BAD MEDICINE: The Food and Drug Administration has ordered operators of about 4,100 websites to immediately stop selling unapproved medications to U.S. consumers.

FDA SHOT: Three companies that operate most of the sites have been sent warning letters ordering them to stop. FDA has also seized some illegal medicines, filed civil and criminal charges, and asked Internet registrars and service providers to suspend the 4,100 websites.

GLOBAL REACH: The move is part of a just-ended global crackdown by regulators and law enforcement in 100 countries on websites selling counterfeit and unapproved medicines, aimed at making the global medicine supply safer.