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NABP Applauds LegitScript and KnujOn for Spotlighting Exploitation of Internet Ad Programs by Rogue Internet Drug Outlets
The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy® (NABP®) applauds LegitScript and KnujOn for spotlighting the exploitation of search engines’ advertising programs by rogue Internet drug outlets. Their report “Analysis of Yahoo! Prescription Drug Sponsored Search Results,” released on August 18, 2009, examines the Web sites selling prescription medications that advertise through Yahoo!’s online advertising program.
The report states that, of the prescription drug and Internet drug outlet advertisements the authors reviewed, 82% led to drug outlets that do not require a prescription for prescription medications or that violate other United States medication safety and pharmacy laws. This high percentage is consistent with NABP findings on the overall prevalence of rogue Internet drug outlets. The report also correctly points out that many so-called Canadian pharmacies do not actually ship drugs from Canada, or even drugs approved for use by Canadians. Each of these sites advertising through Yahoo! either received approval from, or escaped the detection of, a third-party verification service (not recognized by NABP) used by the search engines to screen pharmaceutical advertisers.
As part of its mission to protect the public health, NABP reviews Internet drug outlets and distinguishes those that do and do not comply with pharmacy laws and practice standards. Those that appear to be out of compliance with these criteria are listed as Not Recommended on the NABP Web site. The criteria NABP uses to evaluate Internet pharmacies are not unique; they are those established by US federal and state laws and endorsed by the medical and pharmacy communities.
Like the authors of the report, NABP encourages Yahoo! and other search engines to hold advertisers selling prescription medications accountable to the same laws and practice standards required of any legitimately operating pharmacy. To enable Internet drug outlets operating beneath those standards to continue advertising through otherwise reputable channels is simply a danger to the public health.
Larissa Doucette
