LAST week, health officials revealed that two people showed up at a hospital, their hearts racing and their minds trapped in wild hallucinations.

While they eventually recovered, the patients, a man and a woman in their 20s, could have died.

They had fallen victim to a slimming drug, billed as Relacore, they bought over the Internet.

Their experience should be a wake-up call for Singaporeans who go online to buy drugs, said experts.

Eight in 10 Singaporeans have tried shopping over the Internet, according to a Nielsen Global Online survey carried out this year, and a spokesman for the company said, although the survey did not touch on this, many could buy things like health supplements and slimming products.

But while pharmacists who spoke to The Straits Times said some fake drugs are harmless, others contain ingredients found in prescription drugs.

Ms Chan Cheng Leng, assistant director of pharmacovigilance at the Health Sciences Authority (HSA), warned that taking drugs bought online could lead to all kinds of side effects because 'you really don't know what you're buying'.

Citing the recent Relacore case, Ms Chan said the pills contained a prescription drug called sibutramine, which suppresses appetite and is used to treat obesity.

Side effects from the drug include chest pain, fast or irregular heartbeat, arm or leg swelling, and vision changes.

'Users of Relacore were instructed to take two pills daily, and this amounted to 24mg - much higher than the recommended maximum dose of 15mg a day for obese patients,' she said.

Still, some Singaporeans ignore the dangers and shop online for drugs. They are lured by low prices of branded drugs and availability of prescription drugs without a doctor's consultation.

Administrator Angeline Chen, 25, said she was looking for health supplements on the Internet.

'Having done shopping online before for other things, I thought it would be as convenient and cheaper too,' she said.

Engineer Thomas Lee, 40, echoed her sentiments, adding: 'Not only is it cheaper to get branded drugs, but at least I have my privacy too.'

Suffering from hypertension, Mr Lee said he gets drugs that lower his heartbeat, without 'having a doctor making you repeat your medical history at every visit'.

Shoppers like Ms Chen and Mr Lee contribute to the fast-growing online drug industry.

The market, according to the British health authority, is worth $60 billion a year.

There is no breakdown by country, but the most popular drugs in Britain include Viagra, the antidepressant Prozac, tranquillisers such as Valium, and Provigil, a drug reputed to have rejuvenating powers.

When told of the dangers, Ms Chen shrugged them off, saying she made sure the websites she orders from are located in reputable countries.

'The one I was looking at recently is located in Australia, where laws are stringent when it comes to drugs and supplements. Besides, the site looked professionally done,' she said.

But the HSA's Ms Chan said a sophisticated website does not mean the company is legitimate.

'Any vendor can set up a site nowadays and they look like legitimate Canadian or American sites,' she warned.

juditht@sph.com.sg

For more information on buying drugs and health products over the Internet, log on to the HSA website at www.hsa.gov.sg/online_purchase_guide.pdf