Advice From Other Organizations
The following links will take you off the FDA site to places where you
can learn more about how to protect yourself when shopping for health
products online.
Verified Internet Pharmacy
Practice Sites — In 1999, the National Association of Boards of
Pharmacy (NABP) created a program called Verified Internet Pharmacy
Practice Sites or VIPPS. The program gives consumers a single place to
check out an online pharmacy to ensure that it meets current standards. To
become certified by VIPPS, an online pharmacy must meet the licensing and
inspection requirements in the state where it is located and each state to
which it dispenses pharmaceuticals. In addition, VIPPS online pharmacies
must protect a patient's right to privacy, ensure authentication and
security of prescription orders, adhere to a recognized quality assurance
policy, and provide a mechanism by which patients can get their questions
answered by a pharmacist. NABP helps the licensing boards in all 50
states, the District of Columbia, three U.S. territories, nine Canadian
provinces, and four Australian states develop, implement and enforce
uniform pharmaceutical standards that protect the public health. FDA is
working with NABP to help protect consumers from unscrupulous Internet
sites selling prescription pharmaceuticals.
The Federal Trade
Commission has created an "E-commerce and the Internet" site filled
with useful information for consumers.
Internet Fraud Watch:
The National Consumers League, a nonprofit consumer organization, has set
up the National Fraud Information Center & Internet Fraud Watch, a
Website filled with information that helps consumers protect themselves
online.