Abstract
The purpose of this study is to measure the accessibility to purchase oral and transdermal contraceptives over the Internet for low- and high-risk individuals. The Internet was used to search for and order both oral and transdermal contraceptives. Using the "Google" search engine to locate online pharmacies by entering the term "purchase contraception," we proceeded to purchase either oral contraceptives or contraceptive patches without a prescription. We first posed as a healthy 25-year-old woman, then as a 35-year-old woman who was obese and a heavy tobacco user, and finally, as a 35-year-old smoker on an antihypertensive medication. Our attempts to order both combination oral contraceptives, as well as contraceptive patches, over the Internet without a prescription were successful for all three risk profiles. We ordered from three different Web sites, two within the United States and one international site. The two U.S. Web sites required us to complete a medical questionnaire to obtain a prescription from the site provider, but the foreign site had no questionnaire or risk information posted on the Web site. Despite entering known risk factors for estrogen use, we received all the medications. There was no medical follow-up...Continue Reading
References
Dec 28, 1999·Annals of Internal Medicine·B S Bloom, R C Iannacone
Feb 25, 2000·The Journal of Urology·S E KahanM I Resnick
Jan 6, 2001·The Annals of Pharmacotherapy·J C Gallagher, J L Colaizzi
Jan 12, 2001·Obstetrics and Gynecology·L Miller, C Nielsen
Sep 15, 2001·The New England Journal of Medicine·E P Brass
Dec 17, 2002·European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology·Tracey L BessellLloyd N Sansom
Mar 6, 2003·Contraception·Erin GainerAndré Ulmann
Feb 13, 2004·Mayo Clinic Proceedings·Constance H FungSteven M Asch
Citations
Oct 4, 2011·Journal of Medical Internet Research·Grazia OrizioUmberto Gelatti
Mar 25, 2008·Journal of the American Pharmacists Association : JAPhA·Jacqueline S GardnerSolmaz Shotorbani
Aug 28, 2012·Contraception·Eleanor B SchwarzRalph Gonzales
May 29, 2012·Contraception·Bryan A LiangKimberly M Lovett
Nov 9, 2010·The International Journal of Pharmacy Practice·Cathal T Gallagher, Laura E Chapman
Jun 15, 2015·American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology·Lori M Gawron, David K Turok
Dec 4, 2012·Drug and Alcohol Dependence·Marcus A Bachhuber, Chinazo O Cunningham
Nov 20, 2013·American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology·Hanna XuJeffrey F Peipert
Jan 8, 2015·International Journal of Clinical Pharmacy·Bassam M AlwonDavid J Wright
Oct 11, 2019·Obstetrics and Gynecology·Eduardo Hariton, Erin E Tracy
Sep 12, 2020·Journal of the American Pharmacists Association : JAPhA·Benjamin PenleySachiko Ozawa
Apr 21, 2019·Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada : JOGC = Journal D'obstétrique Et Gynécologie Du Canada : JOGC·Andreana MarcinkowNese Yuksel
Jul 13, 2007·Current Opinion in Obstetrics & Gynecology
Jan 12, 2021·Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal : SPJ : the Official Publication of the Saudi Pharmaceutical Society·Róbert György VidaAndrás Fittler