"Taking Control of Your Medicines" is a newsletter for consumers. One of the goals of Consumer Health Information Corporation is to help consumers better understand how to manage their prescription medicines safely. Home medication errors made by patients are linked to hundreds of thousands of deaths a year and cost this country nearly $180 billion in extra medical treatment. It is our firm belief that people can only receive the full benefit of their treatments if they know how to take control of their medicines. Medicines can only work if they are taken correctly.   Dr. Dorothy L. Smith is an internationally recognized expert in patient education, patient compliance, and behavior modification programs. She has devoted her career to helping people make informed decisions about health care and use of medications. Dr. Smith is the author of 23 books and has appeared on radio and television programs across the country to increase awareness of the important role consumers play in their prescription drug therapy. In 1983, she founded Consumer Health Information Corporation, a company internationally recognized for its innovative patient information programs. The organization has produced a broad range of print and audiovisual programs that have helped millions of people learn to make wise decisions about their health and medications. The company is a teaching site for several schools of pharmacy across the United States and a member of the Board of Directors of the National Council on Patient Information and Education.   People Taking Animal Medicines In 2001, the American Association of Poison Control Centers reported 3488 cases of people being exposed to animal medicines. Almost half of these people were over the age of 19. Almost 1 out of 10 people had to be treated in a healthcare facility after taking these animal medicines. People taking potentially dangerous animal medicines are putting their health as well as the health of others at risk.

With the rising cost of prescription drugs, some Americans have turned to medicines prescribed for their pets or sold at pet stores to treat themselves and save money. They think that they can save money since they can buy prescription drugs for animals without a prescription and they don't need to pay for a doctor's visit in order to take what was prescribed for their dog or cat or that they could buy at the pet store.

When people try to cut their prescription drug costs this way, they are playing Russian roulette with their health. Medicines that you would give your cat, dog, or fish are not meant to be taken by humans and you could be putting yourself at risk by trying to take prescription drugs without a doctor's experience.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has quality assurance standards and requires animal medicines to be safe and high quality. Many companies that make animal medicines also make similar products for humans but sell them by different names.

If it is the same medicine, then is it safe for me to buy the animal medicine?

Buying medicines that are not specifically prescribed for you could be very dangerous. Many illnesses may not have definite symptoms and you may not know why you are suffering.

It is never a good idea to try to self-treat any medical problem with a prescription medicine. Your doctor needs to examine you and decide if it is safe for you to take the medicine. For example, if you have a cold, antibiotics will not help you…and could even be dangerous. Use of antibiotics for the wrong reasons may cause bacteria to become resistant. If you became sick in the future, your infection might be more difficult to treat. If you think you have an infection and decide to self-treat with an antibiotic, you are taking considerable risk. How do you know that the antibiotic will be effective if you don't have a lab test to find out which bacteria you have? Antibiotics are different and only effective against certain bacteria. How are you going to be sure that you don't take an antibiotic that could interact with other medicines you are taking?

Are you willing to take the risk that you will not have your doctor's help to monitor how you respond to the medication to make sure you are not developing a serious side effect? Buying animal medicines without knowing if it is right for you could be extremely dangerous to your health.

If I have had the medicine before, can I just look for that name in the pet store?

Drugs for animals usually have different brand names than the "people" drugs. You might have taken an antibiotic and had an allergic reaction to it. There is the danger that you could buy the same drug that you are allergic to because it is sold under a different name for animals. Some allergic reactions can be deadly and the emergency care would be more expensive than buying the prescription medicine.

In addition, you will not know if the animal medicine interacts with other medicines you are taking.

If I find the same drug name on the animal medicine bottle, is it OK to just take the medicine like the directions on the bottle say?

No! Doses for animals are very different than for humans. A hamster will need much less than you, but a horse needs more than you. Knowing the correct dose of a drug may not be easy to determine. Taking too little may not help you get better and taking too much may cause you to have side effects or other problems. A doctor is trained to determine the dose you need and will base the dose on your age, weight, medical conditions you have, etc. Depending on the medicine being prescribed, special attention may have to be given to how well your heart, liver, and kidneys are working. This is why you should never try to treat yourself.

What about medicines that my animals have had prescribed by the veterinarian? Can I take medicines that my pet does not need?

Not all animal medicines are tested in humans. People can be poisoned by the medicine if it is a drug that may cause harm in humans. These medicines may cause side effects or possible death.

Another reason that people have been poisoned is that many animal medicines are not packaged in childproof containers. Children are at high risk of swallowing anything they can put in their mouths.

Animal medicines may have similar safety and quality as human medicines. This is good for your pet, but you should never try to take medicines that are for your pet. Remember that the knowledge and experience that your doctor has is valuable when you need health advice.

Prescription drugs require a prescription from a doctor for one basic reason - YOUR SAFETY. There is no sense trying to save money on prescription drugs by taking medicines for animals. One bad experience could land you in the hospital and cost you far more money in medical care than you ever could have saved by taking drugs meant for animals. The best way to save money on prescription drugs is to learn how to take them wisely so that you can keep the number of prescription drugs to a minimum to keep your health!

(Michelle Macumber, 2002 Clerkship Student, Consumer Health Information Corporation, contributed to this article. She is a Doctor of Pharmacy candidate at Wilkes University.)

Avoid the Pitfalls of Internet Pet Pharmacies A variety of items can be purchased on the Internet. Even your pet's medicine can be bought on-line. Pet pharmacy websites promise home shopping with big savings. Many on-line pharmacies are trustworthy and may be a solution to rising pet health costs. However, it is important that the site you choose is safe and legal. Here is what to watch for with Internet veterinary pharmacies. "Alternate Veterinarian" Programs These programs have a veterinarian working for the pharmacy who writes a prescription without examining your pet to see if it is actually needed and safe for your pet to take. The law in most states requires that your pet must be examined before getting medicine. Be careful of programs that will write a prescription without first seeing your pet. Dispensing Foreign Drugs Another problem with on-line pharmacies is that they may not be selling drugs approved in the US. These products may be made or labeled differently than US products. Look closely at medicine ordered from an Internet pet pharmacy. "Caution: Federal law restricts this drug to use by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian" should be printed on the box or label. Do not use a product if it does not have this warning. Instead, tell your veterinarian so they can report this to the proper officials.

Tips on Using Internet Veterinary Pharmacies       VIPPS Seal of Approval One way to check an Internet pharmacy's reputation is to look for the VIPPS seal of approval. VIPPS stands for Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites. It is a service of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. The VIPPS web site (www.nabp.net) lists on-line pharmacies that qualify. Customer Service Look for signs of good customer service before buying off the Internet. The pharmacy should be easy to contact. The site should list an address and phone number as well as an e-mail address. You have a choice of mailing or faxing prescriptions to most Internet pharmacies. Some sites offer a prescription form to print for use by your veterinarian. Most of the pharmacies can call your veterinarian directly. Filing a Complaint Report complaints about an Internet pet pharmacy to your state Attorney General's office or Board of Pharmacy. In case of problems, always print any forms and order confirmations from the web site. Keep copies of letters or e-mails to the pharmacy. Also document any phone calls concerning your order. Working With Your Veterinarian Even though Internet pharmacies may offer cheaper prices, it is important to work with your veterinarian. Explain your wish to save money while providing care for your pet. Assure your veterinarian that your pet will still come in for regular check-ups. He will be more likely to help you get your pet's medicine from the Internet if you are honest about your reasons. After all, medicine isn't going to keep your pet healthy if you can't afford it. When ordering medicine on the Internet for your pet, check for signs that the pharmacy is safe and legal. Contact your veterinarian or your state's Board of Pharmacy if you notice anything questionable on the website or about the medicine. By maintaining a good relationship with your veterinarian and choosing a reputable Internet pharmacy, you will be able to provide good medical care for your pet. (Sherrill Brown, 2002 Clerkship Student, Consumer Health Information Corporation, contributed to this article. She is a Doctor of Pharmacy candidate at the University of Missouri - Kansas City.)

Consumer Health Information Corporation is an internationally recognized leader in the development and production of patient education programs for pharmaceutical companies, managed care organizations, and consumers. 8300 Greensboro Drive, Suite 1220 | McLean, Virginia 22102 (703) 734-0650 | Fax (703) 734-1459 To request permission to reprint any of this information, click here. If you want to sign up a colleague to receive this newsletter, please complete the request form. © 2003 Consumer Health Information Corporation. All rights reserved.