Report highlights online pharmacy safety fears

[richtagg]

Saw this today on the BBC and on nelm.nhs.uk:

According to the BBC, a report by the industry fraud advisers MarkMonitor suggests that a lack of regulation of online pharmacies is putting people at risk from fake medicines, and a “lack of even the most basic e-commerce security features is risking customers’ health and putting their personal information at risk”.

The quarterly MarkMonitor Brandjacking Index is an independent report that measures the effect of online threats to brands. The most recent report includes a research focus on online abuses of pharmaceutical brands, including an investigation of the counterfeit/gray market for popular prescription drugs. Some of the key findings include:

• Of the 3,160 online pharmacies studied, 59% were hosted in the United States, followed by the United Kingdom which hosted 18% of the pharmacies.

• Only four were accredited as Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites (VIPPS), the industry credential that assures consumers of legitimate online pharmacy operations.

• 10% of the online pharmacies studied clearly state no prescription is required to purchase the drugs.

• More than half do not secure customer data, putting consumers’ identity information at risk.

According to the BBC report, the RPSGB are planning to roll out a logo scheme at the end of 2007, which provides a direct link to the society's website where visitors can verify the registration details of both the pharmacy and pharmacist. All pharmacies based in Great Britain, including those providing internet services, must register with the Society.

What a load of tripe. VIPPS is an american accreditation system that is flawed to say the least and the RPSGB system is even worse.
It would be very easy for a company to forge the society accredited logo.

The report does highlight a very important issue though. The public currently has no reliable way of assuring the quality of an internet pharmacy site.
I really think there should be a special domain name that only UK registered pharmacies can purchase, much in the same way only NHS organisations can use the nhs.uk extension.

For example, you could register www.yourcompany.pharmacy.uk with nominet (the uk internet registery) who would confirm registration status with RPSGB. This way you would stop fraudulent and dangerous pharmacy sites.

[admin]

I know someone who wanted a few diazepam tablets - he told me was scared of flying and his GP wouldn't give him any, but that may not be true!

Anyway, he sent off to a website and a few days later the diazepam arrived. He showed me his copy of his prescription - a private one written by a doctor in India, and the drugs were posted in the USA!

[the old merlin]

Maybe the difficulty of ensureing that people can't forge or copy logo's is why it's taking the Society so long.

It's OK to think of an instant solution to something, but can take a while to get it into practice!

[Pharmanaut]

I know someone who wanted a few diazepam tablets - he told me was scared of flying and his GP wouldn't give him any, but that may not be true!

Anyway, he sent off to a website and a few days later the diazepam arrived. He showed me his copy of his prescription - a private one written by a doctor in India, and the drugs were posted in the USA!

And that's exactly what people want from an internet pharmacy. Easy access to medicines or drugs depending on how you look at it.

[Web Ferret]

The society have issued an approved logo to a handful of trail sites - They plan to roll this out as stated. This will not stop the online free for all but at least those in the UK would be able to spot a genuine pharmacy (if they wanted too)

[admin]

And that's exactly what people want from an internet pharmacy. Easy access to medicines or drugs depending on how you look at it.

Yeah you are correct I guess. I'm not saying what he did was right, just what happened.

I think most of these internet pharmacies selling POM medicines are attracted by people that have to meet the full cost of their drugs. I'm thinking of people in countries like the USA, or people paying private scripts for Viagra etc.

I wouldn't have thought many people would try to treat themselves for hypertension etc, but I have no figures on this - maybe Jeff will help us out here as he seems to be able to find stats on anything on the interent.

[Cherrypicker999]

What do you expect?
If you are charged £7 for a few tablets that cost a few pennies why pay?

I buy my own antibiotics from India over the counter and use them when required.

£7 for 21 amoxycillin 250mg is a rip off.
The dispensing fee is bearly £1, so why £6 for 21 capsules?

There are many generic manufacturers supplying UK pharmacies.
You get the same from India.

The sceptics give a cock and bull story about quality. Update... it's the same!

Remember, many Indian doctors earn more than UK doctors.
Many have done post grad in UK/USA and go back to India to earn money.

My mother did not want to use the crap NHS and had knee replacement in a private hospital in India. The best hospital in Mumabi - like a 5* hotel. £5K. She could have done it for £2K. The doctor - 10 years experience in UK and 5 years in USA! All parts used were from Germany. Private room - super food, own telephone, TV, nurse and a friend can stay the night!

Don't think India is crap. Many private hospitals even put BUPA to shame.

As for medicines - they are the same as the UK.

I would would definately recommend people buy from recognised pharmacies overseas. Better, buy yourself whilst on holiday.

Once you have been diagnosed and need a repeat item, the medicine is simply a commodity product. That is the reality. They are ordinary items of commerce.

I am not willing to pay £7 for 21 amoxycillin caps or penicillin tabs. This should cost me no more than £2 (based on NHS dispensing fees!)

Now slag me off!

[Pharmanaut]

Now slag me off!

Wouldn't dream of it.

[admin]

Now slag me off!

Me neither, no point.

I would just like to ask what would happen if your mother had any complications in her new knee joint. Is there any after care? I'll need a new hip joint myself soon, and it seems an attractive idea. I'd just be worried about any possible after effects (infection etc) and what would a person do if this happened as it's a bad complication to deal with.

[Cherrypicker999]

She stayed in India for 6 weeks after the operation with family.
She had physio twice daily - not the once a week the NHS give.

Aftercare is far superior in the best Indian hospitals than the NHS or best private in UK.

Private Indian hospitals are like the USA - 100s of pointless tests to ensure everything is fine and you are charged for everything - every tablet etc.
She was in hospital for 1 week.

You will not be discharged until there are happy and had lots of tests.

She had 2 ops 12 months apart - 1 on each knee and everything is fine.

Physio is the most crucial part and this is where the NHS is very weak, and expensive in the UK done privately.

NHS kills people and many doctors are useless - espcially many Eastern European/Russians and GMC does nothing.
They lie and cover up.

India can be cheap for many things.

If you want a software developer with 3 years experience in UK it may cost you £40K + NI + benefits. I can supply for £14K including all office expenses and managed.

Do you want to employ an English speaking graduate? I can supply for less than the UK mimimum wage!

Do you want an Indian pharmacist? Outsource RPSGB work within the ivory tower roles at a fraction of the costs.

The list goes on....