Viagra's maker plans to get it up against online pharmacies selling fake or illegal generic versions of the famous, ahem, erectile dysfunction remedy.
Pfizer announced Aug. 3 they would take legal action against dozens of the e-pharmacies – a number of which the company is suing already – as well as work with law enforcement to block the sales. They're also launching a public awareness ad campaign and online resource to help consumers learn to duck the illegitimate sites and sales and buy the real thing online safely – not to mention help cut back on Viagra spam.
The e-pharmacies in question, Pfizer said, promote Viagra, but send buyers counterfeits, as well as promoting "generic Viagra," which the company said is technically impossible because there is no Food and Drug Administration-approved generic version of the drug yet. Viagra has long enough been a popular lure for spammers.
A recent survey cited by Pfizer said 20 percent of 676 35-and-older men who responded to the poll said they bought erectile dysfunction medication online, with two-thirds of them not checking to see whether the Web source was legitimate – and only 38 percent thinking it's critical to have a doctor's prescription to buy Viagra.
"Pfizer is taking these steps to help raise consumer awareness about the problems posed by illegitimate online 'pharmacies' and to directly address the source of these problems," said Pfizer executive vice president and general counsel Jeff Kindler, in a statement about the legal actions. "We want it clearly known that Pfizer does not send or support the sending of spam, which comes from Websites that illegally use the Viagra name to promote and market unapproved ED products that may contain ingredients that either do not provide optimal efficacy or may pose health risks."
Pfizer said it's working with government agencies like the Justice Department, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the FBI, and the Food and Drug Administration to prosecute Viagra counterfeiters and get the illegal versions of the drug off the market.
"It's often difficult for consumers to distinguish between legitimate and illegitimate Internet 'pharmacies,'" said FBI Financial Crimes Section chief Brian Lamkin about the Pfizer action. "These Websites are cleverly designed to defraud consumers and sell drugs that are not approved by the U.S. FDA
