Counterfeit medications can be deadly. Many fake drugs contain too little, too much, or the wrong medicine, and may contain dangerous ingredients such as rat poison.
Find Safe, Affordable Medications Online
| Counterfeit Medications | How to stay safe when buying online |
| Recommended Internet Pharmacies |   |
| Not Recommended Sites | Check which sites to avoid |
| Pharmahelper | Find Safe Medicines, Compare Online Prices |
Find Drug Disposal Events & Safety Information
| Local Programs & Events | Find local programs by clicking on a state under Get Local |
| DEA National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day | Saturday, April 28, 2012 |
| Prescription Drug Misuse & Abuse | Find out about trends and prevention |
| Safety Tips – Use Medicines Safely | Learn important tips for children and seniors |
AWARxE News
Pharmacist Faces Federal Charges Related to Illegal Distribution Scheme
February 2, 2012Fake Drugs Top List of Items Seized by US Customs that Threaten Consumer Safety
February 2, 2012DEA to Hold Fourth National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day April 28, 2012
January 20, 2012‘Monitoring the Future Survey’ Shows Varied Results in Progress on Fighting Teen Prescription Drug Abuse
January 12, 2012Liquid Acetaminophen Product Dose for Infants Should be Checked for Accuracy, FDA Advises
January 10, 2012 More AWARxE News »
Does a Drug Dealer Lurk in Your Medicine Cabinet?
Become AWARxE!
“Prescription” Does Not Mean the Drugs are Safe For Everyone!
Many teens believe that taking prescription drugs to get high is safer than using street drugs. Be AWARxE! Prescription drugs are dangerous when they are not used correctly as directed by a doctor.
- One in five teens have taken a prescription drug that was not theirs to get high or to deal with problems.
- Teens are abusing pain pills (Vicodin®, OxyContin®), stimulants (Ritalin®, Adderall®), and tranquilizers (Xanax®, Valium®).
- Teens take these drugs right out of the medicine cabinet – at home, at a friend’s house, or when visiting family.
- 5.2 million people, including kids ages 12 and older, said they had abused prescription pain relievers, as reported in a 2007 survey.
- More people are visiting the emergency room because they misused prescription pain medication. From 2004 to 2009, emergency room visits due to misusing narcotic pain pills increased by almost 100%.
Be AWARxE! Prescription medications should only be used when your doctor prescribes them for you. Follow your doctor’s directions when taking prescription medications – make sure to take the correct amount of medication each day. Ask your doctor or pharmacist when you have questions taking drugs that are prescribed for you.
Learn How to Protect Yourself, Family, and Friends.
How can misusing the drug products in your medicine cabinet harm you, your family, or your friends? Medications can provide great health benefits when used as the doctor ordered, but there are big risks when they are abused or not taken as directed. Click on Get Informed to find facts about the dangers of misusing or abusing prescription and over-the-counter drugs.
Illegal Prescription Drugs Were Deadly for Justin Pearson – Read Justin’s Story
Justin Pearson, a resident of St Cloud, MN, died tragically at age 24 because of a prescription drug overdose. Justin died on December 25, 2006, after taking a mix of prescription drugs which he ordered from an illegal Web site. Web sites like these are illegal and sell prescription drugs without requiring prescriptions from the doctor. In Justin’s case, he was able to easily order drugs from an illegal Web site and the drugs were mailed to him. Taking the drugs without a doctor’s prescription, and mixing a high dose of different prescription drugs led to Justin’s death.
Justin Pearson’s story was the inspiration for the AWARxE campaign. For more information, please visit Justin’s Web page at jvp1.com.
Get informed and learn how to prevent more stories like Justin’s. Read more about Not Recommended Web Sites and VIPPS Recommended Internet Pharmacies from NABP.
