A CHRONOLOGICAL NATIONWIDE SURVEY OF THE PROPORTION OF OTC DRUG PRODUCTS PURCHASED OVER THE INTERNET AND THE INCIDENCE OF ADVERSE REACTIONS
Author(s)
Imai H1, Nakao H2
1University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan, 2Miyazaki prefectural Nursing University, Miyazaki, Japan
OBJECTIVES: It has been possible to purchase over-the-counter (OTC) drug products in Japan over the internet since June 2014. We investigated the proportion of OTC drug products purchased over the internet as well as the incidence of adverse reactions (AE) in 2015, immediately after such internet sales were allowed. We conducted a similar survey after 3 more years had passed for the purpose of conducting a chronological investigation on a national scale of the proportion of OTC drug products purchased over the internet as well as the incidence of AE. METHODS: We surveyed 5000 adults over 20 years of age, who had been randomly selected from municipalities in 9 prefectures across Japan and stratified by sex and age. The subjects were selected using the municipalities’ resident registries. Over October and November 2017, questionnaires were sent to the selected subjects for them to fill out and return using self-addressed, stamped envelopes. The analysis consisted of a simple tabulation of the survey items. RESULTS: Of the 4846 questionnaires that were distributed, 2016 (43%) were returned. The results showed that 5.7% of all respondents had purchased OTC drug products over the internet, and 5.4% had experienced AE. The actions that were taken when AE occurred included “saw a doctor” (53.8%) and “went to a store for advice” (38.5%); none of the respondents said that they “e-mailed the internet seller.” CONCLUSIONS: In the large nationwide survey that was conducted 3 years ago, 3.8% of respondents said that they had purchased OTC drug products over the internet; this time the figure was 5.7%. When AE occur, people who purchase OTC drug products at stores are more likely to ask the stores for advice than people who make their purchases over the internet. It seems safe to say that sales of drug products over the internet.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2018-11, ISPOR Europe 2018, Barcelona, Spain
Value in Health, Vol. 21, S3 (October 2018)
Code
PHP39
Topic
Health Policy & Regulatory
Topic Subcategory
Pricing Policy & Schemes
Disease
Multiple Diseases