It is common knowledge that web drugstores are spreading. Anywhere you go on the Internet, you'll find ad banners of various Internet pharmacies left and right. It has also become common knowledge that there are counterfeit prescription drugs sold online by rogue web drugstores.

But a new study done in Ireland is showing that because of the increasing sales of fake medications over the Internet, a major crisis may be at hand. A crisis that may well affect the health of anybody who uses medicine, which is basically everybody.

The study, done by the Irish Patient's Association (IPA) in Dublin, Ireland, took a look at the worldwide trend of online sales and purchase of both prescription and over-the-counter medicine. And according to the study, drugs commonly marketed through the net, like Prozac, could be cheap knock-offs which may offer little to no relief to the person taking it. It may even be a big risk to public health.

With the public knowing so little about the dangers of online drugs purchase, the counterfeit drug manufacturers and sellers are making more money that the actual drug makers. It is because of this financial hemorrhaging that many pharmaceutical companies lack the sufficient funds required to look for better and more effective drugs.

Consumers need to understand that legitimate pharmaceuticals not only helps the health of the individual taking the medication, but it also helps the economy. Patronizing counterfeit medicine can gravely affect both. The study recommends various strategies to deal with the problem of counterfeit drugs, one of which is to create and impose new laws directed to penalizing people and organizations associated with counterfeit drug trade.

A great way to ensure that people are protected is to set-up a media campaign to promote awareness to consumers, giving accurate information regarding the subject of counterfeit drugs, says the IPA. Consumers can also take part by reporting any medications they think are counterfeit to the proper authorities for prompt action.

Everybody needs to work together to be able to deal with this global crisis which is counterfeit drugstores online.