Blumenthal targets Internet sales of prescription drugs ...... GO BLOOMY
- From: "The Stark Raving LoonaTick" <chuckadams05@xxxxxxx>
- Date: 10 Dec 2006 18:03:02 -0800
Blumenthal targets Internet sales of prescription drugs
By Heather Barr
THE NEWS-TIMES
The ability to obtain drugs without a prescription has grown not only
from those who sell their pills to others, but also from sales on the
Internet.
Type any prescription drug into a Google search and Web sites on all
kinds come up, some that sell prescription medication, including
Adderall and Ritalin, without a prescription.
"I strongly believe there needs to be stricter Internet drug sales,"
said Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal. "We are very
concerned about Internet drug sales because people are so prone to
abuse. We need stronger regulations on the state level. I do believe we
need to protect consumers."
"Sure it's a problem," said John Gadea, Director of the Connecticut
Drug Control, a division of the Department of Consumer Protection, of
Web sites that don't have a national certificate by the National Board
of Pharmacy and that sell without a valid prescription from a doctor.
"People are playing with medicine on their own," he said. "The fact
that it is easily available, the abuse potential is obviously
increased."
He said when people don't have a doctor instructing them on dosage and
side effects, there can be abuse and health problems.
"The troubling part is, it is bad enough when a college student," tries
to get prescription drugs off the Internet, but also "there is nothing
stopping elementary kids from doing it. They could grab mom or dad's
credit card, order them up and they have got themselves a bunch of
drugs."
He said there is a need to educate younger children about the dangers
of prescription drugs and parents about the availability.
"They need to be aware that these things are available," Gadea said.
When he talks to parents about this, he said many look at him like they
never knew people could order drugs on the Internet without a
prescription.
He has not heard, however, of many cases where a minor went on the
Internet to get a prescription drug without a doctor's prescription.
RELATED STORIES
Ritalin a problem on campus
ADHD side effects
In March 2004, Blumenthal testified before the House Government Reform
Committee in support of H.R. 3880, the Internet Pharmacy Consumer
Protection Act, an act that was never passed. He stated that while
Internet pharmacies do have benefits to provide quality drugs at a
reasonable price, there are risks.
Blumenthal said that selling prescription drugs illegally raised risks
of counterfeit medicine, improper dosage and addiction, among other
dangers.
He called the Internet "a wild West of medicine marketing."
.
- Prev by Date: You can post on the internet all day but you can't hold a job? When is your next SS review? I may need to send some info
- Next by Date: Re: You can post on the internet all day but you can't hold a job? When is your next SS review? I may need to send some info
- Previous by thread: You can post on the internet all day but you can't hold a job? When is your next SS review? I may need to send some info
- Next by thread: Chuck's "Obsession" and an anonymous disinformation campaign
- Index(es):
Relevant Pages
|
