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Respectable Deviance and Purchasing Medicine Online pp 1–20Cite as

Palgrave Macmillan

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Part of the book series: Palgrave Studies in Cybercrime and Cybersecurity ((PSCYBER))

Abstract

This chapter presents the issue of online medicine purchasing and outlines the rationale and aim of the book. The reader is introduced to a novel theoretical framework – respectable deviance, to understand how online medicine purchasing has been constructed and in responding to this, how consumers justify and manage their behaviours. The chapter also describes the methodology, including ethical considerations of undertaking online research. It concludes by summarising the key areas and definitions involved in online medicine purchasing.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The term web denoting the World Wide Web is used in this book rather than the Internet , although the latter is used in a great deal of academic literature. This is because this research has a specific focus on the impact that the Web has on society (and vice versa) since its implementation in 1991. It is the Web via the interlinked document pages – web pages, that provides the means to purchase goods, although these are accessed through the Internet .

  2. 2.

    Mail ordering of medicines is acknowledged as pre-dating the Web; however, this was not globally adopted, and was more popular in the US than the UK for example (see Munro 1991). Generally herbal or complimentary medicines are offered for sale, which are not the main focus of this research.

  3. 3.

    Over the Counter medicines are also available to purchase from supermarkets. These could be bought from without any interaction with a healthcare professional long before the Web, however, the key difference is that people are only allowed to buy two packs at a time, although there is nothing stopping people from going to multiple outlets if they want to obtain larger quantities.

  4. 4.

    In the UK until 1992, only doctors and dentists were authorised to prescribe. The introduction of the Medicinal Products: Prescription by Nurses Act 1992 allowed certain specially qualified health visitors and nurses to prescribe.

  5. 5.

    Further information about medicines and prescribing in the UK can be found here: http://www.hpc-uk.org/aboutregistration/medicinesandprescribing/

  6. 6.

    Further information about the role of MHRA can be found here: http://www.mhra.gov.uk/Howweregulate/Medicines/Inspectionandstandards/Medicinestesting/

  7. 7.

    Further information on NICE medicine and prescribing guidelines can be found here: http://www.nice.org.uk/mpc/index.jsp

  8. 8.

    Further information about the FDA and their drug review process can be found here: http://www.fda.gov/drugs/resourcesforyou/consumers/ucm143534.htm

  9. 9.

    The UK medicine regulations can be found here: The Human Medicines Regulations 2012

  10. 10.

    The Medicines Act 1968 can be found here: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1968/67/contents

  11. 11.

    Further information on the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 can be found here. http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1971/38/contents

  12. 12.

    Council Directive 1992/28/EEC of 31 March 1992 on the advertising of medicinal products for human use. (Articles 1(3) and 3(1).) Official Journal of the European Communities No L 1995 11 February:32/26.

  13. 13.

    The Internet was developed with funding from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).

  14. 14.

    Further information on the NABP can be found here: http://www.nabp.net

  15. 15.

    Further information on the Psychoactive substances Act can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/psychoactive-substances-bill-2015

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, UK

    Lisa Sugiura

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  1. Lisa Sugiura
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Sugiura, L. (2018). Introduction. In: Respectable Deviance and Purchasing Medicine Online. Palgrave Studies in Cybercrime and Cybersecurity. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-74485-8_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-74485-8_1

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