| Not a day goes by when our email inboxes
| |
| | over the world. Many of these sites have
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| do not fill with advertisements for
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| | come under controversy as in some cases
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| prescription drugs. Many of these emails
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| | all it takes to have that prescription
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| promise to deliver drugs of all classes
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| | delivered to you by next day air, is to
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| by overnight courier without a
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| | fill out a questionnaire online.A study
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| prescription. While there are legitimate
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| | conducted by Henkle in 2002 to ascertain
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| online pharmacies, and the practice of
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| | how easy it would be to obtain drugs over
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| telemedicine or cyber-medicine is gaining
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| | the Internet found that "37 of the 46"
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| acceptance, this change in the way
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| | pharmacy required a prescription from a
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| medicine is being practiced is rocking
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| | licensed doctor. The emphasis was on the
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| the foundations of the medical
| |
| | prescription and not on the doctor.
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| establishment. Being able to consult a
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| | Henkle (2002) in fact notes that some
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| doctor online, and obtain prescription
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| | sites offered to recommend a doctor."
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| drugs delivered to your doorstep by UPS
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| | Henkle (2002) was able to obtain
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| has broad social and legal implications.
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| | prescription drugs from nine sites
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| The Internet facilitates making drugs
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| | outside the US during the study, without
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| available to those who may not be able to
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| | a prescription.Online pharmacies with a
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| afford to pay US prices, are embarrassed
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| | doctor affiliationThere are a number of
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| to see a doctor face-to-face, or are
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| | online pharmacies, with a medical
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| suffering from pain, the treatment of
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| | affiliation is that take great pain to
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| which puts most doctors in direct
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| | differentiate themselves form unlicensed
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| conflict with the 'war on drugs' but on
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| | overseas pharmacies. These pharmacies,
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| the other hand there is the question
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| | stress that they are "American based
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| whether these pharmacies make drugs
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| | companies that provides consumer's easy
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| available to recreational drug users
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| | access to FDA approved online
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| without the oversight of a licensed
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| | prescriptions over the Internet and are
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| medical practitioner.The Need for
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| | quick to point out that "An online
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| AlternativesMedical care in the US has
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| | consultation can be just as relevant as
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| reached a point where it is expensive and
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| | an in-person consultation." It is
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| impersonal which has caused the consumer
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| | interesting to note that many of these
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| to become generally unsatisfied with the
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| | online pharmacies also point out that
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| medical establishment as a whole.
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| | "While they are committed to making
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| Examples include the huge differences
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| | access to online prescriptions easier,
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| between the cost of drugs in the US and
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| | they believe that the Internet can not
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| Canada, long wait times in US pharmacies,
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| | replace the importance of regular doctor
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| and poor service in general. Perhaps
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| | visits to fully evaluate your health and
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| realizing this, US customs appears to
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| | any medical conditions." Many of these
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| tolerate the millions of Americans that
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| | online pharmacy sites also makes a wealth
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| visit Canada every year to buy their
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| | of drug information available on its web
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| medications, as for the most part, these
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| | site that enables the consumer to educate
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| 'drug buyers' are elderly American's that
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| | themselves on drugs that may have been
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| can't afford the high cost of filling
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| | prescribed. The Internet has for all
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| their prescriptions in the US.Rather than
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| | intensive purposes is quickly replacing
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| to travel to Canada or Mexico millions of
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| | the brick and mortar base physician as a
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| Americans are now turning to the Internet
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| | patient's primary health care provider.A
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| for both their medical needs.
| |
| | sales pitch, of course, or is it? Most
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| Telemedicine (or cyber medicine) provides
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| | of the legitimate online pharmacies
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| consumers with the ability to both
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| | ensure that they comply with state and
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| consult with a doctor online and order
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| | federal regulation. The doctors are
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| drugs over the Internet at discounted
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| | licensed in all 50 states and their
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| prices. This has resulted in consumers
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| | pharmacies are too. These legitimate
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| turning to online pharmacies for their
| |
| | Internet pharmacies cater to those that
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| medical needs, and in particular
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| | are looking for a better price; for some
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| pharmacies with a relationships with a
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| | it comes down to making the choice of
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| physician, which allow the consumer to
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| | eating cat food on crackers in order to
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| completely bypass the traditional brick
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| | afford their medications because of the
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| and mortar pharmacies, with the added
| |
| | high US drug prices. In other cases
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| benefit of having their physician act as
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| | patients resort to cyber-medicine to
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| an intermediary between the consumer and
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| | avoid the embarrassment of having to deal
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| the pharmacy. According to Johnson
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| | with a physician or pharmacy that may be
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| (2005) this is as a result of consumers
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| | judgmental. Many of these online
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| becoming very dissatisfied when it comes
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| | pharmacies will arrange a consult with a
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| to dealing with both brick and mortar
| |
| | licensed, medical doctor over the phone
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| pharmacies and medical practitioners. As
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| | and will then fill the prescription
|
| Johnson, notes, "Consumers are more
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| | accordingly.According to Henkel (2000)
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| likely to know the name of their
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| | "More and more consumers are using the
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| hairdresser than their pharmacist." When
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| | Internet for health reasons" and
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| Johnson (2005) rated the various
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| | references a study carried out by a
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| professions within the health care
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| | market research firm Cyber Dialogue Inc.,
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| system, he found that pharmacists had the
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| | "that found that "health concerns are the
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| lowest interaction with their patients
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| | sixth most common reason people go
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| than did any other group. Today, as a
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| | online" (Henkel 2000).For many people a
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| result of this "consumers are buying 25.5
| |
| | trip to the pharmacy is an ordeal. In
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| percent of their prescriptions online,
| |
| | some cases the local pharmacy may also be
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| opposed to 13.5 percent of which are
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| | located in the closest town which may
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| picked up at a brick and mortar pharmacy"
| |
| | mean a long drive if one lives in a rural
|
| (Johnson 2005).Drugs and SocietyWhat has
| |
| | community. Online pharmacies provide a
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| brought so much attention to online
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| | means through which their prescriptions
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| pharmacies is that it is possible to
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| | can be delivered conveniently and
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| obtain just about any drug without a
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| | quickly. Being online also allows the
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| prescription online. Many of these
| |
| | consumer to shop for the best prices, an
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| prescriptions are for legitimate purposes
| |
| | important factor if one is living on a
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| purchased through an online pharmacy
| |
| | pension.The Internet has also created a
|
| because the buyer is too embarrassed to
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| | more aware user. It is not unusual for a
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| visit the doctor or for other reasons
| |
| | consumer to research drugs on the
|
| including the unavailability of FDA
| |
| | Internet. A consumer may have seen a TV
|
| approved drugs to the consumer. These
| |
| | or magazine advertisement advertising a
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| drugs may include steroids that due to
| |
| | new drug. Ultimately, the Internet also
|
| their misuse and being classed as a
| |
| | provides the consumer the opportunity to
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| classed a category three drugs, are
| |
| | enter into a doctor patient relationship
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| seldom prescribed by physicians. These
| |
| | that may in fact be more legitimate than
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| drugs have a useful purpose to those
| |
| | the doctor who makes a physical
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| suffering from any wasting disease such
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| | appearance. Further information on
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| as AIDS, they also play a role in
| |
| | doctors that practice telemedicine can be
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| ant-aging (FDA, 2004).The Doctor Patient
| |
| | found at: is interesting to note, as
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| RelationshipToday a visit to a doctor is
| |
| | discussed previously, that consumers are
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| generally brief, much of the triage it is
| |
| | becoming dissatisfied with the care and
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| done by a nurse or a nurse practitioner
| |
| | treatment they receive from both brick
|
| with the doctor only dropping in for a
| |
| | and mortar physicians and pharmacies.
|
| few minutes, if at all. In many cases the
| |
| | Zanf (2001), references a study by Lang
|
| patient is seen by a nurse practitioner.
| |
| | and Fullerton that "Identified four
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| One of the arguments against telemedicine
| |
| | factors related to outpatient pharmacy
|
| or perhaps a better term is
| |
| | services: professional communication,
|
| cyber-medicine, is that the doctor does
| |
| | physical and emotional comfort,
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| not have a physical relationship with the
| |
| | demographics, and location and
|
| patients and thus is in no position to
| |
| | convenience." All of which are
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| make a diagnosis, and thus can not
| |
| | contributing factors as to why more and
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| legally prescribe drugs.Ironically when
| |
| | more consumers are resorting to
|
| one compares the work up that one has to
| |
| | cyber-medicine.The Dark SideThere is also
|
| go through to consult with an online
| |
| | a dark side to the Internet pharmacy, as
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| physicians and compares this to a
| |
| | previously discussed, spam email touting
|
| face-to-face visit with a brick and
| |
| | the availability of any prescription drug
|
| mortar doctor, one finds that the online
| |
| | one could want, without a prescription,
|
| physician, in many cases, has a better
| |
| | is something everyone is familiar with
|
| understanding of the patient's medical
| |
| | has reached epidemic proportions.From
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| condition than does the doctor who meets
| |
| | Ambien, and of course Viagra to more
|
| face-to-face with the patient. In most
| |
| | powerful drugs such as Oxycontin, you can
|
| cases before an on-line a doctor
| |
| | have it all. Over night shipping is
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| prescribes any type of medication they
| |
| | available in most case, or so these
|
| insist on a full blood workup they may
| |
| | emails proclaim.
|
| also require that one has additional
| |
| | In some instances this pharmacy spam
|
| tests performed, for example.The AMA, the
| |
| | originates from unscrupulous individuals
|
| federal government, and various states
| |
| | who have no intention of delivering the
|
| claim, however, that it is illegal for a
| |
| | drugs, realizing that very few people, if
|
| doctor to prescribe drugs without a valid
| |
| | any, will complain about the non delivery
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| doctor-patient relationship. While there
| |
| | of an illegal drug through the mail.In
|
| are no laws at present that outlaw online
| |
| | other cases the drugs are sent without a
|
| pharmacies, various states have enacted
| |
| | prescription from countries where that
|
| legislation, or are in the process of
| |
| | particular drug may legally be sold
|
| enacting legislation to prohibit a doctor
| |
| | without a prescription, or at least the
|
| from prescribing drugs to a patient that
| |
| | laws are more relaxed. Valium, for
|
| they have not seen face to face. Some
| |
| | example, is sold over-the-counter in
|
| states also require that the doctor that
| |
| | Taiwan.According to Crawford (2004)
|
| prescribes the drugs be licensed in their
| |
| | "Consumers who purchase drugs online
|
| state. This alone could hamper the
| |
| | thinking that they are they are getting
|
| development of cyber-medicine. According
| |
| | the same drugs as they would from their
|
| to William Hubbard (2004), FDA associate
| |
| | local brick-and-mortar pharmacy are being
|
| commissioner "The Food and Drug
| |
| | misled, and as a result are putting their
|
| Administration says it is giving states
| |
| | health, and eventually their lives at
|
| first crack at legal action, though it
| |
| | risk" Crawford cites examples of Internet
|
| will step in when states do not act"
| |
| | pharmacies supplying drugs that were
|
| (FDA, 2004).Internet PharmaciesThe reason
| |
| | under strength, contaminated and
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| that email boxes around the country fill
| |
| | mislabeled (Crawford 2004).According to
|
| up with offers to supply drugs of all
| |
| | Won (2005) Drug-industry executives think
|
| kinds, at reduced prices, without
| |
| | the Internet and mail-order operations
|
| prescriptions, and more is because people
| |
| | will be the biggest source of counterfeit
|
| buy them as the billions of dollars the
| |
| | drugs over the next five years, according
|
| drug companies are making each year
| |
| | to a report released today by Ernst &
|
| attest to. The Internet has become the
| |
| | Young. According to James G Dickinson
|
| drug store of choice for many.Categories
| |
| | (2005):The federal government in July
|
| of Internet PharmaciesInternet pharmacies
| |
| | shut down an alleged illegal Internet
|
| are generally acknowledged to be
| |
| | pharmacy for selling counterfeit drugs
|
| comprised of the following five
| |
| | and issued a warning on other
|
| categories:Internet pharmacies can be
| |
| | counterfeits found to have been sold in
|
| divided up into five different
| |
| | Mexican border pharmacies to individual
|
| categories, as follows:Licensed online
| |
| | patients from the U.S. The Internet
|
| pharmacies with a no medical affiliation.
| |
| | pharmacy had sold more than $7 million in
|
| Licensed online pharmacies with a
| |
| | counterfeit Viagra and other prescription
|
| medical affiliation
| |
| | drugs over the past five years, according
|
| No record online pharmacies (NRP)
| |
| | to the San Diego Union-Tribune. The San
|
| International online pharmacies (IOP)
| |
| | Diego-based operation required
|
| Licensed compounding pharmaciesThe
| |
| | individuals to complete a $35 "doctor
|
| licensed online pharmacies with a no
| |
| | consultation" survey before receiving the
|
| medical affiliation are of course
| |
| | prescriptions, but the survey was never
|
| Drugstore.com, CVV, and others. They all
| |
| | shown to a health professional to
|
| require a prescription from a licensed
| |
| | evaluate whether a safety risk existed,
|
| doctor that the patient has a doctor
| |
| | the paper says (Dickson, 2005).In a
|
| patient relationship with. The
| |
| | separate action, the FDA warned Americans
|
| prescription can be called in by the
| |
| | about counterfeit versions of Merck's
|
| doctor.The licensed online pharmacies
| |
| | cholesterol drug Zocor and generic
|
| with a medical affiliation often depend
| |
| | Carisoprodol - used for treating
|
| on a broker. The broker collects your
| |
| | musculoskeletal conditions - that had
|
| medical information, and then assigns
| |
| | been imported from Mexico by individual
|
| your case to one of their networked
| |
| | Americans (FDA, 2005).Over the last year
|
| physicians. Many of these networked
| |
| | patients suffering from pain, and other
|
| physicians are willing to prescribe pain
| |
| | conditions that they are reluctant to see
|
| killers as they believe that it is only
| |
| | a doctor face-to-face, have had the
|
| through the use of these drugs that some
| |
| | option of consulting a doctor online. The
|
| people can live a harmonious life.A
| |
| | ability to consult with a doctor online,
|
| Government Accountability Office (GAO)
| |
| | and then to receive drugs as a result has
|
| Committee on aging held in June 2004
| |
| | come under much controversy. This has for
|
| found that "Unlicensed international
| |
| | the most part been as a result of not
|
| pharmacies do not require a prescription,
| |
| | adequately screening patient's records,
|
| and are generally located off shore." No
| |
| | or ordering from unregulated overseas
|
| prescription pharmacies can be found all
| |
| | pharmacies.
|
