Buyer beware of dodgy websites

Medsafe is cracking down on websites offering prescription or so-called herbal
products.

Towards the end of last year, Medsafe warned the public of 65 overseas websites,
purporting to be based in New Zealand, touting unapproved herbal medicines.

In August 2009, Medsafe began investigations into an internet-based operation –
Gordon's Herbal Research Centre. The company operates at least 65 websites
offering cure alls for various illnesses.

The website claimed the products had undergone clinical trials conducted under the
regulations of FDA and the New Zealand Health Authority, but Medsafe found the
operation was a money-making scam with no physical presence in New Zealand and
is run by an individual based in Pakistan.

Medsafe also took part in a global operation targeting the online sales of counterfeit
medicines towards the end of last year.

INTERPOL and the World Health Organization coordinated Operation Pangea II
involving 25 countries, including New Zealand.

During the global operation (16-20 November 2009) customs detained more than 280
packages suspected of containing medicines at the international mail centre in New
Zealand.

Examination of the packages revealed a wide range of medicines to treat a variety of
conditions were being imported; however, only one package contained a counterfeit
product – Cialis.

Medsafe says other products of concern included performance and image-enhancing
drugs, "herbal products" containing western medicines, and items without any
labelling or packaging to allow the products to be correctly identified.

Derek Fitzgerald, Medsafe's manager for compliance management says medicines
that have not been evaluated by Medsafe for their quality, safety and efficacy through
the New Zealand assessment process could put consumers' health at risk.

"Our experience is that medicines purchased on the internet may be of poor quality,
adulterated, counterfeit or manufactured in countries where regulation and
compliance with accepted standards is poor," Mr Fitzgerald says.

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