Monroe, LA. – January 15, 2008 – As prescription medication prices continue to rise, more consumers are look to online pharmacies for lower prices. While ordering may be easy online, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) is warning that consumers need to check out companies before they do business with them.
“Consumers are receiving emails from Canadian Health&Care Mall, a company that claims to be located in Monroe, Louisiana,” states Amy Lawson, President of the BBB serving Northeast Louisiana. “However, the street address does not exist, the building pictured on the website is nowhere in Monroe and the same is true for the address in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada.”
In Canada only “brick-and-mortar” pharmacies are licensed to operate. Online pharmacies are either sites of “brick-and-mortar” companies, or they are illegal or fraudulent businesses.
Even more disturbing than the company giving a false address is the fact that the alleged doctors listed on their site, William Grant and Edward Armington, do not appear to have the credentials as stated. The BBB has spoken with representatives of the universities with which these men state they are associated, seeking confirmation on all the claims regarding schooling, teaching and affiliations – only to be told in each instance that the claims are false.
The BBB urges caution when buying prescription drugs using the Internet and offers these tips to consumers:
- Visit with your doctor and obtain a prescription (never buy drugs without a prescription).
- Look for a website that displays the Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites’ (VIPPS) seal of approval from the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (www.nabp.net).
- There is no such organization as the Canadian Board of Pharmacy. You can verify any Canadian pharmacy through VIPPS.
- There are no miracle cures, so beware of sites offering cure-alls or “amazing” results.
- Check out companies at www.bbb.org.