According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, numerous veterinarians are filing complaints against Internet pharmacy practices inconsistent with best patient care and FDA regulations3.
The fundamental concern is supplying prescription drugs without
the authorization of a veterinarian. More than 400 complaints
have been filed with regulators. The AVMA concedes that veterinarians
may be “frustrated by the apparent lack of adequate enforcement
by appropriate regulatory authorities.”
Fox News.com
reported, “Not only are these Internet
pharmacies dealing medications illegally, but in many cases
the drugs are
counterfeit, overpriced and in some cases, dangerous.5”
The U.S. EPA concurred, stating that use of some of these products “may
put the treated pet at risk.6 ”
What can be done about all this? Getting your arms around
all the issues related to online veterinary product sales
is a daunting task. But ignoring the problem will not make
it go away. That’s
why DVMDS has developed a solution for
you and your fellow veterinary practitioners.
Pet Medication Internet sales will:
Reach over $156 million in 2004.
Equaling $4,192 in lost sales per small animal practitioner in the US.
And that in the next 4-5 years:
That number will reach $12,576
lost per yr.
The EPA has taken actions against counterfeiters of dog/cat flea and tick control, including their distributors2
A recent AAHA study found that compliance in practically every practice was lower than the veterinarians in those practices believed it to be.4
