Internet medicine sales raise concerns

1.00pm

Some doctors and pharmacists are selling prescription medicines over the internet without patients having a face-to-face consultation.

The law requires that pharmacists must have a prescription from a New Zealand registered medical practitioner before they can supply prescription medication to patients.

This law applies to those wanting to buy medicines over the internet whether or not they are in New Zealand.

However, the New Zealand Medical Council said it was aware some pharmacists were getting around the need for a face-to-face consultation by offering an online consultation with a doctor -- usually for patients wanting the impotence drug Viagra, weight loss treatment Xenical or hair loss remedy Propecia.

Registrar Tania Turfrey said online prescribing in that way was not in accord with the council's guidelines, which state that doctors should not prescribe to patients online unless they have had a face-to-face consultation with the patient, or the patient had seen another doctor who could verify physical data or identity.

Doctors who breached the guidelines could face disciplinary action, but the council could only act it received a complaint, Miss Turfrey said.

Pharmaceutical Society chief executive Joan Baas said the organisation had been working with the Health Ministry over pharmacy internet sales.

Problems had arisen in the past with New Zealand pharmacists selling drugs to overseas customers.

One of these, Auckland pharmacist Kerry Bell, had been prosecuted by the Health Ministry and disciplined by the society.

The society would investigate online pharmacies which offered a doctor's consultation over the internet.

"At this point we can't be sure whether [what they are doing] is legal or not," Dr Baas said.

Health Ministry drug safety arm, Medsafe, manager Clare van der Lem said there were several online pharmacies under investigation.

The public should be wary of online dispensing of prescription medicine, as the reason they are prescription medicines is because a doctor's advice and judgment are necessary when deciding what to prescribe.

"We will investigate complaints that are made to us and take action when investigations uncover beaches of the Medicines Act."

Medical Association chairwoman Tricia Briscoe said the association would discourage doctors from being involved in online consultations.

"It is a potentially dangerous practice to prescribe medication for patients who have not had a clinical examination for the problem for which the prescription is being written."

Drug manufacturer Pfizer said it had concerns that Viagra would be prescribed without a face-to-face consultation with a doctor.

Spokeswoman Suzanne Booth said: "We think it's dangerous to get a prescription in this way and we encourage men to go to their doctor."

There could be a number of reasons why someone might experience erectile problems, some of which could not be treated with Viagra.

- NZPA