Caution when buying drugs online
In 2015, more than 1100 illegal imports of medicines were reported. Swissmedic warns against ordering medicines from dubious sources: They can endanger health.
The Swiss Agency for Therapeutic Products Swissmedic received 1,134 consignments of suspect medicines from customs offices in 2015, 7 % fewer than in the previous year. 51 % of these preparations were erectile stimulants, 15 % were sleeping pills and sedatives, and 13 % were slimming products. Illegal procurement of sleeping pills and tranquilizers increased, while imports of slimming products decreased in 2014 and 2015 compared to previous years - still about half of illegal imports are sexual enhancers.
The pharmaceutical shipments seized at Swiss customs last year were sent from 62 different countries. Two-thirds of all detained shipments came from Asian countries, of which over 40 % were from India.
Hidden narcotics
An increasing problem are wrongly or not at all declared active substances, which are dangerous to take. Capsules analyzed by Swissmedic and offered for weight loss on the website "The Diennet Institute" contained the undeclared narcotics amfepramone (appetite suppressant) and diazepam (sedative). The active ingredient amfepramone is no longer licensed in Switzerland and can cause serious cardiovascular problems, while the prolonged uncontrolled use of diazepam without medical supervision can be addictive.
Swissmedic warns against illegal online trade
Most of the drugs obtained from dubious sources on the Internet have serious quality defects. They are counterfeit, of poor quality, ineffective or incorrectly dosed and thus a great danger to health. The majority of prescription preparations are delivered without a box or package insert: Information on the correct dosage or notes on precautions and possible side effects are missing.
Swissmedic strongly advises against ordering medicines on the Internet. Those who use such offers endanger their health and risk the destruction of their goods as well as the costs of an administrative procedure. Only medicinal products from controlled sources can guarantee that the quality meets the requirements and expectations.
(Swissmedic)
