Steroids and the Internet: Do You Know What You re Up Against?

Transcription

1 Steroids and the Internet: Do You Know What You re Up Against? Don Melrose PhD CSCS*D Associate Professor of Kinesiology TAMUCC NSCA Texas State Director 1

2 Forward This is NOT a how to guide to obtaining AAS over the Internet, far from it! This presentation will show how the Internet has changed steroid distribution and explore additional problems users face with steroid use and abuse Most steroid education thus far focuses on the effects of pharmaceutical grade steroids Why does any of this matter given what we already know about steroids? The Internet is the #1 way in which steroids are distributed world wide.* * U.S. House of Representatives. Hearing before the Committee on Government Reform, 109 th Congress, Anabolic steroids are easily purchased without a prescription and present significant challenges to law enforcement officials. Available at: The Internet does steroids 10 different ways 2

3 1. INFORMATION SITES There are countless steroid information sites Based in the U.S. and abroad, these sites provide significant amounts of steroid information (Google steroid information 22.7 million hits) Difficult to verify the efficacy of information form these websites. 3

4 2. ONLINE PHARMACIES Internet Sales Countless existing online pharmacies (Google steroid pharmacies > 35.7 million hits) Like information sites, also difficult to assess the integrity of online pharmacies 4

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6 3. ROGUE SITES AND SCAMMERS Ways we are told to identify them May look unprofessional, poor writing Credit cards may not be accepted Are no terms of use regarding legal issues Will ship anywhere No way to contact a representative Questionable or contradictory content on site Unusually low prices No shopping cart system Scam sites are well documented by federal authorities Many people/companies oversee multiple websites for the same company If proven to be or suspected of being a scam site, sites quickly develop a very unpopular following in the Internet chat rooms 6

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9 WHO reports that in over 50% of cases, medicines purchased over the Internet from illegal sites, that conceal their physical address, have been found to be counterfeit. (more on counterfeit later) World Health Organization. General information on counterfeit medicines. Available at: World Health Organization. Counterfeit medicines. Accessed at: REPORT A ROID 9

10 5. SOURCE CHECKERS Sites claim utmost drug purchasing integrity, quality, and concern for your safety (Google steroid source checkers >3.4 million hits) Offer lists of legitimate steroid suppliers Have the potential to be legit Often suspected that recommended suppliers pay for their place on a source checker site. 10

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12 6. SCAMMER LISTS Are lists of personal names, addresses, and websites which have been alleged to scam roid customers (44.8 thousand hits) Some likely are scammers, some may be legit Many selling sites have scammer lists suspected to exist only to harm competition! 12

13 7. SELF STEROID VERIFICATION Generally provided in conjunction with other types of site features They let us spot our own fake products! May require subscription or fee to view: legitimate packaging, labeling, printing, sealing, and package inserts 13

14 8. STEROID GURUS, BIBLES AND E ZINES Usually centered around a colorful individual in the industry Always claims to have the hard core, elite knowledge that few others know 14

15 2/12/09 9. STERIOD LIKE PRODUCTS Unapproved Products Marketing a steroid as a dietary supplement Steroid like products It is not uncommon to advertise the sale of steroids 15

16 According to the FDA These products may be considered; unapproved drugs mis branded drugs, or adulterated dietary supplements May include synthetic steroids Claims of one banned supplement Similar to trenbolone Binds to androgen receptor 300% better than testosterone Free from a number of dangerous side effects Claims of another banned supplement Similar to Methyl Testosterone A potent anabolic Low androgenic activity Free from a number of dangerous side effects Both products contained (respectively); 19 Norandrosta 4,9 diene 3,17 diene 17α methyl etioallocholan 2 ene 17b ol Both ingredients; Are subject to a proposed rule in the Federal Register (if not already confirmed), proposing to list them as Schedule III controlled substances 16

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18 10. MAKE YOUR OWN STEROIDS What can you make at home? (aka. bathtub method) Steroid pills Injectable steroids Using what? Raw powders to be reconstituted or made into pills Reconstitution Kits 18

19 REGARDING STEROID QUALITY, LOTS OF CONFLICTING INFORMATION BETWEEN: Internet Sources Official / Governmental Sources Research Sources The Problem: Who do you believe? 19

20 WHAT THE INTERNET SAYS Steroid source checking websites often claim that 90 95% of all gear foreign or domestic is fake. Internet sites, forums, and searches often echo this sentiment Search fake steroids WEBSITE; Independent tester of black market steroids (300 different products from 42 online pharmacies); 65% little or no active ingredient 23% contained significantly more active ingredient 12% were original or high quality drugs 0% good quality HGH 12% high quality 88% not steroids.info/black marketsteroids quality 20

21 WEBSITE; Online long term study of 1,242 steroid specimens, 941 sold by online pharmacies 17% high quality 83% not steroids.info/black market steroidsquality WHAT OFFICIAL SOURCES SAY... According to the WHO, the total scope of counterfeit ingredients and health implications of such products are unknown as no global study has been carried out. World Health Organization. Counterfeit medicines. Accessed at: COUNTERFEIT 6 CATEGORIES 1) products without active ingredients, 2) products with incorrect quantities of active ingredients, 3) products with wrong ingredients, 4) products with correct quantities of active ingredients but with fake packaging, 5) copies of an original product, and 6) products with high levels of impurities and contaminants. World Health Organization. General information on counterfeit medicines. Available at: 21

22 Governmental statistics on counterfeit drugs only include anabolic steroids within their estimates Steroids are in the top 60% of drugs reported as counterfeit. World Health Organization. General information on counterfeit medicines. Available at: World Health Organization. Counterfeit medicines. Accessed at: The WHO reports that the U.S. based Centre for Medicines in the Public Interest predicts that counterfeit drug sales will reach $75 billion globally in 2010, which is an increase of more than 90% from World Health Organization. Counterfeit medicines. Accessed at: WHAT PUBLISHED RESEARCH SAYS Study of German steroids obtained from illegal distribution channels Found that fifteen of the forty two products (35.7%) did not contain the expected ingredients (1). Musshoff et. al. (1997), Archiv für kriminologie. 35.7% unexpected ingredients 22

23 WADA laboratories Found that 53% of injectable AAS esters and 21% of the oral tablets were counterfeit. Graham et al, (2009), 1, Drug Testing Analysis. 53% injectables counterfeit 21% orals counterfeit Study of confiscated steroids (70 products) Found that 25.7% of declared ingredients differed from the actual content. Thevis et al., (2008), 32, Journal of Analytical Toxicology. 25.7% differed from declared ingredients ARE THEY LEGAL TO SEND AWAY FOR? IN THIS COUNTRY: If the drug is a controlled substance AND is being imported from a foreign country AND being shipped to anyone other than a DEA registered importer, such a transaction is a felony. RECEIVING AAS IN THE U.S. MAIL IS A FELONY 23

24 INTERNET STEROID TOP TEN LIST (TAKE AWAY POINTS) 10) The Internet is the #1 way in which illegal AAS are distributed in the U.S. 9) The Internet is also the most likely place users get their information on how to use AAS. 8) Most current AAS information does not address Internet or counterfeit AAS dangers. 7) Internet drug vendors can shut down their operations with the click of a mouse and reappear somewhere else. 6) Research, government, and the Internet sources DO NOT AGREE on how much of the available AAS supply is counterfeit 5) This is complicated by a non uniform definition of the term counterfeit worldwide. 24

25 4) There are NO consistent standards of drug quality world wide. 3) As educators, it would help our cause to say that most Internet sold AAS are contaminated with harmful substances 2) Just because relatively few Internet sold AAS contain harmful substances does not make them less dangerous or harmful Vegas odds anyone? 1) Those producing or selling drugs from countries where AAS are legal or tolerated are not worried about your health, legal, moral, or financial consequences, especially when sending it into our illegal market. You are free to leave at any time, really Questions Please? Don Melrose Questions Please? 25