While buying medicines online might be cheaper than going to a local pharmacy in Italy, FederFarma President Annarosa Racca warned it may not be the best option.
His comments come after the EU called for Italy to do more to crackdown on the sale of counterfeit medicines, Articolo Tre reported.
“In Italy, fake medicines are not sold in pharmacies. The problem is online," Racca said in comments reported by the online newspaper, adding that products for "weight loss, sports medication and erectile dysfunction," are the most counterfeited.
The trend is worrying considering that sales of Viagra have shot up in Italy since pharmaceutical giant Pfizer's patent expired in June, paving the way for rivals to produce cheaper versions of the impotence drug.
READ MORE: Viagra sales shoot up in Italy as price slashed
Earlier this year data showed that the number of Italians struggling to buy medicine had risen by 97 percent between 2006 and 2013, suggesting that some people may be looking online for cheaper options.
READ MORE: Italians 'can’t afford' medicine due to crisis
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