WASHINGTON – From clothing to groceries, online shopping has changed the way we do business. However, a new report from the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) encourages Americans to think twice before buying prescriptions online.
“Among the estimated 35,000 online pharmacies operating worldwide, a staggering 96 percent operate in violation of the law,” the USTR Notorious Markets report reads.
These illegal pharmacies often lack proper licensing and operate outside regulatory systems, making it nearly impossible to ensure the safety and quality of their products. The USTR warns that counterfeit medications from these sources may contain harmful substances, incorrect doses, or no active ingredients at all—posing serious health risks. Both the FDA and the Drug Enforcement Administration have issued similar warnings.
Around 20 new illicit pharmacy websites are created every day, according to statistics from the Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacies.
“These websites may look legitimate, purportedly offering brand-name drugs at discounted prices, but they bypass regulations designed to protect consumers by operating without a license, selling medications without prescriptions, without safety warnings, and without proper oversight of the drugs being distributed,” the report reads.
The USTR says the best way to spot an illicit pharmacy is that they don’t require proof of a valid prescription.
The report also highlights broader risks, such as the importation of counterfeit drug ingredients, including fentanyl from China. Many of these unregulated online pharmacies are based outside the United States.
Additionally, the Notorious Markets report pinpointed several sites that sell counterfeit goods, including Pinduoduo and Douyin Mall, a Chinese online platform owned by Tiktok owner ByteDance.