Consumer Resources

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In today’s global environment, it doesn’t matter if you live in United States, Europe, Asia, or Africa—everyone is at risk from unsafe drugs. Counterfeit drugs defraud consumers and deny patients therapies that can alleviate suffering and save lives. Unfortunately, in some cases, these drugs have caused great harm and fatalities.

But there are ways to minimize your risk of getting a counterfeit medicine. Take a moment to learn more about how you can protect your family from fake drugs with the tools below.

Real Dangers of Fake Drugs:
Knowledge is power, so empower yourself with information about discovered contraband and counterfeit drugs by using our SafeMeds emails and news archive. See examples of actual counterfeit drugs in Spot the Fake. Learn how to reduce your risk of receiving a counterfeit drug with the S.A.F.E. D.R.U.G. checklist and Frequently Asked Questions about Counterfeit Drugs.

How to Buy Medications Online Safely:
When it comes to prescription drugs, the Internet can be a prescription for disaster since there are thousands of Web sites that are anything but legitimate pharmacies. Learn how to find the safest online pharmacies and recognize the warning signs of a rogue online pharmacy with our tipsheet.

Ways to Safely Save Money on Prescription Drugs:
Uncover the hidden risks of importing drugs. Discover how to save money while ensuring the safety of your medications. Learn what to do if you need help paying for medicines.

Real Dangers of Fake Drugs

  • SafeMeds Tools:
    The Partnership for Safe Medicines (SafeMedicines.org) has several SafeMeds tools to help you stay up-to-date on what’s happening here in the U.S. and other parts of the world regarding drug safety.
  • Spot the Fake:
    The counterfeiters selling chalk (or worse) as if they were real drugs are very good. How good? So good that not even the experts can always tell the genuine drugs from the fake ones. See some examples of what actual counterfeit drugs look like.
  • S.A.F.E. D.R.U.G.:
    This “how-to” guide helps consumers identify and protect against counterfeit medicines by showing patients how to judge whether their medications are safe and provides tips on what to do if a drug has been compromised.

How to Buy Medications Online Safely

  • Tips for Safe Online Buying: Learn why simply searching for “lipitor online” is likely to get you a dangerous counterfeit.
  • Warning Signs:
    Just because a Web site looks good, doesn’t mean it’s legitimate. This checklist of warning signs can help you spot a rogue online drug seller.
  • VIPPS: Learn why VIPPS certified online pharmacies are the safest way to buy medicine online.

Easy Ways to Safely Save Money on Prescription Drugs

  • Importing Danger:
    Learn why once a drug is outside the strictly regulated U.S. distribution channel, there is no guarantee of its authenticity, effectiveness, or safety.
  • Safe Savings:
    If you can’t safely buy drugs from online pharmacies in Mexico, Canada, and elsewhere, how can you safely save money on your prescriptions? We have several helpful tips here.
  • PPA:
    Learn how the Partnership for Prescription Assistance (PPA) helps uninsured and financially struggling patients get access to nearly 500 healthcare and prescription assistance programs that offer medicines for free or nearly free.