Panel 2: Libby Baney, Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacies

Libby Baney, advisor for the Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacies, spoke as part of Panel 2, “Combating Drug Counterfeiting & Sales.” She moved the crowd in her opening statement with a personal story of her sister’s encounter with counterfeit drugs.

Libby Baney, advisor for the Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacies, spoke as part of Panel 2, "Combating Drug Counterfeiting & Sales."  

The mission of ASOP is to make sure that the medicine you purchase online is the same as when you purchase it from a brick and mortar pharmacy, said Baney.  

89,000 identified online drug sellers, but only about 300 of them are legitimate. 

There are any where from 60,000 to 90,000 active online drug sellers, and NABP says that 96% are illegal – NOT in compliance in with US laws.  NABP is the expert organization for legitimate medication.  

How do you know what an illegal online drug seller is?  

1. No prescription required. Prescription drug abuse increase and no medical supervision by doctor or pharmacist.  

2. Unregulated or unapproved prescription drugs available.  Counterfeit, adulterated, expired and substandard meds are available which may be dangerous and ineffective.

3. Lack of valid/required pharmacy licenses. Not really a pharmacy, it could just be a warehouse or a basement.

Patients are at risk:  

1 in 6 Americans by medication online without a valid prescription (36 million people).

Between 50 and 90% of all medicines bough on the internet may be counterfeit.

A study estimates that 90% of all medications sold online worldwide may be counterfeit.

When consumers buy medications online from an illegitmate soure, they can suffer from inappropriate dosing, lack of monitoring for side effects, and intentional abuse of prescription drugs.  

Patients are lured to these locations with internet searches, email spam, and social network sites.  

What can be done?  We need better state laws and regulations, as well as federal laws and regulations. There is no one single law that addresses online sales of non-controlled prescription medications.

New legislation – Senator Feinstein is working on legislation to establish a registry of all legitimate online pharmacy websites.  

Baney's presentation will be available online later.