On May 1, 2006, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a consumer warning about 24 websites that may be involved in the distribution of counterfeit prescription drugs. The FDA noted three recent reports from consumers who purchased capsules advertised as Xenical, a weight-loss drug manufactured by Hoffman-La Roche (Roche), Inc., that did not contain orlistat, the active ingredient in Xenical. Samples of drug product ordered from the websites were found to contain only talc and starch, despite displaying a valid Roche lot number.

The two websites involved in the three counterfeit Xenical reports were identified by Roche as:

• Brandpills.com, and
• Pillspharm.com

Investigation by the FDA revealed that both of the websites are part of a home page at pharmacycall365.com that has previously been identified by the FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations. Pharmacycall365.com has been linked by the FDA to the distribution of counterfeit Tamiflu and counterfeit Cialis.

The FDA warns consumers that these websites appear to be operated by a company or companies outside of the United States and cautions that consumers should be wary of purchasing drugs from any website if the following conditions exist:

• There is no way to contact the website pharmacy by phone;
• Prices are dramatically lower than competitors; or
• If no prescription from your doctor is required.

The FDA identified the following websites as being linked to sales of counterfeit drugs:

• AllPills.net
• Pharmacy-4U.net
• DirectMedsMall.com
• Brandpills.com
• Emediline.com
• RX-ed.com
• RXePharm.com
• Pharmacea.org
• PillsPharm.com
• MensHealthDrugs.net
• BigXplus.net
• MediClub.md
• InterTab.de
• Pillenpharm.com
• Bigger-X.com
• PillsLand.com
• EZMEDZ.com
• UnitedMedicals.com
• Best-Medz.com
• USAPillsrx.net
• USAMedz.com
• BluePills-Rx.com
• Genericpharmacy.us
• I-Kusuri.jp

Consumers are advised to use caution before ordering product from these websites. The above websites are not endorsed by ProductsThatHurt.com.

Source: U.S. Food and Drug Adminstration Release #P07-76, May 1, 2007.