September 22, 2009

The Challenge of Regulating Internet Prescribing

Advances in telecommunications and the growth of Internet commerce have extended what we have defined as telemedicine and allow individual consumers increasing access to health information and services online, states Jonathan D. Linkous, Chief Executive Officer, American Telemedicine Association. This situation raises new issues regarding Internet prescribing. Telemedicine, telehealth and related online health information and services has become one of the major developments in healthcare delivery in our lifetime, transforming patients into consumers. It is a clear indication of how the use of telecommunications for healthcare can be very positive while also being a disruptive technology. Such advances present a challenge to traditional providers of medicine as well as lawmakers and regulators. However, the danger in such actions is losing all of the good for the sake of some resolvable problems.