Many Web Sites Still Offering Controlled Substances Without Prescription, Report Finds

Many Internet sites that advertise or sell controlled medications do not require a prescription, a situation that is contributing to the rise in abuse of prescription drugs, according to a report by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, the New York Times reports.

Dispensing controlled medications to patients without a prescription from a physician who has a legitimate relationship with that patient is illegal, but officials have found it difficult to reduce the practice, the Times reports. At least eight states have passed laws barring electronic prescribing or sales without a legitimate prescription. In April, the Senate passed a bill that would require online pharmacies to be certified and doctors to see patients before prescribing controlled drugs. A companion bill is now being considered by a House committee.

According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, 85% of all Internet prescription drug sales were for controlled drugs, while controlled medications accounted for only 11% of prescriptions filled through regular pharmacies.

CASA researchers used search engines such as Google, Yahoo and MSN to find certain controlled drugs. Of the 365 drug sales sites they found, 206 were advertising sites that directed consumers to a seller. Out of the 159 sites that directly sold controlled drugs, 135, or 85%, did not require a prescription or would provide medications after consumers completed an online questionnaire. In addition, the report found some Web sites would sell written prescriptions that could be used at local pharmacies.

CASA Director Joseph Califano said federal and state efforts to regulate Internet sales of prescription drugs appear to have reduced the number of sites offering medications without prescriptions from 581 last year to 365 this year. He added, "Nevertheless, anyone of any age can obtain dangerous and addictive prescription drugs with the click of a mouse."

Califano sent letters to Google, Yahoo and MSN, saying that the sites were "profiting from advertisements for illegal sales of controlled prescription drugs online" and calling for the companies to take stronger preventive action. According to the Times, major online search engines use a program called Pharmacy Checker to confirm that advertisers are legitimate.

Michael Sanders, a spokesperson for the DEA, said, "One of the main problems is that the sites can literally open up for a week, close and open up under a different name."

Diana Adair, a spokesperson for Google, said that in addition to using Pharmacy Checker, Google has consulted with federal agencies on ways to reduce illegal prescription drug sales. Kelley Benender, a spokesperson for Yahoo, said the company is "working to identify the illegal sites and will take appropriate action." A spokesperson for MSN said the company had no comment (Eckholm, New York Times, 7/9).

The report is available online (.pdf).