20 - North Shore News — Sunday, June 18, 2000 THE Better Business Bureau of Mainland B. C. warns consumers that ordering prescrip- tion drugs through foreign mail-order houses is not only ille- gal, but can also be dangerous to your health. Better Business Bureau (BBB) general =manager Valerie MacLean suggests people become aware before placing an order for prescrip- tion drugs abroad. Prescription mail-order potter ee PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT ! HEALTH Buying mail-order prescription drugs is illegal houses, focated in other countries, are enticing con- sumers to purchase patented prescription drug products through advertisements. in popular magazines or on the Internet. According to these ads, consumers can use a credit card to order medications online or by a toll-free tele- phone call. The medications are often at greatly reduced prices and apparently with- out a doctor’s prescription. The quality of “foreign versions” of prescription drugs is often unknown. In too many case the drugs are counterfeits, that is, lacking any real similarity to the approved drug, according to the BBB. Directions tor appropriate use of the product are often inadequate or incorrect. The ease with which these unap- proved and sometimes potent mail-order drugs can be obtained, frequently with- out a doctor’s examination or prescription, raises serious concerns about self-medica- tion without the guidance of a ficensed practitioner, according to the BBB. Health Canada advises against. purchasing medica- tions from Web sites or mail- order houses located outside of Canada because of the potential for severe adverse health consequences that can result from the improper use of prescription drugs. Generally it will be illegal to import the drugs bought from these locations, accord- ing to the BBB. Anyone with questions about the importa- tion of drug products for personal use should contact Health Canada. The BBB warns that the time to question bargain pharmaceutical deais from abread is before making the purchase. There is very little the federal government or the BBB can do if a person purchases medications or prescription drugs from a foreign-based business and suffer medical or financial harm. The BBB is a non-profit preventative reporting agency. {BUY 1 GET1 FREE; pants | Extra weight can keep you down In a survey of 1,981 men aged 5] to 88, 34% reported mod- crate to severe ED. These men also were more likely to be older, have high blood pressure and to weigh more than their study counterparts, according te press release from Pfizer Canada Inc.' Pfizer Canada is an aftitate of Ptizer Inc. which is a multina- ; tional United States based pharmaceutical company. According to the survey, men with a waistline measuring 42 inches (109 cm) were nearly twice as likely to suffer from ED compared with men whose girth measured 32 inches (81 cm). The data also showed that men who were inactive. were morc likely to suffer from ED than men who exercised at least 30 minutes per day. “Even though ED affects an estimated 30 million=: American men, litde research has been done about how modifiable lifestyle factors may contribute to the cendi- tion,” said Dr. Eric Rimm, of Harvard School of Public : Health in Boston. ue “This study indicates that ED may be correlated with ; lifestyle factors, supporting the idea once again of how important adeauate exercise and a healthy diet are to over- all good health,” said Rimm. 5 _“The good news is that these are modifiable risk factors . and there are treatments available for ED that can be effec: - tive or even in men who are struggling with their weight,” -he : added. The study, which was conducted in the United States as . a survey in 1998 among a subset of 50,000 men enrolled in - the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, was funded Ey the National Cancer Institute, the Nation Heart Lung an Blood Institute, and the American Cancer Society. The | sentation ¢ of these results was funded i in part by a grant Pfizer In According to the Heart and ‘Stroke Foundation of Canada, approximately 59% of Canadian men between the ages of 15 and 68 are considered overweight (body mass index of 25.0 or higher). Body Mass Index (BMI) is Yale lated as weight in kilograms divided by. the ne ‘of th height i in metres (kg /m2). BMI correlates high! y with bady MEN with large waistlines are more likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction (ED) than those of slim- mer girth, according to new data presented May 2 at the annual meeting of the American Urological Association. Gm oo eo : 925-0102 Park Royal South * 8am to 10pm ¢ 7 days a week De em no a Your Complete Mechanical & Service § Summer is almost here, so put your mind “at ease with our Special Offers ‘LUBE, Oil, FILTER. . Check alt ih levels and correct necessary cludes ohé s filter . , & Some Super: Service. lates, a snc, ae 3 ‘cheek exhaust 94g Tay see men like this in my practice quite often and ani Sn ar encouraged to see this data confirms my observations,”; said: sentence aA efoto ee of ae Dr. Geraid Brock, associate professor, urology < divis ; : ne ; s University of Western Ontario. : “This type of data provides physicians with more proo! with which to counsel patients to lose weight, in order improve their overall health, while at the same time recei ing effective ED treatment for those affected,” he adde: In addition, an expert group convened by-t the. We Health Organization in June 1997 found that overweight! and obesity represent a rapidly growing threat to the heal of populations in an increasing number of countries work wide, including both developing and developed < Plizer Inc. is a research-based global pharr company producing products for humans and:anim: company reported revenues of more than $16 billion 1999 and spent more than $3.2 billion on “research’ and development. Pfizer Canada Inc. employs more than’ 1,1 Persons across Canada and is headquart d in, Kirklan Quebec. ia stem Service , ‘and hoses. a a ‘ §$ ge axes exten (esest cars & tight trecks} Alignment’ . ja the Satest 611 Hunter alignment machiog providing 8 compuier generated before & after report’ Four wheel oe * alt, igament .. — photo Julie Iverson. Walk for a good cause LIENA Allan with children Kate and Megan took part in the June 11 Walk the World awareness walk for Schizophrenia along West Vancouver's sea wail. 183 Barbet i, TALKING 195 Gere. awe Sno, CAMPS a7 Half or Full Day Activities in