The rapid advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology has created both opportunities and challenges in ensuring lawful, safe online pharmacies are distinguished from illegal sources. Because of these risks, ASOP Global is establishing principles for the use of AI that aim to safeguard public health and protect consumers from illegal prescription drug sellers.
Until GDPR was implemented in 2018, WHOIS data – the telephone directory of the Internet – made it possible for law enforcement, consumer protection agencies, child advocacy groups, anti-human trafficking organizations, cybersecurity investigators, intellectual property rights holders, journalists, academics and others to identify who registered any given domain.
Alarmingly, access to WHOIS data has been drastically curtailed as a result of overly broad interpretations of GDPR data privacy laws and the failure of registrars and registry operators to self-police. This has severely limited cyber investigations and restricted our ability to act quickly to protect American consumers.
When U.S. residents search for Canadian online pharmacies, they will find hundreds of websites that initially, but incorrectly, appear to sell U.S. residents drugs supplied by licensed pharmacies located in Canada. Additionally, there are many more websites that claim to have some nexus to Canada – slap a maple leaf on a website – to dupe U.S. consumers. These sites have no real connection to Canada at all – they do not work with a pharmacy or pharmacist licensed by a Canadian province and do not have physical presence in Canada. Like the other “Canadian online pharmacy” websites described above, these sites also do not source drugs that are approved by Health Canada.
Doctors, pharmacists and every member of the healthcare team has a unique opportunity to play a role in educating their patients about illegal online pharmacies and counterfeit medicines. ASOP Global joined forces with 14 national healthcare organizations to reach the more than 6 million healthcare providers by launching ASOP Global’s new website and providing providers with the resources they need to keep their patients safe.
More than 75% of all seniors suffer from at least one chronic disease and out-of-pocket drug costs for Medicare beneficiaries are skyrocketing. ASOP Global, the Center for Safe Internet Pharmacies (CSIP) and National Consumers League (NCL) joined forces to educate seniors and their caregivers about the risks associated with buying prescription medicines online and provide the tools they need to help keep them safe from illegal online drug sellers.
With the proliferation of illegal online pharmacies, ASOP Global launched its first major public awareness campaign, tagged “Buy Safe Rx”, to educate consumers about the health and financial risks associated with buying prescription medicines online and how to stay safe.