Recently Thomas Kubic from the Partnership for Safe Medicines (PSM) posted a blog entry on why people buy counterfeit drugs and other counterfeit products. He based his commentary on a Wall Street Journal article on the same subject, discussing the underlying motivation that leads people to buy counterfeit products.

The WSJ article discussed efforts currently underway to help deter people from buying counterfeit products. The article also included a survey of people in the United States, Brazil, China, India, and Russia on why they would consider buying counterfeit products. The authors asked consumers to consider and rank five factors that may influence their decision to buy counterfeit drugs or a pirated movie - quality, cost, sentiment, ethics and ease of purchase.

Researchers received a variety of responses, especially when it came to why they would buy a fake DVD and why they would purchase counterfeit medicine. Overall, the authors found consumers would buy a fake because:

? They thought it was just as good as a legitimate product;

? They could not afford the genuine product;

? They do not like the big businesses that make the authentic products;

? They do not think it is illegal or immoral to do so; and/or,

? The products were easy to obtain.

Thomas Kubic and others at the Partnership for Safe Medicines work every day to stress the importance of consumers understanding the threat counterfeit medicines pose to the safety of our global drug supply. He states, “Consumers and policymakers should know that the public health is at risk as 1) counterfeit medicines are never safe; 2) counterfeit medicines are here; and 3) there are many assistance programs to help obtain genuine medicines.”

PSM offers a number of free resources to help consumers understand the real health and safety issues that accompany every counterfeit drug. To learn more about why counterfeit drugs are unsafe at any cost, visit www.SafeMedicines.org.

It is important that you are aware of the product before using it. This is particularly true when taking a medication as strong as Accutane. Knowing the facts will help you decide to whether or not push through with the medication.

Accutane is a form of Vitamin A. It reduces the production of oil in the skin and helps in its quicker rejuvenation. They are usually prescribed to treat severe nodular acne. This is only prescribed after all the other products have not worked. Before agreeing to the treatment, see to it that you understand the consequences thoroughly.

Women should be very careful as well because this will affect unborn children. In most cases, they are required to agree in writing that they have to take birth controls and have pregnancy tests before, during, and after the treatment. In addition, patients need to be completely honest with their doctor. The doctor should know if the patient is allergic to anything. Family health history such as heart disease, high cholesterol, bone disorders, diabetes, and other serious ailments should be discussed.

The instructions on taking the medication are very accurate that is why you have to follow it carefully. Do not take any amount greater than what is prescribed. This is very dangerous for your health and safety. You should also note that when taking this medication, there is a greater chance that your acne will worsen. If you have problems with that, make sure that you inform your doctor ahead of time so that he can think of an alternative treatment.

You might be dealing with when taking Accutane other issues. One is sun sensitivity. If you are someone who is always out in the sun, you should find away to avoid that. Regular blood tests will be conducted each month to monitor the red and white blood cells. This will also test pregnancy, cholesterol and toxic level in the liver. Speaking of the liver, it is advised to eliminate intake of the alcohol while under medication. This is because Accutane can be hard on the liver.

Moreover, any skin treatments like peeling, facials, waxing, and scrubbing is not recommended. This is because the skin under treatment is extremely sensitive.

There are certain things you should stay away from when under the accutane treatment. These are:

1. Breastfeeding a month after the treatment

2. Cosmetic procedure during the treatment and without the go signal of your doctor

3. Donating blood during the treatment and a month after the treatment

4. Driving in the dark and at night because the medication may affect your ability to see in the dark

5. Getting pregnant during the treatment and a month after it

6. Sharing Accutane with others

7. Staying under the sun

8. Taking other medications and supplements unless the doctor clears it

Taking precautionary measure will reduce problems concerning the medication. This is why you have to see to it that you understand the terms of the treatment very well.