Most online pharmacies are run illegally and could sell dangerous or ineffective drugs, US warns

Most of the 35,000 online pharmacies in the world operate illegally and may be selling dangerous or ineffective drugs, according to the US Trade Representative’s annual report.”notorious markets“report.

Ninety-six percent of online pharmacies were found to be in violation of the law, meaning they were operating without a license and selling over-the-counter medications. An estimated 20 new illegal pharmacy websites are created every day around the world, according to the 2024 report published on Wednesday.

“The health and safety issues posed by counterfeit medicines are particularly concerning,” said Trade Representative Katherine Tai in a statement.

More than 30 online sellers were identified in the report identified as engaged in selling fake products. Websites often mimic legitimate e-commerce platforms, with false claims that they are approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The compiled report also identified 19 countries with concerns about counterfeit or pirated products.

Online pharmacies gained traction during the COVID-19 pandemic when demand for prescription medications was high and many patients could be confined to their homes. Meanwhile, physical pharmacies are closing its doors and across the United States, at least 7,000 pharmacies have closed since 2019, The Associated Press reportedciting data from the University of Pittsburgh.

In October, the US Drug Enforcement Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published the public safety notice on illegal pharmacy sites that sell and ship counterfeit pills to patients who believe they are buying real pharmaceutical drugs.

Last year, the FDA issued notices to several online pharmacies selling suspected fake products, demanding that the websites stop selling the products.