Study: Up to 77% of Viagra Bought Online is Fake

There is mounting evidence that many websites are selling fake Viagra. Dr. Irwin Goldstein conducted an experiment, purchasing Viagra from 22 different sites online. He ran tests on these medications and found 77 percent of them were fake.

The evidence mounts

It’s not just Goldstein’s study that shows problems. Last month, the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, the agency that accredits online pharmacies, said 97 percent of the more than 10,000 online sites selling prescription medications are doing so illegally.

Harmful ingredients in medications

Roger Bate, a scholar at the American Enterprise Institute and author of Phake: The Deadly World of Falsified and Substandard Medicines, says there are serious consequences to taking these fake meds.

“Most men assume that the worst that could happen with fake Viagra is that it simply won’t work,” he said. “But the opposite may be just as true, and much more dangerous – the drug can be super potent, with the potential to trigger a heart attack.”

Researchers have found printer ink, dry wall, random antibiotics and amphetamines in some of the counterfeit pills.

The problem will grow

Bates expects the problem will only get worse. “The market is huge, the chance of being caught is low and the penalties are very trivial,” he said.

While many agree more enforcement is needed, it’s not easy to regulate.

“Viagra can function like a gateway drug for smugglers,” Bate tells Forbes. “They realize they can make a lot of money, then next they start faking antibiotics and cancer drugs and other medications where it makes a life or death difference if they work or not.”

eDrugstore works to educate the public

eDrugstore.com, a trusted source of prescription medications, works to educate the public about the dangers of fake medications. The site only sells FDA approved medications and works with licensed pharmacies to ensure every consumer gets authentic medications.