TRENTON, N.J. — The Food and Drug Administration is stepping up its fight against counterfeit and other potentially harmful medicine sold over the Internet. The agency is ordering operators of about 4,100 websites to immediately stop selling unapproved medications to US consumers.
The move is part of a weeklong global crackdown by regulatory bodies and law enforcement on websites selling counterfeit, substandard, and unapproved medicines.
It also follows the FDA’s launch last Friday of a campaign to warn consumers that the vast majority of online pharmacies do not follow laws or industry standards. The campaign includes a website, www.fda.gov/BeSafeRx, with consumer information.
The FDA has sent warning letters to three companies behind most of the 4,100 websites it identified as illegally selling potentially dangerous, unapproved drugs. It has also seized some illegal medicines, filed civil and criminal charges against companies and individuals, and contacted Internet registrars and service providers, asking them to suspend the 4,100 websites.