Avaliação das farmácias virtuais brasileiras

Abstract

The growing number of Internet users brought forth an increase in the search for Brazilian online pharmacy services. Aiming at evaluating the validity of information disseminated in these websites, a descriptive study was carried out in 18 virtual pharmacies concerning legal aspects, accessibility, sources of information and drug advertisings. It was found 15 pharmacies did not have authorization of the Brazilian National Health Surveillance Agency; the manager pharmaceutical offi cer's name could not be found in 17 of them; 17 pharmacies marketed drugs with no registration, especially herbal medicines, and did not show either information on adverse drug reactions or this agency's alerts and health recommendations. Since health control and drug commerce in Brazilian online pharmacies have not been yet regulated by proper government agencies, these gaps found in the sites can pose risk to the users' health.

Qualidade das informações de saúde e medicamentos nos sítios brasileiros

“…That study indicated a lack of human resources and a regulatory failure of the National Health Surveillance Agency (Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária -ANVISA). The study also found that the primary source of information on the sites was pharmaceutical inserts (6) . The presence of medication and health information on the Internet leads to changes in the doctor-patient relationship regarding the patient's actions of toward his or her illness: more than 70% of users claim that information contained on the Internet influences their decisions regarding prescribed treatment (7) .…”

Avaliação participativa da qualidade da informação de saúde na internet: o caso de sites de dengue

“…Literature suggests that information plays an important role in health promotion and disease prevention 13,14,16,22,26,29,31 . Garbin et al 5 affirm that the Internet can be a great ally in the construction of health promotion projects, especially in the development of personal skills.…”

The Potential Dual Use of Online Pharmacies

“…Medications and cosmetics are also objects of sale. This activity is carried out by online pharmacies (Quon et al 2005;Fung et al 2004;Montoya and Jano 2007;Fox et al 2005;Lanier 2004;Romero et al 2004;Lineberry and Bostwick 2004;Gondim and Falcȃo 2007;Zeman 2002;Mäkinen et al 2005;Bloom and Iannacone 1999).…”

“…A license is granted by appointed agencies which are controlled by governmental organizations. The task of these institutions is to ensure that the sale of medications by pharmacies is in accordance with the regulations applied in the given country (Montoya and Jano 2007;Fox et al 2005;Gondim and Falcȃo 2007;Zeman 2002).…”