Preliminary reports showed that several consumers in the U.S. had to be taken to emergency rooms for symptoms like muscle spasms, difficulty in breathing, and muscle stiffness after taking the suspect drug.
The FDA said that consumers should take a look at the FDA Web site for pertinent information before turning to the Net to buy medication.
Although the origin of the drug packages is yet to be determined, the packages were postmarked in Greece. Photos of the tablets and the packages under scrutiny can be seen at http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/news/photos/haloperid .
Several web sites where the products were bought have been named by involved consumers, but it is difficult to track down vendors - deceptive practices are prevalent among commercial outlets on the Web.
At the present time, FDA is investigating the illegitimate trade practice and will announce its findings, as it is available.
The FDA constantly reminds U.S. customers of the potential dangers of buying drugs online and guides them to the FDA Web site for more information regarding purchases at http://www.fda.gov/buyonline .
