An Internet pharmacy that supplied prescription only drugs without appropriate medical supervision has been fined $15,000 by the state of Missouri and will have to reimburse all its customers for any charges. As is typical for such Internet pharmacies the site concentrates on supplying the so-called lifestyle drugs such as sildenafil (Viagra), finasteride (Propecia), orlistat (Xenical) and bupropion (Zyban).
The site (http://thepillbox.com) is based in San Antonio, Texas, and its owner, William Stallknecht, stood as a Libertarian party candidate for the US House of Representatives in 1998. The case against the pharmacy was brought by a pregnant assistant attorney who found that she was able to order Propecia (although the drug is contraindicated in pregnancy) after filling out an online questionnaire.
Guidelines of the American Medical Association declared this practice unethical earlier this year (www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/319/7204/213). “We picked a major operation with significant resources and took them on, making sure that they are fully represented,” said Missouri attorney Jay Nixon, “and shut them down as a clear signal to everyone else out there that this is illegal conduct in our state” (www.slfp.com/072399city.htm).
Customers at thepillbox.com website paid $85 for an online “consultation” before ordering drugs, but the Texas doctor who was writing the prescriptions, James Reed Williams, has agreed that he will no longer sign prescriptions for Missouri residents.