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. 2022 Feb 16;24(2):e27704. doi: 10.2196/27704

Table 4.

COVID-19 mentions on illegitimate and legitimate online pharmacy websites.

Type of COVID-19 mentions Quotes Mentionsa
Quotes from illegitimate pharmacies

Direct claims that medication may be effective for COVID-19

  • “drug [hydroxychloroquine] confirmed effective on COVID-19”

  • “It was announced by American president that Hydroxychlorquine should be used to treat coronavirus, Donald Trump said this in his Twitter on March 21 2020.”

  • “[study] proved that Hydroxychloroquine… can cut the death rate significantly in sick, hospitalized COVID patients without heart-related side effects... The analysis of the study shows hydroxychloroquine helped save lives.”

  • “Hydroxychloroquinine has shown positive results when being used to treat patients with Covid-19 (coronavirus).”

  • “it was found out that Kaletra shows positive results in a blockage of a COVID-19 viral replication”

  • “This HIV medication [lopinavir-ritonavir] is one of the few drugs effective for COVID-19 treatment)”

  • “It [lopinavir-ritanovir] has been tested and included in the protocols of treatment of the novel coronavirus COVID-19”

 7
Claims medication may be effective for COVID-19

  • “Reports have shown that this medicine [hydroxychloroquine] might be effective against Coronavirus, but it has not been proven”

  • “Reports have shown that this medicine [lopinavir-ritonavir] might be effective against Coronavirus, but it has not been proven.”

 2

Supply/shipping limitation due to COVID-19

  • “…New Zealand, in an effort to preserve adequate stocks of this medicine for their own people during the Covid-19 pandemic have halted all exports until further notice”

  • “Limited supply. Currently being dispensed to existing Plaquenil patients only”

  • “Not available at this time due to COVID-19 shipping disruptions.”

 3

Precaution regarding efficacy in COVID-19

  • “Taking this medication will not prevent you from passing HIV or COVID-19 to other people”

 1

Medication included in COVID-19 medication category

  • Tagb: COVID-19 [hydroxychloroquine]

  • Tagb: coronavirus [lopinavir-ritanovir] [hydroxychloroquine]

  • Tagb: covid19 treatment, covid19 medications uk [lopinavir-ritanovir]

 4

Ads for products related to COVID-19

  • Gloves

  • COVID test kits

  • Masks

 4
Quotes from legitimate pharmacies

Indication limitation or dispense restriction due to COVID-19

  • “we are ONLY dispensing Hydroxychloroquine to patients with history of use for an autoimmune disorder … prior to 3/1/2020 or a positive diagnosis of COVID-19… Doctors prescribing outside of their scope of practice will be DENIED”

  • “Due to the national shortage, we can only dispense this drug [hydroxychloroquine] if you have tested positive for coronavirus/COVID-19.”

 2

Ads for products related to COVID-19

  • Sanitizer and masks

 1

aDenotes the number of online pharmacy websites per type of COVID-19 mention.

bThese websites created COVID-19 medication categories or categorized the medication under a specific tag on the product pages.