China, which reportedly now has more Internet users than the U.S. is admitting a home-grown problem with illegal online drug sales.

China’s State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) just announced a new effort to shut down on-line drug sellers. (Source: China tightens scrutiny over illegal online drug sale)

As they say…good luck with that.

I’m sure that not all drugs at online sellers are counterfeit. However, many online pharmacies are typically just diverting drugs from one country/channel/whatever to another. And drug diversion creates openings for counterfeits to get into the hands of consumers. In fact, diversion is the entry point for every case investigated by the FDA involving counterfeit drugs going into legitimate pharmacies.

Domestic education efforts have hardly dampened U.S. consumer’s enthusiasm for buying from potentially shady sellers. In addition to the occasional FDA warning, there are reliable, industry-sponsored websites designed to educate consumers about the dangers of buying products from potentially disreputable sellers. (See the Links on the right.) Yet a Wall Street Journal-Harris Interactive survey in 2006 found that 1 out of 9 U.S. adults has ordered drugs from another country to save money, showing that some consumers just do not care very much about safety. I’m sure that a fair number of consumers also buy online so they can get a drug they shouldn’t be getting.

Maybe China will figure out how to stop their citizens from taking ludicrous risks, but the U.S. experience should not make them hopeful.