USTR warns of risks from online pharmacies in its 'notorious markets' report

An annual U.S. government report on “notorious markets” known for counterfeiting and other violations of intellectual property says that nearly all 35,000 online pharmacies around the world are being run illegally. The report says of the 96% of online pharmacies found to be violating the law, many operating without a license and selling medicines without prescriptions and safety warnings. It says the websites often look like legitimate e-commerce platforms, often with false claims that they have FDA approval. The U.S. Trade Representative’s annual report on “notorious markets” also singled out 19 countries for concerns for counterfeit or pirated products and named about three dozen online retailers allegedly engaged in selling counterfeit products or other illegal activity.