State and Federal Regulators Continue to Combat Rogue Internet Drug Sellers, US GAO Reports

While facing the challenges of investigating and prosecuting complex, global operations, federal agencies in the United States continue to take action against Web sites illegally distributing prescription drugs to US consumers. A new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) reviews how such sites violate federal and state laws and the challenges of investigating them, as well as efforts to combat them and raise public awareness. The report highlights how federal agencies have “conducted investigations that have led to convictions, fines, and asset seizures from rogue Internet pharmacies as well as from companies that provide services to them,” indicates an official summary of the report. States generally focus efforts on licensees that fulfill orders for such rogue Internet drug sellers, reports the GAO. The report also notes efforts by NABP and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to educate consumers about the risks of ordering medications from rogue Internet sites. The full report “Internet Pharmacies: Federal Agencies and States Face Challenges Combatting Rogue Sites, Particularly Those Abroad,” (PDF) is available for download from the GAO Web site.