Tuscaloosa, Alabama (Wiatt) – The Drug Enforcement Administration, Food and Drug Administration, and Centers for Disease Control are warning consumers about the risks of fentanyl and other chemicals in online prescription drugs.
“We have found this to be the greatest threat to every American community across the country,” said DEA Special Agent Stephen Hofer.
Through a DEA-led investigation and operation in 2023; 80 million fake pills seized It’s spreading all over the country, Hofer said.
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“Seven out of 10 people, or 70 percent, had potentially lethal amounts of fentanyl in their systems,” Hofter said.
The DEA investigation also found that many counterfeit pills were manufactured in Mexico and smuggled into the United States.
“There are two Mexican cartels that are responsible for the majority of these pills, the counterfeit pills,” Hofer said.
The DEA has discovered that Jalisco New Generation and the Sinaloa Cartel are major players in the counterfeit drug organization. Cartels form drugs into pill form or leave them in powder form before crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. If a counterfeit drug makes it through border checks, Hofer said, the pills are shipped across the United States and then put through pill presses.
“They can produce as many tablets as the amount of precursor chemicals they can buy,” Hofer said.
Once these fake drugs pass as genuine prescription drugs, they are promoted and sold online.
“People are just concerned about cost, price and revenue. Well, if you can get around the safeguards that are in place, you get what you pay for,” said Tuscaloosa pharmacist Brian Sweat.
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According to the Food and Drug Administration, counterfeit prescription drugs typically cost less than what you would pay at your local pharmacy.
Swett said while people are saving money, there are big benefits to picking up prescriptions in person rather than online, even if the provider is a legitimate company.
“People know who you are, they know your background, they know what you photograph, they know your history, but obviously they don’t get that online,” Sweat said. spoke.
For people who have a current medical condition, such as high blood pressure, or who are already taking medications prescribed by their doctor, pharmacists can educate them about the risks and alternative medications that may be more effective or appropriate for their current health condition, Sweat says. he said.
But when you order online, “when you have questions, you don’t have anyone to ask,” Sweat says.
To purchase your prescription online, FDA offers the following tips:
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Make sure the site requires a prescription and that a pharmacist is available to answer questions.
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Purchase only from licensed pharmacies located in the United States. BeSafeRx: Learn about online pharmacies Find detailed information on finding safe and legal online pharmacies.
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Do not provide personal information, such as credit card numbers, unless you are confident that the site will protect your personal information.
DEA laboratory testing shows 5 out of 10 2024 pills contain potentially lethal amounts of fentanyl. Hofer said 2 milligrams is considered a lethal dose.
Hydrocodone and Xanax are the most common drugs purchased online that are laced with fentanyl. But it’s not limited to these two drugs, there are other drugs being sold online in an attempt to pass as the real thing.
The FDA discovered “counterfeit Ozempic (semaglutide) injection 1 milligram (mg) in the legitimate U.S. drug supply chain.” According to the agency’s website.
“We’re seeing more and more patients complaining about these medications that they think are safe and effective, but actually aren’t,” said Megan Heath, DCH emergency room pharmacist.
Doctors and nurses at DCH in Tuscaloosa are seeing more patients purchasing Ozempic and other controlled substances “on the street or online” and presenting to the emergency room with infections and other health complications.
“You absolutely cannot buy legitimate prescription drugs online or on social media,” Hofer said.
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