FDA WARNS AGAINST CERTAIN ONLINE DRUG RETAILERS

The FDA has issued a warning to consumers not to buy or use prescription drugs from several Canadian websites that are reportedly selling counterfeit drugs.

The retailers have their orders filled by Mediplan Prescription Plus Pharmacy or Mediplan Global Health, and there have been "reports of counterfeit versions of prescription drug products being sold by these companies," according to the FDA.

The agency said that preliminary lab results show that these websites are selling counterfeits of several popular prescription drugs: Lipitor, Diovan, Actonel, Nexium, Hyzaar, Ezetrol (known as Zetia in the U.S.), Crestor, Celebrex, Arimidex and Propecia.

The FDA said it generally recommends that consumers use caution when buying drugs online. Although a website may appear reputable and similar to legitimate retail pharmacy websites, many actually operate from outside the U.S. and provide unapproved drugs from unreliable sources.

For more information and a list of websites the FDA says are operated by, or have orders filled through, Mediplan, see www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2006/NEW01441.html (http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2006/NEW01441.html).