NEW YORK -- Microsoft and Pfizer, a leading pharmaceuticals manufacturer, filed separate lawsuits in early February against companies advertising generic Viagra through junk E-mail.

Microsoft filed suits in Washington State claiming that online companies CanadianPharmacy and Pharmacy Direct

Though Microsoft and Pfizer filed suits for different reasons, both companies are engaged in ongoing battles with spammers. Microsoft has already sued several online pharmacies for stuffing its Hotmail accounts with illegal advertisements, and Pfizer filed at least 30 suits against companies that capitalized on the Viagra brand, a popular erectile dysfunction pill.

The suits were all filed against unnamed defendants. Spammers are difficult to target because the E-mails trace back to various mailers, and online companies can be equally evasive. Investigations in these cases revealed that the generic Viagra originated in India, a popular source of counterfeit drugs. However, it has yet to be determined which companies purchased, distributed, and most importantly, advertised these drugs online.

Neither CanadianPharmacy nor Pharmacy Direct are legitimate pharmacies. Canada is a popular destination for Americans seeking cheaper prescription drugs, and spammers are likely to disguise knock-off pills as products of accredited pharmacies.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has tested many drugs purchased online and commonly found that they were mislabeled and contained impure contents. The FDA has taken legal action against domestic companies and has addressed this issue abroad but has been met with little success.

By Nicole Urso (nurso@advanstar.com)