APhA Statement On LegitScript And KunjOn Report

Main Category: Pharmacy / Pharmacist
Article Date: 20 Aug 2009 - 3:00 PDT

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The American Pharmacists Association (APhA) applauds the efforts of LegitScript and KnujOn to bring attention to the threat posed to patient safety by sponsored search engine results for rogue Internet pharmacies appearing on the nation's top Internet search engines. In a co-authored report entitled "Analysis of Yahoo! Prescription Drug Sponsored Search Results," released on August 18, 2009, the companies examine the Web sites selling prescription medications that advertise through Yahoo!'s online advertising program.

Earlier this year, APhA expressed similar concerns for patient safety in letters to Microsoft MSN, Google and Yahoo! for returning sponsored search results for Internet drug sellers that appeared to be operating in violation of law and/or accepted standards of pharmacy practice in the United States.

"Allowing the posting of sponsored search results of Internet drug sellers that dispense prescription medications without a valid prescription supports practices that are contrary to U.S. law, are deceptive to American consumers who are relying on your site to provide them access to legitimate Web sites, and most importantly may be unsafe to U.S. consumers who are relying on these medications to manage their health care needs," said APhA Executive Vice President and CEO Thomas Menighan.

APhA encourages Yahoo! and other search engines to revise their current policies and standards for prescription drug Web site sponsored search results to, at a minimum, limit postings to Internet sites that are legitimate and comply with U.S. law.

Source
American Pharmacists Association (APhA)

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