Most online pharmacies are run illegally and could be selling dangerous or ineffective drugs, U.S. warns [View all]

Source: CBS News

January 9, 2025 / 2:31 PM EST


Most of the 35,000 online pharmacies around the world are operating illegally and could be selling dangerous or ineffective drugs, according to the U.S. Trade Representative's annual "notorious markets" report.

Ninety-six percent of online pharmacies were found to be in violation of the law, meaning they were operating without a license and selling medications without prescriptions. An estimated 20 new illegal pharmacy websites are created every day around the world, according to the 2024 report released Wednesday.

"The health and safety concerns posed by counterfeit medicines are particularly troubling," Trade Representative Katherine Tai said in a statement.

Over 30 online retailers were identified in the report identified as engaged in selling counterfeit products. The websites often mimic legitimate e-commerce platforms, with false claims that they are approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The report compiled also singled out 19 countries over concerns about counterfeit or pirated products.

Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/online-pharmacies-illegal-selling-ineffective-drugs/