CBC MARKETPLACE: HEALTH » BUYING DRUGS ONLINE
Flu's gold: Buying into pandemic fear
Broadcast: January 29, 2006

The golden pill at the heart of the scheme is an antiviral called Tamiflu.

This is a story about a hunt for a prescription drug that everybody wants, but nobody can get. It’s a hunt that leads us on a surprising journey into a secretive underworld, where the rules are being broken.

The chase begins in the unlikeliest of places: on a B.C. ferry. From there, we’re drawn into a mysterious journey, across borders, into a world of illegal activity where corporate head offices turn out to be post office boxes, a foreign doctor is duped by fake patient profiles and questionable pharmacies deal with bogus prescriptions – all play a role in a scheme cooked up by masterminds looking to cash in on your fear.

The golden pill at the heart of the scheme is an antiviral called Tamiflu – a prescription drug some people think could be effective in fighting the avian flu.

MORE: What is Tamiflu?

Fears about the avian flu have created a situation ripe for exploitation.

We’ve all seen the stories predicting a global bird flu pandemic. And even though no one knows how well Tamiflu would work if a pandemic were to strike, getting your hands on the drug is a bit like striking gold.

Around the world there’s a rush to get Tamiflu, but the company that makes it can’t keep up with demand so it’s limited the supply of the drug in Canada.

Many doctors are reluctant to write prescriptions for Tamiflu, they don't want people hoarding the drug.

But the restrictions on Tamiflu's supply haven't decreased the demand for the drug, resulting in a scenario ripe for exploitation. We’ve discovered a tangled web of players that are working to turn desperation into dollars.

Although there’s a shortage of Tamiflu, you can find it online.