BMA to attempt to control internet drug sales

The British Medical Association (BMA) is to work with the UK government and the World Health Organisation to control internet sales of medicines.

Concerns have been raised by the UN and the World Health Organisation that some drugs sold over the Internet are counterfeit and potentially harmful.

Dr Hamish Meldrum, Chairman of BMA Council, said the doctors’ organisation will approach the UK government to encourage them to lead international action to deal with this issue.

Drugs for the treatment of erectile dysfunction (such as Viagra) are among those most frequently purchased from internet sites.

Dr Meldrum said: “We are particularly aware that men are still a little bit wary of going to see their doctor. They may self-diagnose and self-prescribe via the internet. One of the messages we are trying to get over to the public is of the dangers of doing that. We want patients to be aware and to be protected and to seek appropriate advice to get proper diagnosis, and treatment.”

One of the problems with self-prescribing is that men will not have the underlying causes of erectile dysfunction diagnosed and treated. For some patients, said Dr Meldrum, sildenafil would be inappropriate and dangerous.

“There are two problems (with buying via the internet) you may not be getting the named drug, you may be getting an inactive substance or at worst a dangerous substance. A proper consultation with a doctor is needed.”

Recently, Chelsea and Westminster became the first trust to offer advice and send prescriptions using the online treatment service DrThom.

Dr Vivienne Nathanson, Head of Science and Ethics at the BMA said. “The World Health Organisation says that every country has counterfeit drugs and the internet adds to the problem. Counterfeits are relatively rare in most developed countries but they exist even in the UK.

“On average half of the drugs sold worldwide over the internet are counterfeit. Some of these counterfeit drugs have killed.”

Recently, a study by the University of East Anglia revealed that people with sexually transmitted infections are putting themselves at risk by buying treatments over the internet.

A survey by MarkMonitor in August found that the majority of online drug retail websites operate without proper credentials and lack e-commerce security features.

The BMA council says it will work with the WHO to look at internet prescribing and counterfeit drugs.

The BMA will also approach the MRHA (The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) to explore the possibility of working with them on the issue of counterfeit drugs and will urge the UK Government to lead international action to deal with the internet drugs issues.

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