Libby Baney Discusses Americans Buying Medications Online With Several National Media Outlets

Several leading media outlets — including World Trademark Review, InsideHealthPolicy, Meds Safety and WGN-TV — turned to government and regulatory partner Libby Baney, senior advisor to the Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacies (ASOP), for insight on ASOP’s consumer survey and considerations for buying medications online.

Baney told World Trademark Review, “More Americans are buying medicine online…[and] being harmed by medicines sold online, yet fewer Americans appreciate the risk of illegal online drug sellers.” She added, “This creates a ripe environment for increased criminal behavior online. This is bad for legitimate pharmacies, telemedicine providers, drug manufacturers and — most

importantly — the patients they aim to treat.” The full article is available for subscribers.

In InsideHealthPolicy, Baney emphasized “the importance of crafting a balanced rule that allows for access to care from legitimate channels with appropriately prescribed medicine dispensed from state-regulated pharmacies…to prevent that online diversion or that all-night risk that we see for their data centers that could very well happen if [the Drug Enforcement Administration] shuts the door too hard on legitimate access to care.” The full article is available for subscribers.

Speaking to Meds Safety, Baney highlighted the need for comprehensive legislative and regulatory policies to address the risks associated with online medication purchases.

In a WGN-TV news segment, Baney shared three reasons more Americans may be using online pharmacies to buy medicine — “cost, convenience and access to care” — and the risks people may face if they buy “substandard, counterfeit or falsified medicine.” She also discussed the importance of creating more access to legitimate telemedicine and enforcing against illegal online pharmacies. Lastly, Baney said, “The best thing consumers can do right now is educate yourself. This is really a buyer-beware system for patients. Please verify before you buy.”