Healthy Skepticism Library item: 7663

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: Journal Article

Bessell TL, Silagy CA, Anderson JN, Hiller JE, Sansom LN.
Can we regulate e-pharmacies?
International Pharmaceutical Federation World Congress 2002; 62:(68):

Abstract:

To examine the quality of information and services provided by e-pharmacies and discuss whether national regulatory approaches safeguard consumers purchasing medicines via the Internet. E-pharmacies were identified using Copernic, a meta-search engine and the terms ‘internet’ or ‘online’ and ‘pharmacy’, ‘pharmacies’ and ‘medicines’. Quality of information and services provided by e-pharmacies were evaluated using the DISCERN tool and structural indicators, between July and September 2001. Of the 104 global e-pharmacies, 67% delivered internationally, 42% provided pharmacist’s advice, 21% had an unidentified country of origin, 20%. advertised prescription-only medicines, 19% sold prescription medicines without a prescription and 12%, offered online prescribing. Overall the quality of information was poor or absent. Only 10% of sites rated 4 or 5 on the DISCERN scale of 1 to 5 (1=poor, 5=good). Many countries allow consumers to import medicines for personal use. Government regulatory approaches include banning the online sale of medicines, restricting sales of prescription medicines. Self-regulatory approaches include accreditation of sites and advertising codes. Other countries lack regulatory frameworks or the resources to enforce them. Currently consumers are not safeguarded from misleading and fraudulent e-health practices and information in a global environment where technological evolution outstrips the development, implementation and jurisdiction of national regulatory frameworks. Global collaboration, leadership, third-party and self-regulation, accreditation, evaluation and consumer education strategies are all required to improve the quality of e-pharmacy services.