I would stay away from them. There was a program on 20/20 (I think) that checked drugs from foreign countries and all were inferior to US meds. Some were just filled with talcum powder and many were expired.

Have you checked mail order pharmacies? They are generally lower in cost. Talk to your doctors office or insurance company for referrals, they should have some. And some drug companies offer discounts also.

One of my providers went nutso when I told him that I had purchased something online (I did not know the source until it arrived - China). Another provider gave me a prescription for the same product and told me not to use my insurance. I did as she said and paid $4.00 for a 30 day supply. The online stuff was $90+ for a 90 day supply. They look identical and the results are the same. Who would have guessed!
Years ago, when I was in Mexico, I purchased a diuretic and it worked almost too good! No prescription needed. Same with antibiotics, no prescription. Recently, not as easy to obtain.

I subscribe to FDA notices regarding drugs....as well as governmental notices regarding food stuffs. Neither are fail safe systems but I can tell you from the number of notices that come to my mailbox that our government is trying. I received a notice this morning reporting a warning about an unsafe drug from India. I get regular [often daily] notices of updated manufacturer/label drug information....OTC as well as prescriptive. And I'm always the first to know about a food product being pulled from shelves.

It's not a perfect system but reading all the government internal reports and seeing almost first hand how hard they trying to get control of this issue gives me a more trusting attitude these days. I started this process when my late husband was so ill...and when I saw what hospitals do...and don't do when they should do. To say that I was shocked is putting it mildly. Now...eight years later...much has improved...including hospital protocol. It takes our input to move this process along. We...John Q public...cannot sit back and criticize without actually sticking our two cents in with our representatives. Report...report...report when you see something wrong at a health care facility....when you have a bad reaction to a drug...when you experience a less than acceptable attitude from a clinician or any medico. The squeaky wheel...in this particular field...does get attention and it's not measured by the size of your complaint.

I read so many posts here of people who are dissatisfied with a product or a doctor. Don't just post about it here...go to your representatives...local or federal...and make a stink. A BIG one...until you get a reply. Without your input...these representatives can't do the best job for you. You voted them in. Now use them. Do the same with medical boards and manufacturers.

[dragging soap box back to its corner]

There are counterfeit meds, and those who put garbage in capsules. There are also multinational pharmaceutical companies that sell the same exact drug for less, depending on where it is sold.

I think information is always worthwhile, then you decide for yourself what you want to do. I don't have a problem with those who make their decision, knowing the choices.

Those who make a decision not knowing choices may face some risk. Those who let others make their decisions and who avoid any information about choices, well, they, as everyone else, reap what they sow.

TOTALLY by chance, I ran across this article right after writing this post. Who CAN you trust?

Farid Fata

I was told by both doctor and pharmacist not to buy medicines from China, don't know about anything else or if those countries get from china. We had a lady locally that ordered medicines from the internet on line and her friend said no but she did and she was found dead from taking them. Just know you are taking a huge risk, make sure people know you have taken them and so they know what to look for if something does happen.

kathy

Snidley, clarify for me if you will before I procede. Are you saying the generic drugs (made in America) are bad? Or are you using it as an example of All-American Cheap leading to problems? Or something else?

Lucille, what a terrible doctor--no, a terrible person!

Cynic, my comment related to what the first post described. Products made in third world countries outselling products made domestically solely because of a lower price. Big buyers (the retailers and distributors) taking few or no steps to ensure quality comparability and the US Government is inept in banning tainted and substandard imports.

It's a terrible situation that we can't have confidence in drugs that are allowed to be sold in the US. Consumers assuming that their well-being is being protected by stringent standards that in fact don't exist or aren't enforced. So yes, "Cheap leading to problems", but these issues are more nuanced.

Also a terrible situation that drug prices are what they are in the US. Another case of the government being ineffective in regulating prices. It's easy-enough done, many of the very same drugs people have to strain to pay for here (not the special ones like chemo or special purpose treatments but just the very popular ones that so many use) are much less expensive abroad. It shouldn't be like that.

I'm biting my tongue, Snidely, in keeping politics out of this discussion. :)

Hmm, I didn't intend my comment to be political at all. More like complaining about a Roads Department not filling potholes or the TSA doing a poor job of screening. Agencies will always say they're underfunded and the legislatures will say they have enough. One of the two will always be wrong and know it but the situations will persist.