 |
Click, click: the internet and prescription drugs - a consumer perspective |
(Aust Prescr 2000;23:75)
Joel Lexchin's article highlights two of the many risks for consumers in obtaining prescription medicines or drug information from the internet. The first risk is the blurring of promotional information with balanced objective information on suppliers' web sites. This can mislead consumers and expose them to the second major risk, internet supply of prescription medicines with no or limited 'virtual' medical advice.
If advertising is not seen for what it is, consumers
will be hard pressed to distinguish it from balanced information. It is
always difficult to know if information on the internet is balanced. Given
recent Australian experience in other arenas (Crimenet, internet gambling)
regulation of the internet is unlikely.
Consumers need to know how to minimise the potential problems of obtaining
information and medicines from the internet. Some consumer groups and
other researchers have begun developing criteria to assist consumers to
evaluate the health information they obtain from the internet. For many
consumers, discussing the information they find on the internet with their
doctor will be an important check.
The development and promotion of 'authoritative' web sites is equally
important. At a national level, the development of 'HealthInsite'1
as an internet 'portal' by the Department of Health and Aged Care, is
a welcome development. HealthInsite 'endorses' sites so that consumers
can be certain of the quality of the information. However, more resources
will be needed to ensure that valuable information from the consumer movement
is available through HealthInsite.
The article does not mention alternative therapies. This is an area where there is less stringent regulation. Misleading or insufficient information from suppliers may therefore present even greater challenges for consumers, particularly where health care providers may be unable to act as informed advisers.
Obtaining prescription medicines through the internet without the need to see a doctor can be a risk for consumers. However, doctors are not necessarily excluded from helping consumers to benefit from electronic commerce and may be able to assist consumers to minimise the risks. In Australia general practitioners are already using electronic prescribing and there are trials of electronically transferring prescriptions to a pharmacy. This could lead to 'virtual' pharmacies in future with potential benefits for consumers. People isolated by their age, illness or distance would not have to take their prescriptions to a pharmacy; the doctor could e-mail the prescription and the medicine could be delivered to the patient's home.
Purchasing medicines through the internet could also
make it easier for consumers to shop around for cheaper medicines. This
would be a welcome development for people with high medication costs due
to chronic and complex conditions. Internet prescribing can also inform
doctors and patients about medicines that are not available in Australia
and allow them to consider all the options.
Consumers value effective face-to-face communications with trusted health
professionals about treatment options and how to use their medicines appropriately.
The reluctance of some health professionals to provide advice and consumer
medicine information may have undermined consumers' perceptions of the
value of that interaction. However, the internet is only a supplement
to personal communications with health care providers and not a replacement.
Reference
1. http://www.healthinsite.gov.au
Australian Prescriber on the Internet |
|
Readers of the Australian Prescriber may wish to access the journal via the internet, as well as - or instead of - reading the paper copy. Overseas readers in particular are encouraged to read the internet version, to save postage costs. If you have not done so, visit the homepage at www.australianprescriber.com The web site contains all issues since 1994, index and search facilities, news, a feedback section for letters to the Editor, and a new issue notification service. Australian Prescriber was one of the first medical journals to make its full text available free to all readers on the internet. It is still free, and can be read and downloaded in HTML or PDF format (identical with the paper copy). The Australian Prescriber site is linked to many other useful sites (see links) and can be a valuable addition to the reader's desktop. Bookmark the homepage, or join the new issue notification service and link directly from the e-mail message to the homepage. To register for new issue notification |
