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Contraception Products Sold Online With No Prescription Required, Endangering Public Health
Prescription contraceptive products are being marketed online as “no prescription” and “over-the-counter” products, placing consumers who buy them at risk, indicates a recent study by pharmaceutical security researchers. Study authors found that Google searches returned results for prescription contraceptive products such as injections, oral contraceptives, and patches, as well as intrauterine devices (IUDs). All of these products were marketed as available without a prescription and researchers found that sellers provided links to YouTube videos with IUD instructions. The researchers also found that these products were being promoted on social media channels, including Facebook, Twitter, SlideShare, and Flickr. Study authors Bryan A. Liang, MD, JD, PhD, Tim K. Mackey, MAS, and Kimberly M. Lovett, MD, conclude that such online contraceptive sales represent patient safety risks. They suggest that providers should educate patients, and that policy makers should “employ legal strategies to address these systemic risks.” The study, “Suspect Online Sellers and Contraceptive Access,” is available in the May 25, 2012 issue of Contraception.
