ASOP Global Statement on Bing/NABP Pilot Program
November 13, 2018 – ASOP Global commends Microsoft’s search engine Bing for partnering with the National Association of the Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) to launch a pilot program aimed at identifying illegal online drug sellers and alerting consumers of the risks associated with specific sites.
Bing was the first and only search engine to introduce pop-up warnings for illegal online pharmacy websites identified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Now, in another major industry first, Bing will expand their consumer safety efforts by adding pop-up warnings for websites that are on NABP’s Not Recommend list. These are online drug sites that put patients at risk appear to be operating out of compliance of state and federal laws or NABP patient safety and pharmacy practice standards.
This new collaborative pilot program was announced at the 2018 ASOP Global Foundation Research Symposium at the National Press Club.
By partnering with NABP, Bing is leading the way in responding to Administration and Congressional calls for internet companies to do more to address the growing problem of illegal online drug sales. ASOP Global applauds Bing’s proactive efforts and encourages other internet companies – including search engines, social media platforms, and registries/registrars – to follow Bing’s example by taking proactive steps to prioritize public health and patient safety.
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ABOUT ASOP GLOBAL
The Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacies (ASOP Global), a 501(c)(4) non-profit organization headquartered in Washington, D.C. with activities in U.S., Canada, Europe, India, Latin America and Asia, is dedicated to protecting consumers around the world, ensuring safe access to medications, and combating illegal online drug sellers.