US House considers on-line pharmacy regs

The US House of Representatives' Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security has examined proposals to restrict the sale of pharmaceuticals via the Internet. Although similar legislation cleared the Senate earlier this year, the debate appears to be headed along party lines with Democrats, who control both chambers of Congress, skeptical of the current form of the proposals.

Giving evidence to the Subcommittee, Joseph Rannazzisi, Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Drug Enforcement Administration, noted that his agency had identified 34 web sites that offer controlled drugs without proper prescribing safeguards. Rep Lamar Smith (Republican, Texas), who is also one of the bill's sponsors, wants all on-line drug transactions to be preceded by a face-to-face medical check-up.

One question that is unclear from the proposals is whether the use of a live video communications system, such as the Internet video-telephone service Skype, would satisfy the regulations. Already, a number of physicians in the USA make initial patient assessments remotely, a practice that seems likely to become more commonplace.