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Biotech / Medical : VVUS: VIVUS INC. (NASDAQ) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: DAVID who wrote (8403)	5/23/1998 2:34:00 PM
From: LoLoLoLita	Respond to of 23519

To All, from excite.com: -------------------------------------------- Oddly Enough Updated 5:00 PM ET May 22, 1998 Canadians turn to Internet for potency drug TORONTO (Reuters) - The wildly popular male potency drug Viagra has not been approved for sale in Canada but fears are growing in medical circles that Canadians are shrugging off safety concerns and turning to the Internet where the drug is easy to get. A Reuters investigation this week showed that it is easier for Canadians to obtain Viagra by consulting a "cyberdoctor" on the World Wide Web than it is for Americans, who must undergo a physical examination by a registered physician in the United States before the drug can be prescribed. "Viagra is a rather safe medication. We recommend a physical exam during the consultation. But well, you know, we are on the Internet. So basically, people should go and see their doctor in their home country. We do rely on our patients. We're not doing surgery anyway," said Dr. Steven Kohler, from cyberdoctors (www.cyberdocs.com). Introduced in April by the pharmaceutical company Pfizer Inc.(PFE.N) and available in the United States only by prescription, the potency pill has taken the world by storm. Mariann Caprino, a Pfizer spokeswoman, said Thursday that more than one million prescriptions have already been filled. Canadians have been flocking across the border to get prescriptions filled in the U.S. But it is simpler to order the pills from several controversial sites on the Internet and have the drug delivered to virtually any address in Canada. Canadian government officials and doctors are concerned. "People should be consulting a true physician," said Bonnie Fox-McIntyre, a spokeswoman for the Canadian ministry of health. "There is a lot of fraud on the Internet. Chances are that they are not getting it from Pfizer. How can you verify that it is indeed Viagra?" A "cyber-pharmacy" can arrange international ordering and delivery for Viagra. Although these pharmacies make it known that is necessary to obtain a prescription from a physician licensed in the United States, thanks to the World Wide Web this can be done online with a "cyberdoctor" available 24 hours a day. In Canada, regulatory approval of Viagra is still six months to a year away, according to government officials. But Canadian Customs will allow shipment of some U.S. prescribed drugs on condition that personal use does not exceed three months. "We do not believe this is an appropriate way for people to get the drug. People need to speak to their doctors to know about the benefits and side effects of Viagra," said Don Sancton, Manager of Pfizer's Canadian branch. As a test to obtain Viagra, Reuters used the services of a cyberdoctor, whose motto is "the doctor is always in." The online consultation cost $50 and involved answering specific questions in an online health examination. The prescription was then approved at a cost of $97.50 for ten 50 mg male potency pills. Reuters specifically requested Viagra. Delivery of the drug was due to take place via United Parcel Service within days from a related web site, Cyber Pharmacy (www.cyberpharmacy.com). The U.S. Food and Drug Administration states that "Viagra should be considered for use only after a clinical evaluation that involves a physical exam and medical history to confirm the diagnosis of EC (erectile dysfunction) and to assess the appropriateness of Viagra therapy." Dr. Keith Jarvey, an urologist at the Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto believes a physical exam is essential before Viagra should be prescribed. "The male erectile dysfunction may be caused by and may mask something else like cancer. The patient should be thoroughly examined." During the online consultation patients are told they will have to pass a physical exam but the drug is prescribed without this exam taking place. Wes Kussmaul, from Wing.Net, a Massachusetts-based Internet service provider hosting the web site "cyberdocs" said online consultations were working well. "We have been hosting cyberdocs for two years and have noticed an increasing volume of consultations," said Kussmaul. The doctors used to be consulted mostly for cosmetic prescriptions, hair treatment notably. But I'm not surprised they now include Viagra." Wing.Net said they were keeping a close eye on cyberdocs. "The medical profession is watching it closely. Still, it is not illegal," he asserted.