ONLINE PRESCRIPTIONS: A NEW FRONTIER

…..Over the last several years, the act of selling and buying consumer products online has grown tremendously. This is also true in the case of various types of medicine – it is now easier than ever for people to search for and purchase drugs over the Internet. Though there are obvious benefits to medicine being very accessible to patients, it must be noted that this accessibility also comes with serious health and regulatory risks. 

…..Among the many benefits of online drug sales, the most notable ones include home-bound or disabled patients having easier access to medication, 24 hour availability of medicine sales, and the increased privacy of online drug transactions. People will also find it much easier to search for information on drugs online rather than having to head out to a drugstore in order to ask for help, while physicians may be able to avoid prescription errors by utilizing modern computer technology in order to send prescriptions directly to pharmacies. These advances make it much more convenient for everyone involved when it comes to the recommendation and procurement of prescribed drugs for treatment. Sadly, this does not come without some concerns, though, as it is also easier for those with the intention of misusing the greater availability of drugs.

…..While the availability of online medicines greatly improves the ability of the medical industry to deliver effective healthcare, it also provides a new venue for illegal drug trading activities, which is a concern that predates the Internet itself. It is far easier to sell untested drugs, unprescribed drugs, and other medicines marked to have false health claims online because transactions are done from the comfort and privacy of people’s homes and offices. There are even sites that offer drugs for sale for recreational purposes – people addicted to dangerous drugs, such as pain killers, turn to them as a hassle-free source of medicines to abuse. Needless to say, the existence of these rogue sites may prove to be most harmful, and even deadly, to those who patronize them. For this reason, authorities have been acting against abusive online drug sellers in an effort to make the Internet a safer place for online prescriptions.

…..The Internet is still somewhat new when looking at the entire history of the world, and because of this we are all still adjusting to its creation and existence. Law enforcement has yet to catch up with it, and therefore there are many exploits and loopholes that have gone unnoticed. Most drug sellers use complicated networks made of related websites and other online locations as a deterrent and system of roadblocks for investigation, which means authorities need to be on their toes and think out of the box when it comes to dealing with any issues on the Internet. This is most especially true when offenders are located in countries that have differing drug laws to that of the United States. That said, the benefits of online prescription outweigh the negatives, which makes it a worthwhile cause for the FDA and other US officials to work together with foreign governments to come up with solutions for the cooperative enforcement of international and domestic drug laws. 

…..Doctor, are you interested in serving your fellow Americans by becoming a Qualified Medical Evaluator (QME)? If so, look no further. Contact TukkoMed today and take your first steps towards a fulfilling career dedicated to the Red, White, and Blue.