Malay Mail : 5 December 2006�

WHEN it comes to health, never take a risk.

The price may be cheap but consumers should be aware that drugs offered via e-mail could pose other health problems.

�It�s dangerous,� said Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations president N. Marimuthu

�We are talking about quality and safety. To me it�s simple. If you need prescription drugs, go to a doctor, relate your problems and get your medicine,� he said.

Marimuthu reminded consumers to be careful and not to be easily influenced by what was offered.

�They must think that this is about life. They cannot simply buy the drugs they want from the Internet. These are the imported products which didn�t go through proper approvals from our Government.

�If something goes wrong, who do you go to?� he asked.

National Consumer Complaints Centre director Darshan Singh offered the same advice.

�Ignore it. I also received hundreds of such e-mail until I became fed up.

�But I will not buy them because we don�t even know the authenticity of the products.

�If anything happens ... if you got sick, you�re not protected since some of the products do not even have manufacturer�s name or logo. You can�t ask for compensation or replacement too,� he said.

Darshan said consumers should buy medicine from registered doctors or pharmacies.

�To me, prevention is better than cure. Why buy medicine from a source whom we can�t verify? It�s as simple as that,� he said.

Darshan said so far, he had not received complaints on the on-line medicine.

�We only received enquiries about the products,� he said.