Ordering Your Medications Online? Read this First.
October is Substance Use Prevention Month. Healthy Acadia works to support people of all ages to live lives free of substance misuse and substance use disorder, and to prevent and reduce harms associated with substance use. This month, our substance prevention team is working with federal, state, and local partners to help raise awareness about the significant health risks of ordering prescription medications from illegal online pharmacies.
According to the FDA, certain online pharmacies claim to offer prescription drugs at reduced prices and may even bypass the need for a doctor’s prescription. These operations often sell unapproved, counterfeit, or unsafe medications that fall outside of the strict safety guidelines adhered to by licensed pharmacies. Unfortunately, many of these pills may be laced with dangerous substances like fentanyl, significantly increasing the risk of overdose. This poses a serious health risk for anyone ordering through these unregulated sources.
Read the October 2, 2024, press release from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2024/s1002-counterfit-prescription-online-pharmacies.html
Read the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s October 4, 2024, Public Safety Alert regarding this issue here: https://www.dea.gov/alert/dea-issues-warning-about-illegal-online-pharmacies
Fentanyl, which is often undetectable by sight, smell, or taste, is a synthetic opioid up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. This makes it especially lethal when mixed with other drugs. People who unknowingly purchase medications from these illegal sources could be ingesting dangerous, counterfeit pills without realizing the potential harm.
Given the ongoing national overdose crisis and the threats posed by the illegal drug market, we strongly urge individuals to only obtain medications through licensed healthcare professionals and state-licensed pharmacies.
Protect Yourself and Your Loved Ones:
According to the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, approximately 95% of online pharmacies operate illegally. If you or someone you know has purchased medication from an online source, consider the following steps to stay safe:
Verify the Pharmacy’s License: Make sure the pharmacy is licensed in the United States. You can verify this through the FDA’s resource: Locate a State-Licensed Online Pharmacy.
Avoid Medications from Suspicious Sources: If you suspect your medication is from an illegal or unlicensed pharmacy, do not take it. Dispose of these medications safely and consult a healthcare professional. Click here for more information about safe drug disposal options.
Know the Signs of Illegal Online Pharmacies:
No prescription required.
Not licensed by the U.S. or your state’s board of pharmacy.
Offering unusually steep discounts or prices that seem too good to be true.
Always Carry Narcan: Narcan is a life-saving drug that can reverse an opioid overdose. It should be administered immediately if someone shows signs of an overdose, and having someone nearby whenever taking unknown medications or substances can be life-saving. Healthy Acadia offers free Narcan and Narcan administration training, fentanyl test strips, and other harm reduction tools. Click here to submit a request for free harm reduction tools.
In Case of Emergency: If you suspect an overdose or poisoning, call 911 immediately. For questions regarding unknown substances, contact Northern New England Poison Center, available 24/7:
Call 1-800-222-1222
Text POISON to 85511
CHAT - visit https://www.nnepc.org/
Stay Informed:
The FDA’s BeSafeRx campaign offers helpful resources to educate the public on how to safely purchase prescription medications online. For more information, visit the BeSafeRx website.
By staying informed and vigilant, we can help reduce the risks associated with counterfeit and unregulated medications, protecting ourselves and our communities from the dangers of illegal online pharmacies.