Charles Flynn Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 MILLIONS RISK HEALTH BUYING DRUGS ONLINE Millions of Brits could be playing Russian Roulette with their health buying prescription-only medicines from rogue internet sites, according to research conducted by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (RPSGB). In response to this growing online danger, the RPSGB today rolls out the Internet Pharmacy Logo, a visual tool to help the public identify if a website is being operated by a bona fide pharmacy in Britain. The research shows that over two million people across Britain now regularly purchase medicines via the web. While a number of legitimate pharmacies provide online pharmacy services, there are also a number of suppliers operating from websites offering to sell medicines who have no professional qualifications or healthcare expertise. In many cases, medicines purchased from such sites are counterfeit, substandard or unapproved new drugs, which put public safety at risk. The research also reveals that almost a third of people admit to not having a clue about online regulations. All pharmacies across Britain, including those offering internet services, must be registered with the RPSGB. The new logo will be visible on the homepage of participating online pharmacies and features the unique RPSGB membership number of the pharmacy operating the site. A link from the logo to the RPSGB registration pages allows visitors to check the legitimacy of a website and the pharmacists running the practice before making a purchase. 1 Lambeth High Street, London SE1 7JN Tel: 020 7572 2335 Fax: 020 7572 2503 News release RPSGB Director of Practice and Quality Improvement, David Pruce, says: “The internet presents a real danger to people’s health. Dishonest traders are selling medicines online without any relevant professional qualifications or healthcare expertise. The products they sell can be poor quality at best and dangerous at worst. People who wish to buy medicines over the net should do it at a legitimate registered online pharmacy. Pharmacists are experts in medicines and can lawfully and safely supply them over the internet. “The public must be vigilant and we recommend that they use the presence of this logo in conjunction with a routine of checks when deciding whether or not it is safe to buy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheeky boy Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 I know what medication I need but I have to apply every 2 week for the same prescription Must be quicker & cheaper to get six months worth on line Should be just given to you anyway, so embarrasing for a man of my age to have to ask for viagra. extra medium condoms & medicated talcum powder Just for my 1 night out at the White house folk club If it gets any worse i will go back to using sheep Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheeky boy Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 BTW that last sheep said I was the best ever and she would wait for my release and we would be married Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macmannin Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Id rather risk online than give my money to Dickie Corkhill up in Onchan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ai_Droid Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Id rather risk online than give my money to Dickie Corkhill up in Onchan Don't think he can do prescriptions anyway? Charles, it's good practice to link the source when you quote from the interewbnet. That article misses the point entirely in my view. People are buying Viagra, Valium and Prozac in the main, and they're buying it online because they don't have prescriptions. This logo scheme won't accredit pharmacies that sell without a prescription, so won't do jack shit to protect people buying online. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minxie Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Id rather risk online than give my money to Dickie Corkhill up in Onchan I tried to get something from there this morning, but at 9am the shop was closed and no sign of life so I went elsewhere Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ans Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 I'm sure these sites wont think to Copy/Paste the logo onto their own site. No sir. Not a chance. Also, I'm pretty sure the types of people who want to buy their Viagra online, aren't the types who care about daft logos. Original article is here http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=216448 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluemonday Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 I'm sure these sites wont think to Copy/Paste the logo onto their own site. No sir. Not a chance. I would have expected any logo to link to the relevant certification site where a potential user could check the claimed certification similar to that applied for accessibility issues. A logo means nothing on its own as you point out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Flynn Posted January 10, 2008 Author Share Posted January 10, 2008 I'm sure these sites wont think to Copy/Paste the logo onto their own site. No sir. Not a chance. Also, I'm pretty sure the types of people who want to buy their Viagra online, aren't the types who care about daft logos. Original article is here http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=216448 Thanks Ans for supplying this. The logos will not apply to IOM pharmacies as the Manx Government keep their own pharmacy register rather than the Royal Pharmaceutical Society. As far as I am aware Mr Corkill does not currently have a license to dispense NHS scripts as the DHSS considers there is no demand presently for it in Onchan. His application was turned down a few months ago. He can of course dispense private prescriptions. The nearest pharmacies are Edwin Kinrade's at Ballaquayle Road and Lloyd's in the Onchan Precinct and at Governors Hill which are sufficient to meet present demand since one of the surgeries moved from Onchan last year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Flynn Posted January 10, 2008 Author Share Posted January 10, 2008 Id rather risk online than give my money to Dickie Corkhill up in Onchan Don't think he can do prescriptions anyway? Charles, it's good practice to link the source when you quote from the interewbnet. That article misses the point entirely in my view. People are buying Viagra, Valium and Prozac in the main, and they're buying it online because they don't have prescriptions. This logo scheme won't accredit pharmacies that sell without a prescription, so won't do jack shit to protect people buying online. My source was not the internet but direct from the RPSGB. The press release was embargoed till today. I received it 3 days ago from the Society for local distribution as I am the PRO for the local branch of the Society. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Flynn Posted January 10, 2008 Author Share Posted January 10, 2008 I'm sure these sites wont think to Copy/Paste the logo onto their own site. No sir. Not a chance. Also, I'm pretty sure the types of people who want to buy their Viagra online, aren't the types who care about daft logos. Original article is here http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=216448 There is nothing to stop anyone copying/pasting the logo but if they are saying they are a pharmacy and they are not, they are breaking the law and will be subject to any criminal penalties for doing so. Do other checks such as ensuring the address on the website is the same as the address given via the internet logo. Ensure you are asked questions before purchasing your medicine to ensure that a medicine is suitable for you. If you want to put your health at risk, that is up to you and your family. The product can be poor quality at best and dangerous at worst. The medicines can be couterfeit, substantandard or unapproved new drugs, which risk public health. If you are daft there is nothing much anyone can do to protect you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ai_Droid Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 If you want to put your health at risk, that is up to you and your family. The product can be poor quality at best and dangerous at worst. The medicines can be couterfeit, substantandard or unapproved new drugs, which risk public health. If you are daft there is nothing much anyone can do to protect you! You keep missing the point. Quite simply, if this was available from a local pharmacy, that's how people would buy. This does nothing to protect the people it's targetted at at all, does it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ans Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 It does seem to be a rather pointless exercise. Oh, and if the website is operating from China, can you explain to me exactly what law they're breaking Charles? In fact, can you tell me what law they'd be breaking if they operating from Britain. Copyright possible, but that's a civil matter, not a criminal offence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Flynn Posted January 10, 2008 Author Share Posted January 10, 2008 If you want to put your health at risk, that is up to you and your family. The product can be poor quality at best and dangerous at worst. The medicines can be couterfeit, substantandard or unapproved new drugs, which risk public health. If you are daft there is nothing much anyone can do to protect you! You keep missing the point. Quite simply, if this was available from a local pharmacy, that's how people would buy. This does nothing to protect the people it's targetted at at all, does it? Hopefully it will reduce the number of people who put themselves at risk. My personal view is that the law needs to be tightened up and applied rigorously. Currently it is not illegal to buy, only illegal to sell if you are not a registered pharmacy. If there was a penalty for buying from illegitimate sources there would be plenty of people who would stop doing it. All this logo does is make more people aware of what is happening, and if you want to protect your health you can do so by buying through registered pharmacies with a legal prescription. Of course "clubbers" are not really interested in this! The illegitimate sources need to be closed down. How this is going to happen when they operate throughout the world is a major point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Flynn Posted January 10, 2008 Author Share Posted January 10, 2008 It does seem to be a rather pointless exercise. Oh, and if the website is operating from China, can you explain to me exactly what law they're breaking Charles? In fact, can you tell me what law they'd be breaking if they operating from Britain. Copyright possible, but that's a civil matter, not a criminal offence. They are breaking the law which prevents unauthorised use of the title "pharmacy" and "pharmacist". The Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain will prosecute anyone who does so in Britain. What is criminal or civil depends on the circumstances - supplying drugs illegally is certainly criminal and surely that would be the intention of using the title pharmacy if you are not entitled to do so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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