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Buy products and
prescriptions from reputable sources. Choose a reputable pharmacy (reputable
online pharmacies will have a seal of approval from the
National Association of Boards of Pharmacy
that makes them a Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Site (VIPPS).
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Pay attention to the
appearance of the product. If it looks different from one refill to the
next, talk to your pharmacist and doctor. If you notice a different
reaction to the medication from one lot to the next, talk to your doctor. |
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If you suspect package
tampering, drug substitution, or counterfeiting, alert the
FDA MedWatch program. |
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Avoid buying prescriptions
from online pharmacies that offer to sell medications without prescriptions.
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Check with
your doctor. Before buying over-the-counter weight-loss products, check with
your doctor and do other research. Some of these products might contain
substances that have been recalled or that are otherwise dangerous to your
health. Additionally, some products might conflict with medication you're
already taking. |
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Losing weight
in a healthy way won't be quick. Be suspicious of products that promise easy
or rapid weight loss. For most of us, the safest, healthiest and most effective
way to lose weight (and maintain a healthy weight) is to eat properly and
exercise regularly. |
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Research
herbal remedies. Before ingesting herbal remedies, check with your doctor
and do other research. Some herbal remedies have been linked to health problems
such as miscarriage, infertility, blood pressure problems and inability of the
blood to clot properly. Some products might conflict with
medication you're already taking. Some herbs (such as ephedra) are even linked
to deaths. Recent studies, such as the one in the March 18, 2003, issue of the
Annals of Internal Medicine,
say that ephedra is unsafe for anyone, even at recommended levels. |
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Ignore
well-used marketing terms that contain hype without substance -- or that
don't require proof by a regulatory body. Just a few of them are these: number-one,
doctor-recommended, maximum strength, improved formula, gentle, soothing,
low-fat, dietary supplement, natural, fat-free, organic, revolutionary, safe,
nutritious, time-tested, ancient, etc. |
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Some will take
advantage of your fear. Be careful of trusting products that claim to cure
(or give relief to) serious illnesses or a wide range of illnesses. Also be wary
of products that promise a break-through treatment or ancient remedy. If there
really were a medical miracle available, it's possible but highly unlikely that
the medical world would not want to seize such an opportunity. Also remember
that simply being new, trendy and/or expensive doesn't make a product or service
the best one available. |
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Take personal
testimonials (even from celebrities you respect) with a grain of salt. Such
testimonials are hard to prove, and even if a product actually did made someone
else happy, that still doesn't mean it's right for you. |
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Watch out for
meaningless medical language or for long pages of small type. Marketers know
that most of their audience will not pick through a long page of terms they
don't understand, and so this is the best place for them to slip in something
they'd rather you didn't know. |
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Some will take
advantage of your lack of knowledge. Watch out for advertisements that
should be addressed to the medical profession -- but that are instead directed
at parents or children. (An example of this are ADHD medications, which now are
being marketed in popular parenting and women's magazines. The
U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency reportedly is
moving to limit these ads.) To us, marketing a prescription drug as though it
were aspirin (and open to parental choice) might be considered questionable. To
us, it appears those manufacturers believe it's the parents -- not the doctors
-- who decide which medication is needed. |
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Pay attention
to drug reactions. If you suddenly develop unusual symptoms, think about
which over-the-counter or prescription health products you're taking. Are there
new ones? Have you been on something for a very long time (or for a brief time)?
Have you checked with your doctor to find out if the products you're taking all
work together well or whether they might have an impact on other health issues
you have? Have you done your research about the medications you're taking? Don't
let a reaction to a drug slide, especially if it's severe or unusual. Seek medical advice promptly, and if you don't
get the help you need, consider obtaining a second opinion. |
