London: The doctor will see you now: Just click here.
In Britain, an increasing number of websites are Pushing the boundaries of online medicine, with at least a dozen sites offering consultations and medication most countries only allow during in-Person visits - or remote ones with the help of a webcam or telephone call.
The sites are completely legal, and fall under the jurisdiction of a regulator called the Care Quality commission. Not surprisingly the most in-demand drugs are for erectile dysfunction, sexually transmitted diseases and hair loss.
The websites don't handle serious medical Problems or emergencies and don't deal in narcotics, Painkillers or other drugs people could become addicted to.
"The British websites are definitely an exception, but they are the start of a trend we will soon see everywhere," said Steinar Pedersen, a founder and special adviser at the Norwegian Centre for Telemedicine.
Pedersen didn't know of any countries beyond UK where online medicine for Patients who don't know the doctors and don't ever speak to them is legal. The EuroPean Commission does not monitor such medical websites, but is working on a paper addressing the legal issues of telemedicine.
In countries including Canada, Denmark, Norway, Germany, and France, doctors are only allowed to treat Patients online if they have Previously seen them in Person.
In the United States, several companies offer online medicine, but Patients must typically speak to a doctor on the telephone or set up a video-conference for a live, face-to-face chat.
The Canadian Medical Association said doctors who approve prescriptions for patients they haven't seen in Person face losing their licenses' But that's not the case in Britain, where rules are more lax.
The Care Quality Commission only oversees the work of doctors in private Practice. Practitioners who work for the government are exempt from regulation altogether' If drugs are prescribed, the sites must be registered with a drug regulatory agency.
The websites typically charge for a doctor's consultation fee from about $13 to more than $30 that is not covered by the national health system. Some even ship a very small percentage of their drugs; in Europe, it is legal for medication to cross borders as long as it is for Personal use.
The commission monitors medical websites Primarily ensure the doctors running them are licensed. Doctors working online said Patients must accept some responsibility for their own safety
"There are always people who will do things that are not in their own interest," said Tony Steele, who runs the online service, Doctor Fox.
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