An attractive system for busy patients, but which raises serious safety questions.
Health authorities regularly warn of the dangers linked to purchasing medicines online outside of a secure framework. A new site is in the sights. On this site, it is possible to order a treatment normally issued by prescription by simply completing a questionnaire. Within a few days, the treatment arrives directly in the patient’s mailbox. This is what reveals an investigation by the program Patti Chiari, broadcast by Swiss Italian radio and television (RSI). The operation is simple: the patient selects the treatment they wish to obtain, provides their health information, then a doctor based in another European country validates – or not – the request. A pharmacy then takes care of shipping to your home.
To test this system, RSI journalists ordered a Saxenda injectable pen, intended for people suffering from obesity or diabetes, on two occasions. In both cases, the product was delivered directly to the mailbox. Even more worrying: during the second order, the profile did not correspond to the prescription criteria and even mentioned a contraindication. Despite this, the request was accepted, without additional verification. This weight loss medication, like others in the same family, is only available by prescription in France.
The model of this site is attracting more and more patients looking for speed or discretion, particularly for weight loss treatments, antibiotics or certain medications against hypertension. But behind this simplicity, the health risks are very real. In France, the issuance of a prescription is strictly regulated by the Public Health Code: it must follow a real medical consultation, in person or by teleconsultation.
However, in the case of these platforms like Dokteronline, based in the Netherlands and accessible from France, the prescription is essentially based on information declared by the patient himself, without clinical examination or direct exchange. For Francesca Bortoli, a pharmacist interviewed by RSI, this type of practice exposes several risks such as potentially dangerous side effects, the risk of receiving falsified medicines or those containing harmful substances and the absence of personalized medical monitoring. Unlike a traditional treatment course, no professional ensures the effectiveness of the treatment or its tolerance over time. If these platforms rely on European regulations to operate, their operation does not correspond to French requirements in terms of prescription.
Contacted as part of the investigation, Dokteronline defends its practices. The company explains that it operates as a telemedicine intermediary, connecting patients with qualified doctors practicing in the European Union. According to this, patients do not directly choose a medication, but request a consultation for a given pathology. The medical questionnaire would allow the practitioner to assess the situation before deciding whether or not to prescribe treatment. The platform also highlights that these remote consultations, based on structured questionnaires, constitute a form of telemedicine authorized in the context of European cross-border care, as long as a qualified doctor analyzes the information and takes responsibility for the prescription.
Finally, the platform insists on the fact that doctors remain solely responsible for their medical decisions, and that partner pharmacies carry out checks before sending medications. In practice, these platforms above all illustrate a change in behavior: faced with appointment delays and the search for quick solutions, some patients are ready to bypass the traditional care pathway – at the risk of putting their health at risk.
