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Online doctor is a term that emerged during the 2000s, used by both the media 〔(Are online doctors the best medicine? ), ''USA Today'', 20 November 2010〕 and academics,〔(Medical profiling and online medicine: the ethics of ‘personalisedhealthcare’ in a consumer age ) Report, ''Nuffield Council on Bioethics'', October 2010〕 to describe a generation of physicians and health practitioners who deliver healthcare, including drug prescription, over the internet.〔(The Internet Doctor- the future of health care ), ''Doctor Vista'', 16 September 2011〕 ==Emergence of online doctoring== In the 2000s, many people came to treat the internet as a first, or at least a major, source of information and communication.〔Nuffield p.VIII〕 Health advice is now the second-most popular topic, after pornography, that people search for on the internet.〔(House call - No appointments, no waiting, speedy diagnosis and prescription - online doctors are flourishing. But are they safe? ), ''The Guardian'', 4 June 2000〕 With the advent of broadband and videoconferencing, many individuals have turned to online doctors to receive online consultations and purchase prescription drugs. Use of this technology has many advantages for both the doctor and the patient, including cost savings, convenience,accessibility, and improved privacy and communication.〔(Buying Drugs Online: It’s Convenient and Private, But Beware of ‘Rogue Sites’ )''Food and Drug Administration'', U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2001〕 In the US, a 2006 study found that searching for information on prescription or over-the-counter drugs was the fifth most popular search topic, and a 2004 study found that 4% of Americans had purchased prescription medications online.〔(Online health search ) S. Fox, 2006. (Prescription drugs online ) S. Fox, 2004〕 A 2009 survey conducted by Geneva-based Health On the Net Foundation〔()〕 found one-in-ten Europeans buys medicines from websites and one-third claim to use online consultation.〔(Online Patient Safety Climate Survey: Tool Development and Lessons Learned ), Lynne M. Connelly and Judy L. Powers, ''U.S. National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health''〕 In Germany, approximately seven million people buy from mail-order pharmacies, and mail-order sales account for approximately 8–10% of total pharmaceutical sales.〔Mail-order trade in medicines in Europe: a guide for legislators to protect consumers, NJ Seeberg-Elverfeldt ''European Journal of Health Law'' 16: 351–66, 2009〕 In 2008, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain reported that approximately two million people in Great Britain were regularly purchasing pharmaceuticals online (both with a prescription from registered online UK doctors and without prescriptions from other websites).〔(Millions risk health buying drugs online ) ''Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain'', 2008〕 A recent survey commissioned by Pfizer, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, RPSGB, the Patients Association and HEART UK found that 15% of the British adults asked had bought a prescription-only medicine online.〔(Get Real, Get a Prescription’ campaign ) ''Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain'', 2009〕 In developed countries, many online doctors prescribe so-called ‘lifestyle drugs’,〔Medicalisation: The role of e-pharmacies in iatrogenic harm, N. Glover-Thomas and J. Fanning, ''Medical Law Review'' 18(1): 28–55, 2010〕 such as for weight loss, hair loss or erectile dysfunction. The RPSGB has identified the most popular products prescribed online as Prozac (an antidepressant), Viagra (for erectile dysfunction), Valium (a tranquiliser), Ritalin (a psychostimulant), Serostim (a synthetic growth hormone) and Provigil (a psychostimulant).〔RPSGB p.12〕 A study in the USA has also shown that antibiotics are commonly available online without prescription.〔Availability of antibiotics for purchase without a prescription on the internet, AG Mainous , CJ Everett , RE Post, VA Diaz and WJ Hueston, ''Annals of Family Medicine'' 7(5): 431–5, 2009〕 Online healthcare is reportedly becoming more popular in Bangladesh. Digital health care service and drugs information is available to Bangladesh citizens at: (specialist metropolitan doctors in Bangladesh ). This site reportedly provides online health tips and advice through the internet broadband and videoconferencing, as well as online prescription using email and online chat. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Online doctor」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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