterfeits is too high.