|
||||||||
Dispensing Drugs Over The Internet Draws Scrutiny Of The FTC The Internet is changing how prescription drugs are sold, which is drawing the attention of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Some doctors have set up "offices" on the World Wide Web. Prospective patients fill in online medical history forms that are reviewed by a doctor for a fee. The doctor then prescribes a drug and sells it to the patient. There's one small hitch. It is illegal for doctors to prescribe for patients in a state where they are not licensed to practice medicine. Also, licensed doctors must meet standards of care. In most states a face-to-face visit with the patient is required. In other Internet cases, international pharmacies are selling drugs without the prescriptions that are required in this country. There are even cases of patients selling leftover drugs through online bulletin boards. Questions are being raised about how prescription drug transactions should be regulated on the Internet. The focus is not on legitimate Internet drugstores like PlanetRx.com, Drugstore.com, or AARP's online pharmacy service. Such online drugstores in fact meet strict government regulations and are licensed to fill prescriptions in at least 40 states. These online pharmacies offer cost savings and convenience, especially to seniors who have no prescription drug insurance. The FTC has recommended that Internet web sites should contain the name, address, and phone number of the pharmacy that will dispense the drugs, and where that pharmacy is licensed to do business. Also the site should list the states from which it will accept orders. Similar information should be provided by physicians who prescribe drugs over the Internet, including the states where that physician is licensed to practice medicine. Seniors using Internet drug stores are urged to distinguish between safe, legitimate online pharmacies and those using the Web to engage in illegal activities. Source: "Dispensing Of Drugs On Internet Stirs Debate," Lisa Napoli, The New York Times, April 6, 1999. "FTC Recommends Regulations For Online Pharmacies," Kalpana Srinivasan, The Associated Press, July 30, 1999. " This article first appeared in Volume 5, Issue 2 of "The Social Security and Medicare Advisor" newsletter (December/January/2000). To receive future editions of "The Advisor" in its special, free e-mail version, please click here. | ||||||||
|
|
||||||||
