POLICE ASSOCIATION OF NOVA SCOTIA 133 If you buy drugs online, you may be putting your health at serious risk. This is especially true if you order prescription drugs without being examined in person by a health care practitioner. A simple Internet search will turn up hundreds of Web sites that sell drugs. Some Internet pharmacies are legitimate, but many offer products and services that are dangerous. Some sell drugs that are not approved for use in Canada because of safety concerns. Some take advantage of people desperate for relief by offering "miracle cures" for serious illnesses like c ancer. Many offer prescription drugs based on answers to an on-line questionnaire. These sites tell you they will save you the "embarrassment" of talking to your doctor about certain prescription drugs, such as Viagra, or drugs to prevent hair loss, or promote weight loss. What they do not tell you is that it is dangerous to take a prescription drug without being examined in person and monitored by a health care practitioner to make sure the drug is helping you. Buying drugs from Internet pharmacies that do not provide a street address and telephone number may pose serious health risks. You have no way of knowing where these companies are located, where they get their drugs, what is in their drugs, or how to reach them if there is a problem. If you order from these sites, you may get counterfeit drugs with no active ingredients, drugs with the wrong ingredients, drugs with dangerous additives, or drugs past their expiry date. Even if these drugs do not harm you directly or immediately, your condition may get worse without effective treatment. If you order prescription drugs without being examined and monitored by a health care practitioner, you may be misdiagnosed, and miss the opportunity to get an appropriate treatment that would help you. You may also put yourself at risk for drug interactions, or harmful side effects that a qualified health professional could better foresee. Buying drugs on the Internet may also pose financial risks. In some cases, the product may not be shipped at all, or if it is coming from another country, it could be stopped at the border by Canadian authorities. A number of pharmacies in Canada have legitimate Web sites that offer a limited range of products and services, including information for consumers, and shopping for certain items. The practice of pharmacy in Canada is regulated by the provinces, and any licensed pharmacy that offers Internet services must meet the standards of practice within its own province. If you have questions about whether an Internet pharmacy is legitimate, contact the licensing body in your province or territory. Minimizing Your Risk Do not take any prescription drug that has not been prescribed for you by a health care practitioner who has examined you in person. Do tell your doctor and pharmacist about all of the health products you take, including vitamin and natural health products, as well as prescription and over-the-counter drugs. They need this information to assess and advise you about potential side effects and drug interactions. If you decide to order drugs online: Do not do business with a Web site that: • refuses to give you a street address, telephone number, and a way of contacting a pharmacist • offers prescription drugs without a prescription, or offers to issue a prescription based on answers to an on-line questionnaire • claims to have a "miracle cure" for any serious condition • sells products that do not have a DIN (see below) issued by Health Canada Do make sure you are dealing with a Canadian-based Web site that is linked to a "bricks and mortar" pharmacy that meets the regulatory requirements in your province/territory. Finally, if you have a question or complaint about therapeutic drug products purchased online, call Health Canada's toll-free hotline: 1-800-267-9675 www.hc.sc.gc.ca Buying Drugs over the Internet
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