Session Speaker

Internet and the Drug Market: The New Scenario Created by Cyberpharmacies
Grazia Orizio, Rubinelli, Sara, Schulz Peter, Domenighini Serena, Bressanelli Maura, Caimi Luigi and Gelatti Umberto
Italy


Background: Since the ’90s, drug selling through cyberpharmacies is a reality . On one hand, the use of internet to purchase drugs can simplify the delivery process. On the other hand, this phenomenon can have remarkable effect on public health, and WHO and FDA recognize it as a threat to health.

Methods: We analysed a sample frame of 175 cyberpharmacies selected by the Google search engine, and investigated companies’ characteristics and selling strategies.

Results: We found that almost 80% cyberpharmacies did not ask for a medical prescription by the consumer’s physician to check out the order. 87 % of cyberpharmacies asking for prescription declared their physical location, compared with 24% of those not asking for prescription (P = .000). The selling arguments performed included privacy, economic, quality and service issues, beside the slogan to “buy prescription drugs without prescription”. About one third of the cyberpharmacies did not declare any side effect regarding the drugs offered. Only 13% of cyberpharmacies showed quality markers on their home page.

Conclusions: These results rise complex issues in terms of consumer health safeguards, drug marketing and distribution processes within the sphere of patient-doctor communication, consumer empowerment, drug quality, regulation, national and international policy.