Imported Medication

Foreign Product

A client recently dropped off two empty packages of flea and tick preventive for me to look at. One had a label from our hospital and the other had a label sticker that looked like  it was written in Arabic. The client stated that a friend had given him a phone number to call and order the product that was really cheap.  He said "Look, the ingredients are the same!"   

U.S. Product

I explained that product from foreign countries doesn't have the labeling required to be sold in this country and might not even contain the product indicated.  There are reports of  counterfeit human and pet meds with very professional looking labels imported from foreign countries.  My client had never even considered this when ordering his "cheap" frontline.

The next week a client with young children at home told me "I buy my heartworm preventive from a Canadian pharmacy that doesn't require a prescription." I explained that a prescription is required to dispense these medications.  If a company doesn't contact your veterinarian for a prescription,  it should make you wonder what they are trying to  hide.  I mention the client's young kids because the heartworm preventives that we recommend also have intestinal parasite treatments in them. This reduces the risk that the dog might bring parasites into the home that could make children sick. Is it really a good idea to order medications like these from questionable sources?

Here is an example of a foreign manufactured human arthritis supplement that actually had prescription drugs in it (but not on the label): FDA Med Watch

Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.