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Three online pharmacies win endorsement
Posted
9-27-99 Park Ridge, Ill. Three online pharmacies now have the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) seal of approval-they've been certified as part of an effort to provide consumers information about the licensure status of pharmacies on the Internet. PlanetRx.com, drugstore.com, and Merck-Medco RX Services were given the first three "verified Internet pharmacy practice sites" (VIPPS) certifications, the NABP's latest foray into the regulation of online drugstore sites. Certification entails meeting 17 criteria and undergoing a site visit from NABP officials. According to the NABP, the pharmacy must also "comply with the licensing and inspection requirements of their state and each state to which they dispense pharmaceuticals." The NABP estimates that there are more than 400 online pharmacies, many of which don't meet licensing requirements. VIPPS-certified sites display a blue seal that links the consumer with a verification site run by the NABP. The site details the pharmacy's state-by-state licensure status and lists any disciplinary action imposed on the company by individual states. Crystal Wyand, spokesperson for the Food and Drug Administration, said the FDA was not involved in the new accreditation process. Wyand said the FDA's only comment is that "the VIPPS program may be a useful tool in conjunction with existing laws to assure consumers that the site from which they purchase has met appropriate state requirements." The American Pharmaceutical Association (APA) said the certifications are an important consumer protection. "We see it as a good initial step to help patients check the licensure status of their [online pharmacy]," said Susan Winckler, group director of policy and advocacy for the APA. "It may not be the perfect answer, but for today it's a good start. And it's something we recommend all pharmacies practice." Winckler said the growing number of online pharmacies has increased the risk to consumers who don't check the pharmacies' credentials. Patients who circumvent state laws and order drugs that haven't been approved by the FDA are "taking a risk and ignoring the protections" that have been created to help them, she said.
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