Skip to Content

What do you buy the Apple fanboy? Visit the TUAW Holiday Gift Guide to find out
Holidash Blog
AOL Tech

Posts with tag prescription

Online 'Rogue' Pharmacies Targeted in New Bill

Online
You may be annoyed by the inundation of spam from shady online pharmacies attempting to convince you that you need some prescription assistance, but not as annoyed as our government apparently is. According to an earlier survey, over 85-percent of online pharmacies don't require prescriptions. A bill, spearheaded by Democratic Representative Bart Stupak from Michigan, could put a stop to their practices, requiring a prescription written by a doctor who has had an in-person examination with the patient.

The bill has passed the Senate and the House, meaning President Bush just needs to sign off on it before it goes into law. In general this is good news, as we don't like that spam or shady pharmacies any more than you do. However, with more and more technology being introduced that enables you to visit the doctor without leaving home, we're a little leery about the "in-person" requirement of this bill and wouldn't be surprised if that gets revised in the not too distant future. [From: NewsVine]

85% of Online Pharmacies Don't Require a Prescription, Survey Reveals

Prescription Drugs Easy to Find, Cheap to Buy Online
The Internet is a virtual cornucopia of cheaply-purchased controlled substances. Don't believe us? Just swing by your local college campus and start asking a few questions. According to a recent survey of 365 Internet pharmacies, 85 percent filled orders for prescription drugs (a majority of which were for controlled substances) without requiring a prescription. Many of the sites even flaunt this fact, clearly stating that no prescription was required, a clear violation of U.S. law.

The sites are often hard to track because they only stay up for short periods of time before moving and opening up under a new name at a new address.

These illegal pharmacies are of particular concern since the rate of abuse of prescription drugs has skyrocketed over the past few years. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, 48 million Americans over the age of twelve have abused prescription drugs at some point in their lives. [Source: Reuters]

    Switched Video

     



    Featured Galleries

    AOL Tech Network


    Latest Reviews from CNET.com

    CNET provides the latest tech news, unbiased reviews, videos, podcasts, software, and downloads, making tech products easy to find, understand and use.

    Top Product Reviews

    AOL News

    Other Weblogs Inc. Network blogs you might be interested in: