SOME 2 per cent of Irish adults – the equivalent of 64,000 people – have admitted purchasing medicines on the internet, according to a new survey.
The national study, conducted in January for the Irish Medicines Board (IMB), also found close to one in 10 people would consider purchasing medicines online.
The main reasons cited were to get cheaper medicines, for greater privacy and because it was convenient.
It is illegal in Ireland to buy prescription medicines on the internet, but the research shows most people are unaware of this. Some 68 per cent of a nationally representative sample of 1,000 people over 16 years surveyed said they were not aware of this.
The main items purchased online were nutritional products and impotence drugs.
Some 32 per cent said they had no concerns or never thought about the authenticity or safety of medicines on the internet.
This is despite several warnings from the IMB that medicines bought online “are as likely as not to be counterfeit” and could pose a serious danger to health. Meanwhile, one-quarter of those surveyed said they used the internet as a source of information on medicines.
Of those who did, 30 per cent used it to diagnose symptoms, something described as “worrying” by IMB chief executive Pat O’Mahony.
He said he was seriously concerned about this finding but there was no evidence the recession was causing more people to use the internet to self-diagnose.
Of those who used the internet as a source of information on medicines, almost half admitted it either sometimes or frequently influenced their choice of medicine or treatment.
The research carried out by Behaviour Attitudes examined whether or not Irish people tend to read the information leaflets with their medicines. Some 67 per cent said they always read this information when using over-the-counter medicines and 73 per cent said they always did when taking prescription medicine for the first time.
Mr O’Mahony said this meant “substantial” numbers were not reading information with their medicines.
These were more likely to be single men under 24 who probably felt invincible, he added.
He said the IMB had never prosecuted an individual for buying medicines online for themselves but instead tried to go after the suppliers and had helped closed down numerous websites.
Not all medicines seized coming into the country by mail order are tested by the IMB, he said, but he confirmed 75 per cent of the samples of seized product analysed in 2008 were found to be counterfeit.
Mr O’Mahony encouraged people to avoid websites which were promoting particular products, when looking for information. They should instead look to official Government sites and sites linked to medical schools or reputable organisations.
IRISH MEDICINES BOARD SURVEY: WHAT THE PUBLIC SAID
68% are not aware it is illegal to buy prescription drugs over the internet
32% have no concerns over buying medicines over the internet
25% use the internet as a source of information on medicines
27% don’t read the information leaflet with prescription drugs