LegitScript is pleased to annouce the next stage in our collaboration with SiteJabber.com, a leading consumer protection website that helps Internet users find sites they love, and avoid fraudulent or misleading websites.

A few months ago, we launched a pilot project with SiteJabber.com, sharing our feed of legitimate pharmacy websites. That gave SiteJabber users additional information about Internet pharmacies, indicating whether we had confirmed the pharmacy’s legitimacy. From there, SiteJabber users could describe their experience with the Internet pharmacy, whether good or bad. In a few weeks, we’ll be providing SiteJabber.com a more complete list of the websites that we’ve indicated do not meet our standards, including those designated as “rogue” prescription drug websites. Likewise, directly from legitscript.com, our visitors will be able to visit sitejabber.com to view information about users’ experiences regarding all of these websites (the good and bad).

We think this partnership is a great thing for LegitScript’s users, as well as SiteJabber’s. Rogue online drug sellers often take great pains to appear legitimate, and may even provide some level of customer service, but that doesn’t mean that the drugs are safe or genuine. On our end, we know that some of the best information we can get about Internet pharmacies comes from our visitors, and SiteJabber’s users, too.

We hope that the results of LegitScript’s Internet pharmacy classifications will be helpful to Internet users wanting to make sure they find a safe online pharmacy. We’re glad to enter into this partnership to give LegitScript’s users another way to make their voices heard.

LegitScript is glad to announce our approval of petcarerx.com, an animal (veterinary) online pharmacy headquartered in New York.

As part of our approval process, we verified that petcarerx.com meets our eleven standards, which are recognized by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. Our approval process for animal pharmacies is similar, but not identical, to our process for human pharmacies.

Among the important requirements that petcarerx.com meets is to only sell FDA-approved and EPA-approved animal health products. This generally means that the drugs must come from a licensed pharmacy in the US that acquired them from a licensed wholesaler or manufacturer, as opposed to importing the drugs from outside of the US directly to the customer. As with human drugs, importing animal drugs directly to the animal’s owner from outside the US poses a risk that the drugs are expired, unapproved or even counterfeit.

Another important requirement is that the pharmacy must require what’s called a “valid Veterinary-Client-Patient-Relationship” in order to dispense prescription drugs. In other words, petcarerx.com helps protect animals by requiring a valid prescription based upon a physical exam of the animal, rather than simply engaging in a no-prescription-required structure that would ultimately put the animal at risk for receiving contra-indicated drugs.

Most of us at LegitScript have pets, so we take animal health and safety pretty seriously. Rogue Internet pharmacies can pose a danger to both humans and animals, so if you choose to use an Internet pharmacy to fill your prescriptions (or your pet’s), make sure that it is either Vet-VIPPS or LegitScript approved.

LegitScript is pleased to announce our most recently approved Internet pharmacy: 1800petmeds.com.

1800petmeds is an online pharmacy based in Florida that specializes in veterinary medications. 1800petmeds also offers an array of non-prescription pet products. 1800petmeds is licensed in all fifty states, so they can ship nationwide. Via the 1800petmeds website, pet owners may order new prescriptions, get refills, or transfer prescriptions. Of course, all orders require a valid prescription from a veterinarian, based on a valid “Veterinarian-Client-Patient-Relationship,” meaning that the prescribing veterinarian must have physically examined the animal.

LegitScript is glad to welcome 1800petmeds to our growing list of legitimate online pharmacies, including veterinary or animal health pharmacy websites.

Visitors to legitscript.com might notice that the number of Internet pharmacies listed as being in our database sharply dropped this morning, from over 61,000 to just 36,198. What’s going on; did those Internet pharmacies just disappear?

Actually, this is purely an archival function. In order to make the information in our database as relevant and helpful as possible, we did a careful search for defunct Internet pharmacies that, for all practical purposes, appear to be permanently offline and not coming back. (Actually, we shut many of these down.) We think that there are about 40,000 active Internet pharmacies at any one time (excluding quick-flash spam ones), so this is a more accurate representation of what’s out there.

However, we still have those defunct websites archived. They simply won’t appear in the auto-complete function when visitors search in our “Is it Legit?” box. Additionally, we have several thousand rogue Internet pharmacies that are “unpublished” in our database pending our review, so the total count is still pretty high.

We tried to be careful in using fairly strict criteria to determine whether a website should be archived. Most of the websites we removed meet these criteria:

• The website has not had an IP address for several months.
• The website has not had an active name server for several months.
• The website is not registered to any person or entity (it has no WhoIs), and is not sponsored by any registrar.
• The website’s domain name is not one that is likely to be picked up again and used as a rogue Internet pharmacy. For example, even with a domain name like “xanaxnoprescription.net”, it’s a tempting domain name and could easily pop back up again. However, some of the “spammy” domain names like “aboutcure.com” or even “xyyszeyssj.net” were good candidates for archival.

We’ll continue to do periodic archivals every few months. However, we will keep these domains on backup status just in case they pop back up.

Update: Within a few hours of our posting, many of these websites were shut down, following LegitScript’s notification to foreign Internet Service Providers that we had classified these websites as “rogue Internet pharmacies.”

Until now, LegitScript hasn’t typically blogged about adding rogue Internet pharmacies to our database of nearly 60,000 active or inactive rogue Internet pharmacies. One of our concerns is that by listing a rogue Internet pharmacy publicly, we might inadvertently encourage those looking for prescription drugs without a prescription to visit the rogue website.

However, we think we probably know enough about some of the websites we added to the database today to dissuade anybody from using these websites. The 134 rogue Internet pharmacies that we added to our database today are all part of a network of about 750 – 850 websites called “33 Drugs,” or “Drug Revenue.” These websites falsely imply that they are in the United Kingdom or the United States, and are each a legitimate, licensed pharmacy. However, they are not: rather, they are not licensed in the US, the UK or anywhere; are run mainly out of Russia; and sell drugs that are most accurately described as a mixture of counterfeit drugs and drugs that may have some active ingredients but are unregulated.

Why has LegitScript designated the websites below as “rogue”? Here are some of the reasons.

• The websites falsely imply that they are licensed to do business as a pharmacy where they dispense prescription drugs.
• They sell products that may not be what they are advertised as and are unsafe products.
• They do not require a prescription.
• There is no pharmacist or doctor involved. Rather, it’s just a website that sells drugs.
• The products are illegally imported into the destination country.
• The websites are usually registered with false or anonymous information.

The reasons go on, but consider this: if a website is willing to lie to you about where it’s located and whether it’s a licensed pharmacy, it’s probably willing to cut corners with your safety as well, and sell fake products, nothing at all, or completely rip you off. We strongly encourage Internet users not to use any of these websites, which constitute but a fraction of the 33 Drugs rogue Internet pharmacy network. In fact, stay away from any website using the phone number “866-33-DRUGS,” which will, by LegitScript’s definition, constitute a rogue Internet pharmacy.

Active Rogue Internet pharmacies added 01/13/10:

• 514drugs.com
• 515drugs.com
• 516drugs.com
• 517drugs.com
• 518drugs.com
• 519drugs.com
• 520drugs.com
• 521drugs.com
• 522drugs.com
• Discountmedicationsrx.com
• Diureticsdrugs.com
• Doctordrug.net
• Dr-board.com
• Drugcust.com
• Drugmedshop.com
• Drugsholder.com
• Drugsnjelly.com
• Drugstoreok.com
• Easilygetviagra.com
• Ecqmt.com
• Edspills.com
• Erectile-power.com
• Eyedropdrugs.com
• Eyedropsdrugs.com
• Farpot.com
• Farvia.net
• Formedcustomer.com
• Freeedtrialpack.com
• Generic-tab-shop.com
• Genericed.net
• Generics400.com
• Getsomepills.com
• Golddrugs.net
• Goodtablet.com
• Grandmedication.com
• Greatonlinechemist.com
• Greatpharmacy.org
• Healthmy.org
• Healthofmine.com
• Healthsellers.net
• Hotrxsale.com
• Inflammatorydrugs.com
• Largepharmacy.org
• Lexpills.com
• Luckypharma.com
• Mamcare.com
• Medandhealth.com
• Medgenericpills.com
• Medinmart.com
• Medonlineshop.org
• Meds-health.com
• Medscard.net
• Medshoping.com
• Medspal.com
• Medstore10.com
• Medtab.org
• Medytabs.com
• Merrydrugstore.com
• Merrypills.com
• Migrainesdrugs.com
• Musclerelaxersdrugs.com
• Myedpills.com
• No-prescription-drugstore.info
• Nodger.com
• Ohcool.com.au
• Oliodicarpino.com
• Online-drugstore.co.uk
• Online-healthstore.info
• Online-us-pills.com
• Onlinedrugstorebest.com
• Onlycheappills.com
• Original-doctor.com
• Originaldoctor.com
• Pharmacistgirl.com
• Pharmacy-adviser.com
• Pharmacy103.com
• Pharmacy104.com
• Pharmacy118.com
• Pharmacy119.com
• Pharmacy120.com
• Pharmacy24hs.com
• Pharmacy393.com
• Pharmacy801.com
• Pharmacy802.com
• Pharmacy803.com
• Pharmacy804.com
• Pharmacy805.com
• Pharmacyhq.net
• Pharmacylowprice.com
• Pharmacyporn.com
• Pharmacysex.com
• Pharmatsi.com
• Pharmazoria.com
• Pharmmilla.com
• Pill-and-drug.com
• Pill-or-herb.com
• Pillicious.com
• Pillretail.com
• Pills-market.net
• Pills24.org
• Pills41.com
• Pillsboom.com
• Pillsboost.com
• Pillsforcare.com
• Pillsline.com
• Pillsmafia.com
• Pillsmedstore.com
• Pilltab.net
• Pillules-online.com
• Planetpill.com
• Plus-meds.com
• Private-doctor.net
• Qualitydrugs.org
• Rxinfo.us
• Rxmarket.co.uk
• Safemedicals.com
• Search—all-pills.com
• Simplypillsforall.com
• Strongandhealth.com
• Tabforyou.com
• Takethatpill.com
• Tradepills.com
• Trustedmeds.net
• Verkkoapteekkifi.com
• Viagraonlinedot.com
• Vip-medication.com
• Web-drugs.com
• Webmedtab.com
• Womenshealthdrugs.com
• Wwwpharmacyguide.com
• Xslmeds.com
• Youbymeds.com
• Yourerectionpills.com
• Yourmedsupplier.com

As we roll into 2010, LegitScript wants to encourage Internet users to report Internet pharmacies to us that have engaged in illegal, fraudulent or sketchy behavior. In addition to the list of legitimate online pharmacies that we have verified meet our standards for legality, safety and transparency, we identify and monitor online pharmacies that violate the law and potentially harm Internet users.

If you’ve been harmed or defrauded by an Internet pharmacy, to the extent that you feel comfortable sharing that information with us, it can help make sure that other Internet users do not go through the same experience. In some cases, we can even get the websites engaged in that behavior shut down.

What are some ways that “rogue” Internet pharmacies may deceive or harm Internet users? There are several:

• The website sells you drugs that look suspicious or have no effect.
• The drugs are imported from outside of the US directly to you. This includes situations where the drug claims to be licensed in the US (or even Canada) but the drugs have packaging or labeling that indicates the true origin is elsewhere.
• The website sells drugs without requiring a prescription, or sells you prescription drugs simply based upon an online form. (This may seem like a convenience, but is potentially dangerous, since prescription drugs, by definition, require medical supervision and thus generally require an in-person medical exam at some point.)
• The website sells you generic versions of a drug when you thought you ordered a brand-name version. (This is particularly important in cases where there is no approved generic version of the drug, for example, with drugs like Cialis, Viagra, or Propecia).
• The website sends you email after email after you place an order, trying to sell you other drugs.
• Similarly, the website or its representatives call you after you place an order, not for a legitimate medical reason, but to try to get you to buy other drugs.
• The website requires you to pay a monthly “membership fee” in order to fill a prescription. (Note: This may not be illegal, but sometimes indicates deceptive or fraudulent activity.)
• You received a “spam email” that directed you to the website.
• You were charged for something you never ordered.
• Most obviously, if you ingested or otherwise used the prescription drug and had some sort of adverse reaction to it. (We recognize that this may or may not be attributable to the prescription drug, but depending upon the facts, could indicate counterfeit drugs.)

There are several other ways that shady or “rogue” online pharmacies can potentially hurt or defraud Internet users. LegitScript is here to help, and if you are comfortable sharing your experience with us, we’d love to hear about it…and hopefully prevent other Internet users from having the same experience.

LegitScript is pleased that our database of legitimate pharmacy websites is growing. Over the last few weeks, we’ve added about fifty online pharmacies that meet LegitScript standards, which are recognized by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy.

Among the websites that we’ve verified are SmartPakEquine, which is a leading supplier of veterinary medications and supplements. Along with their website focused on horses, SmartPak also operates SmartPakCanine, focused on dog medications and supplements, and SmartPakWestern, which also carries supplements and supplements.

In verifying the legitimacy of veterinary pharmacy websites, LegitScript looks to many of the same factors: Is the website supplying FDA-approved medications? Does it require a valid prescription? Is the website transparent in providing information about the dispensing pharmacy and its location? SmartPak met these criteria. Among other reasons, the websites require a valid “Veterinary-Client-Patient Relationship,” meaning that the animal must have been physically examined by the dispensing veterinarian at some point, rather than simply dispense the medications based upon an online questionnaire.

We’ll periodically blog about some of the websites that we approve as legitimate (as well as about the websites that we designate as “rogue”.)

The Food and Drug Administration announced today that it sent warning letters out regarding about 136 rogue Internet pharmacies. So far, over half of them have been shut down by the domain name registrars.

LegitScript’s review of these websites indicated that most or all are part of a network that goes by the name Rx-Commission. That network, as LegitScript told the Washington Post today, is illegal in several respects: it imports prescription drugs from outside of the United States; it sells prescription drugs without a prescription (including controlled substances, like Xanax and Ambien); and it sells unapproved generic versions of prescription drugs that are patent protected. The drugs are likely, in at least some cases, potential counterfeits.

So what’s the real news story here? It isn’t that the FDA is notifying website registrants; they’ve done that before. It also isn’t in the FDA’s notification of hosting providers (ISP), which is not new. Rather, the interesting thing is this: the FDA chose to notify domain name registrars, which, by our analysis, have shut down over half of the websites in question.

This is important precedent: historically, domain name registrars have encouraged Internet security advocates to look to the ISPs, not the registrars. But as KnujOn President Garth Bruen recently argued, it’s the registrars, not the ISPs, that can “freeze” a domain name in the long-term. The principle here is that once registrars are put on notice, they are bound to act; if they do not, they are arguably facilitating illegal activity.

At LegitScript, we’re excited about a new partnership with a great company called SiteJabber. Have you ever wanted to know what other people think about a website? Interesting in hearing about others’ experiences, both good and bad? Want to make sure that a website isn’t fraudulent, or have terrible customer service? SiteJabber.com is emerging as the premier Internet location for Internet users to rate websites, and identify those engaged in fraud or deceptive behavior.

SiteJabber’s mission is right in line with ours: reducing Internet fraud, and making the Internet a safer and better place. We’ve launched a partnership with SiteJabber where visitors to LegitScript can, from the page for a LegitScript-approved pharmacy within legitscript.com, click through to SiteJabber.com to write a review about the Internet pharmacy. Similarly, visitors to SiteJabber.com get the added benefit of seeing that an Internet pharmacy has met our standards, and SiteJabber has agreed to only designate Internet pharmacies as “legitimate” on their website if we’ve identified it as approved by LegitScript.

Part of LegitScript’s interest in this partnership is due to our recognition that just because a website is operating legally, it doesn’t mean that it has great customer service, or provides a good user experience. One of LegitScript’s standards requires that the Internet pharmacy not be engaged in fraud or operate deceptively, so the information that SiteJabber.com obtains from Internet users helps us do a better job in reviewing candidates for LegitScript approval.

There’s another dynamic, which reflects one way that we hope our partnership is helpful to SiteJabber.com, too. Some rogue Internet pharmacy networks have devoted teams of staff who visit review websites to post fake reviews, stating that a rogue Internet pharmacy is terrific. (You can see why: if a website owner is willing to sell counterfeit drugs or drugs without a prescription, they are probably willing to post fake reviews!) And indeed, a rogue Internet pharmacy may initially seem to have great, attentive customer service (they want to make the sale!), but may not be operating legally. As SiteJabber.com visitors look at reviews of Internet pharmacies, we hope that LegitScript’s classification of the website, based upon objective legitimacy standards, will be another factor that will help SiteJabber’s visitors make a decision about which Internet pharmacies are reliable and trustworthy.

If you have used a LegitScript-approved Internet pharmacy, we encourage you to click-through to SiteJabber and let other folks know about your experience, good or bad. LegitScript is excited about our collaboration with SiteJabber and hope that it provides our users with another tool to make decisions, and help keep the Internet safer and fraud-free.

The San Bernadino County Sheriff’s Department announced it arrested Michelle Blain-Dresser, who was the Pharmacist-in-Charge for Lake Arrowhead Village Pharmacy, aka villagemeds.com.

VillageMeds.com was the first rogue Internet pharmacy covered in our report about rogue Internet pharmacies participating in Yahoo’s online advertising program.

The report states:

A source close to the investigation explained that, during the search, over 55,000 pills were uncovered and seized from the location by Detective Eversole and Drug Enforcement Administration Pharmaceutical Division Investigator, Connie Carey.

The pills, identified in Sheriff’s Department records as generic Soma, were found in four large trash bags containing pill bottles prescribed to several different people around the United States. Soma is described as a muscle relaxant and medical authorities caution Soma should never be given to another person, especially someone who has a history of drug abuse or addiction.

“Every single one of the bottles found in the bags,” Detective Eversole explained, "had the label of Lake Arrowhead Village Pharmacy. The names on the bottles were for people residing in various states all over the United States.

“In addition, we located medical records for persons who did not live in the residence,” Eversole added.

The media release from the Twin Peaks Sheriff’s Station reported records found at the home revealed the pharmacy engaged in unlawful filling of controlled substance prescriptions via the Internet.

Lake Arrowhead Village Pharmacy operated one seemingly “legitimate” website, lakearrowheadvillagepharmacy.com. However, that was not the website through which illicit activity was conducted. Rather, as LegitScript and KnujOn noted in our August report on Yahoo! rogue Internet pharmacy advertisements, drugs like Soma, tramadol and fioricet were sold without a valid prescription via villagemeds.com, which relied upon its ability to advertise via Google and Yahoo to target Internet users.

Our report challenged PharmacyChecker to disclose whether they had ever approved villagemeds.com or any of its predecessors, such as medsrx1.com, for advertising on Google or Yahoo. PharmacyChecker has not provided any response, and has not disclosed whether it approved villagemeds.com or its predecessor websites.

VillageMeds.com provided contact information for Lake Arrowhead Village Pharmacy as the dispensing pharmacy. Prior to our report, we called the pharmacy to confirm that Lake Arrowhead Village Pharmacy was, indeed, the pharmacy filling prescriptions for villagemeds.com. We received an affirmative response.

NOTE: Ms. Blain-Dresser is innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.