Pharmacy News and Information

Should Drug Companies Be Allowed to Advertise?

admin — Tue, 18 May 2010 16:28:12 +0000

In the last ten years, drug advertisements have taken over the airways, print and online media. When traditionally pharmaceutical companies pushed marketing of new products to just doctors, now they go directly to patients. Pharmaceutical companies argue that they have to advertise this way in order to compete with generic drugs.

But marketing for drugs gets lumped under costs for researching, manufacturing and shipping. Pharmaceutical companies must justify their high prices for drugs. If their profit margin is too big, they may be taxed or regulated by national and local governments, which again eats into their profit margins. Pharmaceutical companies made large profits long before they made their first television commercial for a prescription drug. This shows that they can afford to not advertise and still make a profit.

According to a 2008 report published in the Public Library of Science Medicine, pharmaceutical companies spend more money on marketing than they do on research and development of new, potentially life-saving drugs. This shows that the priority of any drug company is to make as money as possible, not to make products that could reduce pain and suffering.

The average person has not been to medical school, pharmaceutical school or has any medical training. For decades, the medical community has been warning about the dangers of self-medication. Usually, “self-medication” means illegal drugs and alcohol, but even abusing legal drugs to alleviate painful symptoms qualifies as self-medication. By allowing drug companies to advertise directly to patients, the drug companies are encouraging self-medication and the misery and complications it can bring.

How to Choose an Online Pharmacy

admin — Sat, 15 May 2010 15:34:28 +0000

You may be ready to ditch the routine of driving to the store, dropping off a prescription, and waiting 30 minutes to an hour for your medication. Fortunately, with the evolution of the world wide web, there are now viable alternatives. Thousands of online pharmacies have sprouted across the internet, and are eager to fill your prescriptions quickly and conveniently. However, there are several pitfalls you should look for when choosing your online pharmacy, as the lack of human contact when dealing with any drug can be risky.

The most basic of all pitfalls is the requirement of a prescription. Never give your information to, or accept drugs from an online pharmacy that does not require a prescription. A prescription is the basic link that connects your doctor to you to your online pharmacy.

If your online pharmacy offers any illegal narcotics, controlled or targeted substances, avoid it. It is illegal for any internet sight to sell these substances.

Choose a pharmacy that offers the widest range of pharmaceuticals. Sites that focus on a streamline or mainstream label are more interested in selling product than getting you healthy.

Make sure the online pharmacy requires a medical or prescription history. This is the only way the online pharmacy can be sure they are legally filling the correct prescriptions for the correct patient. This does not cover married women who cheat, but that is a topic for another day.

Finally, double check the license number of the online pharmacy with the license contractor. You probably selected a pharmacy in the US or Canada, but pharmacies located in the United Kingdom, East Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and Asia also have higher authorities to report to. An invalid or lack of license number is the biggest red flag you can encounter, and proves that the online pharmacy is operating above the law. Not only should you avoid these pharmacies at all cost; you should report them to a higher authority.

Pharmacy News

admin — Sat, 15 May 2010 00:27:16 +0000

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