Trivia: Rx Online – Users and Abusers

We've all received those annoying spam emails: Get Your Prescription Filled Now; Generic Drugs Cheap; Skip the Doctor Visit; Save Money! Shop for Meds Offshore! These (with spelling corrected) are just a few that I have received in the last few minutes – aside from the emails selling drugs for erectile dysfunction.

But how many people actually buy online? (By "people" I mean Americans, since online buying is not really an issue in Canada, chiefly due to less expensive prescription drug costs.)

According to a July 21, 2004 report from ClickZ.com, 19 million Americans purchased prescription drugs online from US licensed pharmacies. And up to 4.1 million have purchased drugs (or something purporting to be drugs) from foreign (usually those claiming to be from Canada or Mexico) or other sources. With a total US population of 294,540,100 (using the most recent national census numbers), 19 million amounts to approximately 6% of Americans, and 4.1 million to about 1%. Meanwhile, a report by Pew Internet that was released on October 10, 2004, showed a smaller amount – 4% – admitting to have made online drug purchases.

According to the ClickZ.com survey, 60% of those surveyed had one or more concerns about purchasing online – usually about the purity of the product. And the Pew Internet survey showed 62% had concerns about the safety of online drugs. (But the Pew Internet survey also found that 20% of respondents think online purchases are as safe as local purchases.)

And, at least regarding the items for erectile dysfunction, the concerns might be right – according to a Reuters article by Patricia Reaney, dated September 28, 2004, researchers calculate that as many as half of the Viagra pills sold online could be counterfeit.

So buyer beware! Of course, individuals who would buy a drug from a company that can't spell the name of the drug they're selling, or who think that it's a good idea to buy prescription drugs without a prescription, may be getting what they deserve.

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