At the same time that regulatory agencies are stepping up enforcement efforts against illegal online drug sales, professional organizations are launching programs with the goal of cleaning house from within. In late 1999, the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) unveiled its Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites (VIPPS) program, which provides consumers valuable information about the credentials of online pharmacies.
VIPPS is a voluntary certification program. The fairly rigid conditions the online pharmacy must agree to for acceptance into the program include:
- maintaining all state licenses in good standing
- allowing information about the pharmacy to be posted and maintained on the VIPPS Website (http://www.nabp.net/vipps/intro.asp)
- allowing an NABP-sanctioned team to inspect its operations, given reasonable notice
- displaying and maintaining the VIPPS seal with a link to the VIPPS Website
VIPPS officials say the program is especially beneficial to seniors. "There is particular concern among the elderly population, which is often the target of unscrupulous marketing ploys," says Kevin Kinkade, NABP executive committee chairman. "VIPPS will be of tremendous benefit to consumers who need to be certain that the prescription medications they receive are from legitimate online pharmacies." To date, six businesses have been awarded VIPPS certification: drugstore.com, Merck-Medco Managed Care L.L.C., planetRx.com, familymeds.com, CVS Washington Inc., and Tel-Drug Inc.
At its June 1999 annual meeting, the American Medical Association adopted guidelines for doctors that specifically address Internet prescriptions. These voluntary principles recommend that doctors who prescribe over the Internet follow minimum standards of care. This includes examining a patient to determine the medical problem, discussing the risks and benefits of a drug with the patient, and following up to ensure the patient does not experience serious side effects.
Many in the pharmaceutical industry back the AMA's action. "The relationship between physician and patient is critically important, " says Martin Hirsch, public affairs director for Roche Laboratories Inc., maker of Xenical. "We support guidelines that will ensure that this relationship continues."
With regulatory and voluntary actions in full swing, it still will be hard to stay on top of illegal Internet drug sales. "Even if the state boards, FDA, and others do their jobs, consumers are going to need to be educated about the issue," says Wagner of the National Association of Chain Drug Stores.
FDA plans to help increase public awareness with an education campaign that informs consumers about the health, economic and legal risks of online sales of medical products. The campaign also will target health-care practitioners and industry. Other federal and private groups are conducting similar outreach.
"Consumers need to know the risks of buying prescription drugs online so they can remain vigilant," says FDA's Shuren, " The public also needs to know," he adds, "that there's a price to pay for operating an illegal Internet pharmacy. Even bringing a few highly publicized cases into the public eye will send a powerful message that these illegal sites will not be tolerated."
John Henkel is a member of FDA's Website Management Staff.
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