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Search for "Vicodin" or "Oxycontin" in Google. Now buy some of these powerful opiates from Google's online pharmacy sponsors. You don't even need to visit a doctor first at some of their sponsors' sites, which makes these online pharmacies so popular with drug abusers.

Should Google allow ads for illegitimate pharmacies? State your opinion!

I asked the Drug Enforcement Agency for their position on Google allowing advertising for illegitimate online pharmacies. Ed Childress, a Special Agent with the DEA said, "the DEA doesn't regulate the internet. However, we're very concerned."

Carmen Catizone, executive director of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy said, "It's concerning to us that those ads are still appearing. That legitimzes those practices and confuses consumers. If those ads are still on their site we've got some discussions."

Google spokesperson David Krane said in a December 1st Washington Post article that Google will soon start using a third party company to weed out rogue pharmacies. However, many of the pharmacies advertising on Google right now still sell "consultations," an illegitimate method of obtaining drugs in which buyers simply fill out a form describing their ailments.

Mr. Catizone said his agency is still talking with Google about a third-party service that will help them differentiate between rogue and legitimate pharmacies.

Some of their advertisers do seem to require proof of an actual doctor's visit, but one Google sponsor I clicked on yesterday simply required me to click boxes (including one that read "have you abused prescription drugs in the past: yes/no") in order to receive an order of valium.

Regarding consultations versus prescriptions, the DEA's Mr. Childress said, "the doctor patient relationship has to exist. There has to be a physical examination of a patient."

Mr. Catizone said his organization, whose members are the state agencies that regulate and license pharmacies and pharmacists, has a similar stance. "All the websites we've seen that offer those consultations do not have a legitimate patient physician relationship and we would therefore advise consumers not to buy from them and request that Google not accept these ads."

An FDA spokesperson said, "we defer to the states for regulation of medical practice such as whether an online questionnaire is legal." However, "the American Medical Association has determined that this practice is generally substandard medical care. FDA agrees."

"Those words won't appear in our advertising." In the same Washington Post article that quoted Google's David Krane, Sheryl Sandberg, Vice president of global sales and operations for Google said "the effect is that those words won't appear in our advertising."

"It won't say 'Buy Vicodin here,'" she said.

She made this statement on December 1st. Their second sponsored link on a "Vicodin" search (01-14-03) says "Buy Vicodin ES 750."

I contacted Google for comment and am awaiting a response. When I receive one I'll post it in this column.

Feel free to link to this article at the following URL:
The http://www.webpronews.com/wpn-4-20040115TheGooglePharmacyAdControversy.html

Further Reading:
The Washington Post Article "Google to Limit Some Drug Ads"

Powerful Pain Pills Sold Through Web

Be sure to read Shari's feature article on URL structure and search optimization!

Garrett French + The WebProNews Team

Garrett French is the editor of iEntry's eBusiness channel. You can talk to him directly at WebProWorld, the eBusiness Community Forum.