Half of pharmacists have customers who admit to buying medicines online without prescription

摘要

HALF of pharmacists have customers who admit to buying prescription medicines online without a prescription, according to statistics released this week by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society in association with Pfizer. Conducted as part of the ongoing "Real danger" campaign, the survey (see Panel) reveals that 50 per cent of respondents (n=629) had come across customers who have obtained prescription-only medicines through illicit online sources and 41 per cent (n=591) had been asked by customers about obtaining prescription medicines this way. Over half (56 per cent; n=590) said they believe people make these purchases because they are too embarrassed to visit a GP or because they think they can get the medicines quicker this way. Just under three-quarters of respondents (73 per cent; n=633) thought the activity had become more common in recent years.