Canadian killed by poison pills bought on the net

Anti-anxiety drugs laced with Uranium

By John Leyden • Get more from this author

Posted in Crime, 23rd March 2007 18:26 GMT

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A 57-year-old Canadian has died a month after she consumed tainted pills bought on the net. Marcia Bergeron died of poisoning after taking drugs labelled as anti-anxiety and sedative pills, bought from a site featuring fake endorsements from medical agencies.

Analysis revealed that the pills were contaminated with traces of dangerous chemicals including uranium, strontium, selenium, aluminum, barium and boron. Vancouver Island regional coroner Rose Stanton said Bergeron suffered hair loss and vision loss in the three weeks between buying the pills and her death in late December, according to reports. It's unclear if anyone will be prosecuted over her death.

The case serves as a reminder that those purchasing pills online are taking a dangerous risk with their health. More than half (60 per cent) of spam messages flowing across the net are touting pills or medication, according to Sophos, the net security firm.

"Self-prescription can not only result in you buying medication that you don't need, but more worryingly there's no guarantee that the pills won't be just a cheap concoction of whatever minerals the sellers can get their hands on, designed for the sole purpose of earning them money," said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at Sophos. ®

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