The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy^® (NABP^®) recently issued a report emphasizing that the global distribution of counterfeit and substandard medications, fueled by illegal online sellers, demands an international response. As detailed in the Internet Drug Outlet Identification Program Progress Report for State and Federal Regulators: April 2013, NABP has partnered with regulatory authorities, industry leaders, and stakeholder groups worldwide to address the issue of rogue Internet drug sellers in order to protect the global public health. At the center of these efforts is NABP’s application – submitted with the support of a global coalition of stakeholders – to own and operate the .PHARMACY domain registry, an initiative intended to provide a safe online space for consumers around the world to order medications. 

NABP continues to review and monitor Web sites selling prescription drugs to patients in the United States and its findings are also presented in the report – of more than 10,000 Web sites analyzed, nearly 97% operate out of compliance with pharmacy laws and practice standards established in the US, and many other developed countries, to protect public health. 

The full news release is available in the newsroom of the NABP Web site.