Online pharmacies are playing an increasing role in the prescription pharmaceutical industry as patients seek the convenience and in some cases cost benefits that they can provide. However while online pharmacies offer considerable benefits there are also risks attached to their increasing role.

Scope

Introduction
to the online pharmacy market
Assessment of the factors driving uptake
Discussion of the risks posed by the growing influence of online pharmacies

Highlights

Online pharmacies have to date had a relatively limited impact on the pharmaceutical market but the increasing impact of the internet globally combined with developments such as the increasing adoption of ePrescribing will only serve to increase impact

Reasons to Purchase

Gain insight into the factors driving the development of the online pharmacy sector
Understand the benefits and risks of this new aspect of the market

Companies Mentioned:

ACT Teleconferencing, Inc. , Oracle Corporation , RightNow Technologies, Inc. , SAP AG , SunGard Data Systems Inc.

Catalyst
Summary
Analysis
- Introduction to the online pharmacy market
- Types of online pharmacies
- Full service online pharmacies
- Consultation-based online pharmacies
- Illegal online pharmacies
- Advantages and disadvantages of online pharmacies
- Advantages
- Disadvantages
- Growth in the use of online pharmacies
- Driving forces to use and adoption
- Patient empowerment
- Cost management
- FUTURE OF ONLINE PHARMACIES
- ePrescribing will have an impact on online pharmacies
- Implications for the pharmaceutical industry
Appendix
- Bibliography
- Ask the analyst
List of Tables
- Table 1: For a growing number of consumers in the US and Europe the benefits of ordering prescription drugs online outweigh the disadvantages

Pharmaceutical Market Research

Ehealthinsight Series: Online Pharmacies