FDA NEWS RELEASE
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today completed a coordinated, weeklong, international effort, called the International Internet Week of Action (IIWA), intended to curb illegal actions involving medical products.
During the effort, the FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations (OCI), in conjunction with the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research and the Office of Regulatory Affairs, Office of Enforcement, targeted 136 Web sites that appeared to be engaged in the illegal sale of unapproved or misbranded drugs to U.S. consumers. None of the Web sites are for pharmacies in the United States or Canada.
The agency issued 22 warning letters to the operators of these Web sites and notified Internet service providers and domain name registrars that the Web sites were selling products in violation of U.S. law. In many cases, because of these violations, Internet service providers and domain name registrars may have grounds to terminate the Web sites and suspend the use of domain names.
The goal of the IIWA is to protect public health by:
- increasing the public’s awareness about the dangers and risks associated with purchasing drugs and medical devices from Web sites
- identifying producers and distributors of counterfeit and illegal pharmaceutical products and medical devices
- targeting these individuals and businesses with civil or criminal action
- seizing counterfeit and illegal products and removing them from the supply chain
http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm191330.htm
Certifiedbug: March 30, 2007 Fake pharmaceuticals on-line, buyer beware
Brian Krebs, Washington Post FDA targets rogue Internet pharmacies
