3 Comments
Dr. Ken: I get a lot of e-mail spam advertising "natural enhancements" for my sexual prowess. I'm not saying I need those things, but sometimes I figure that if they were harmful someone would put them out of business. I was wondering if you think they're safe. -- Pete W., Tallahassee, Fla.

Dear Pete: Here's an important issue that hasn't gotten much serious attention beyond late-night monologues. These inbox cloggers hawk impotency cures, penis increasers, "herbal Viagra" and even low prices on best-selling medicines such as Lipitor. What concerns should you have about medicines sold this way? Plenty. Pills sold by spam can be utterly fraudulent or downright dangerous.

Many of the ads tout unregulated substances that may be devoid of any beneficial component or worse, contain contaminants (incidental or intentional) with serious potential health risks. Contaminants in unregulated medicines may include heavy metals, prescription medicines, narcotics and veterinary treatments. It's difficult to know if a legitimate pharmacist is on the other side of that e-mail offer, so be cautious.

Click here to get Dr. Ken's top five reasons you may want to reconsider "enhancing" yourself via spam offers.


If you are considering an order, remember these concerns, which apply to many (but not all companies) who sell their goods through e-mail.

1. Some online medicine sellers are not pharmacies and lack proper licensing.
2. These sites aren't capable of properly diagnosing your condition or telling you what appropriate medicines you need, or how these might interact with other medicines.
3. You may be buying medicines with old, expired or counterfeit ingredients.
4. The ingredients of these medicines might be inappropriate, illegal or even toxic.
5. Often these elixirs aren't subject to approval by the Food and Drug Administration.

For more: The Food and Drug Administration Web site.

Dr. Ken Spaeth is a Harvard-trained physician and a faculty member at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York . He is also co-author of "The Bioterrorism Sourcebook." You can e-mail him your questions at askdrken@aol.com.