LegitScript launches new Internet pharmacy verification program
Arlington, Virginia – [May 22, 2008] (Arlington, Virginia) LegitScript LLC announced today the launch of a new comprehensive Internet pharmacy verification and information service at LegitScript.com.
The service, which is free to consumers and pharmacies, includes a search engine that allows users to determine whether an online pharmacy meets standards of quality and safe business practices. LegitScript approval will help United States residents ensure that pharmaceuticals purchased online are authentic and distributed in accordance with relevant laws and safety regulations.
The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy ®, which represents all State Boards of Pharmacy in the United States, recognizes LegitScript’s Internet pharmacy verification standards.
LegitScript.com’s search engine currently contains some information about 500 Internet pharmacies. Of those, 325 are identified as not meeting LegitScript Internet pharmacy verification standards, fifteen are approved, and the rest are under review.
“Rogue online pharmacies are a major source of illicit prescription drugs, but there are also numerous online pharmacies that are legal and safe,” said John Horton, LegitScript founder and President. “Our goal is to help Americans tell the difference.”
Calvina Fay, Executive Director of the Drug Free America Foundation, said, “Prescription drug abuse is a serious and emerging drug threat, especially to our nation’s youth. Internet pharmacy verification is an important step in making the Internet a safer environment for our children.”
Horton said that online pharmacy verification is free for pharmacies that comply with the company’s standards. “We will not approve online pharmacies that hire doctors to write prescriptions without ever meeting the patient face-to-face – a disturbing and potentially dangerous practice,” said Horton. Canadian, other foreign, and “no-prescription-required” Internet pharmacies are likewise ineligible.
Horton urged consumers to use LegitScript’s interactive feature for reporting “rogue” online pharmacies that target children, engage in fraud or send out “spam” email. “Our initial survey of Internet pharmacy Web sites suggests that there may be as many as 20,000 ‘rogue’ pharmacy websites in existence. By contrast, we think that there are probably 200 – 300 that will meet our standards – about one percent,” said Horton. Information on rogue Internet pharmacies will be shared with law enforcement, regulators and third-party businesses that want to avoid doing business with Internet pharmacies that do not comply with LegitScript standards.
Later this year, the Web site will add a prescription drug price comparison tool, and information about insurance and health plans accepted by approved Internet pharmacies.
Prescription drug abuse and Internet pharmacies have recently captured media attention, including the accidental prescription drug overdose of movie star Heath Ledger and President George W. Bush’s announcement, in March 2008, of a national drug policy focus on Internet pharmacies. According to government statistics, prescription drug abuse is now the nation’s second-most serious drug problem, ahead of cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine, and behind only marijuana in the sheer number of abusers.
