How can prescription drugs be sold online

The educational qualifications of the participants also varied: 12 2. Of the total number of participants, In this study, participants Of these participants, The categories of medication purchased online during the pandemic were as follows: 26 The ingredients of each medication group are shown in Table 2. In the present study, a significantly increased prevalence of purchasing medication online was observed in male subjects [OR 1.

However, purchasing medication online was less prevalent in participants aged 35—44 [OR 0. Since the WHO classed Covid as a global pandemic, OPs have become an increasingly frequent means of purchasing medication as a result of the quarantine conditions that numerous nations have introduced in order to mitigate the spread of the virus. Recent investigations have suggested that the number of people using OPs to obtain medication and other health products is on the increase [ 20 ].

This study looked at the proportion of people using the internet to purchase medication since the start of the Covid pandemic. One-third of respondents to the survey The most frequently purchased medication from the internet were dietary supplements Research in Saudi Arabia demonstrated that online medication purchases were not commonplace at the time of the research, with only Alfahad et al. The outcomes of this research demonstrate that the respondents most likely to make online purchases of medication were unmarried, male, older, and holders of a high school education.

In a survey conducted in the USA on customers of OPs found that in comparison to those who did not use such pharmacies, users were of a higher age bracket on average, had higher family incomes, a higher level of education, and a greater number of prescriptions and there was a greater likelihood of them having private medical insurance [ 24 ]. Atkinson et al. There are a number of patient safety issues in relation to the purchase of medications via the internet during the Covid pandemic.

Those who use OPs, legitimate or illegitimate, purchase medications for chronic and acute conditions, and these may include medications that can be abused. Clearly, illegitimate OPs are a significant patient threat when they sell sub-standard medication or poor quality products, but even legitimate pharmacies have the potential to cause serious adverse health outcomes for users [ 20 ].

In this time of crisis, it is crucial that OPs be more robustly controlled and that consumers be educated regarding the ways in which they purchase medication online. Past research has shown that more emphasis should be placed on the way in which healthcare providers physicians, pharmacists, and nurses can assist patients by discussing with them their intentions in terms of online medication purchasing; this could greatly reduce the number of adverse outcomes related to purchasing medication from unlicensed or illegitimate online retailers [ 20 , 26 ].

The key differences in the online medication purchasing behaviors before and during Covid crisis is the excessive and unregulated use of the medication. As reported in this study, older participants and higher school education holders more likely to practice online medication purchasing and this segment of society may self-medicated and misuse these medicines as they may suffer from chronic diseases and do not have sufficient knowledge to use the medicines, especially since these medicines are taken without consulting a doctor and pharmacist.

Moreover, the enormous stress of the Covid pandemic directed the mentality of many people of different backgrounds and diversities towards the idea of enhancing their immunity to be able to fight the Covid virus in case of getting infected. The first weapon most people think of to do that is starting to take different types of vitamins and herbal supplements.

For instance, many people started to purchase multivitamins, vitamin D supplements, Vitamin C, Echinacea products, garlic and ginger capsules. Such practice is done mainly through net surfing, as this method is the most convenient one in order to stay away from the streets and the direct contacts with others.

This way they would feel safer, and whatever products they think would help them get healthier would reach them at their doors. In addition to that, melatonin, and sleep aids were being sold out significantly as many people needed something to help them sleep and relax under all the stress they are facing.

Another concern regarding the online self-medication practice during Covid pandemic concerns questions surrounding the purity, quality, and authenticity of the medications that are available. A relatively similar survey in Ajman, UAE, lead to shutting two factories down after a great amount of sub-standard sterilizer was captured—an approximate amount of 40, pieces holding a market value of about , United Arab dirhams. When the placed stickers were removed from the products, the original below sticker unveiled that they were nothing but body spray perfumes, not at all medically sterile products as per pretended [ 29 ].

Such unaccepted practices rings the bell for medication safety attention. Further, significant concern during Covid pandemic is that numerous non-specialist manufacturers began reorienting their activities towards the production of different medications, dietary supplements, cosmetics and personal care products. As a result, many unregulated medications and supplements have entered the market. Many of these online medications and supplements claimed to be effective against Corona virus disease without documented evidential support.

Hence, public can be misled by such advertising claims on the internet, which cannot be verified by competent authorities raising the concern of medication safety. Therefore, health and regulatory bodies need to make and implement changes to the Implementing Regulations that govern the use and sale of medications during COVID In addition, stricter enforcement measures and tests need to be established to ensure that medications that are sold online are safe, of a sufficient quality, and authentic.

To more strictly control the sale of medication online, online providers should be required to register their business and publish all safety-related information within a central, government regulated database.

Customers can subsequently access this system to verify suppliers and report and safety concerns or violations. There is also a requirement to raise general awareness of the need to verify the safety of medication products that are bought online. It is strongly suggested that future studies should highlight the adverse effects that arise from medications being purchased through internet.

In accordance to this, risk of patient safety in outpatient settings can be measured by different methods. Enhanced patient-healthcare professional education, communication and promotion campaigns are required to educate the public regarding the safe approach of online pharmacies.

Targeted interventions by pharmacists are vital as prevention strategies that should be stressed in the daily practice. There are certain limitations to this study. Furthermore, this research does not differentiate between legitimate and illegitimate retailers, chiefly because all online sellers of medication pose as legitimate, so respondents would be unlikely to know with certainty what their status was. Reimbursement Committee.

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Management of conflicts of interest. Transparency in the Danish Medicines Agency. These suppliers may only sell general sales list medicines. The common logo is a safety feature that allows members of the public identify legitimate online suppliers of non-prescription medicines, giving reassurance that the purchase is safe.

All websites in the European Union EU , including Ireland, which supply non-prescription medicines over the internet, have to clearly display the EU common logo. The common logo is recognisable throughout the EU and will provide a link to the approved supplier list for the country where the website is established. Only suppliers who are registered on the Internet Supply List are authorised to display the EU common logo on their website. Only authorised suppliers in Ireland who are registered with the PSI are allowed to sell non-prescription medicines on the internet.

Websites established within the EU are entitled to supply non-prescription medicines in Ireland provided the product supplied has been authorised for use in Ireland by the HPRA, the medicines regulator. These websites must also display the EU common logo applicable in their country, which is similar to the logo above, but will display the flag of that country.

Customers and suppliers should be aware that there may be differences between countries regarding classification of medicines and how they can be supplied. Read our leaflet about buying non-prescription medicines safely online. Making sure a website has the EU common logo is one of the checks you should make before purchasing your non-prescription medicines on the internet. You should also: avoid websites which offer to supply prescription-only medicines without a prescription; be aware that all websites selling non-prescription medicines online are required to check the following: 1.

The customer is over 18 2. Others are small, locally owned and operated pharmacies, set up to serve their customers electronically. It is always important to be careful when buying medicines online. Some websites sell products that are not FDA-approved. Other websites may not follow established procedures meant to protect consumers.

For example, some sites only ask you to fill out a questionnaire before ordering prescription medicines. Buying medicines from sites like this may put your health at risk. Or the medicine you buy may be contaminated, fake, or outdated. For some people, buying prescription medicines online offers advantages not available from a local pharmacy including:.

Greater availability of medicines for people confined to their homes, or for those who live far from the pharmacy. The ease of being able to compare many sites to find the best prices and products.

Easier access to written product information, and references to sources other than what you would typically find in traditional storefront pharmacies. The ability to order products and talk with a pharmacist in the privacy of your home. Internet medicine shopping also claims to save consumers money.

In some cases, this is true. But consumers seeking health products online can find dozens of sites that the FDA says are legally questionable.