'Smart drugs' enticements on the Internet
Keppel Hesselink, J.M.
Nederlands Tijdschrift Voor Geneeskunde 142(17): 977-980
1998
ISSN/ISBN: 0028-2162 PMID: 9623175 Document Number: 493467
'Smart drugs' are drugs supposed to enhance certain physical or mental functions, without harmful side effects. The target group for the misleading advertisement campaigns on the Net is mostly the younger generation. Smart drugs clearly are pharmacologically active: phenytoin, selegilin and growth hormone are examples of compounds that can be ordered from mail order pharmacies without prescription. Misleading medical information on the Internet is undesirable and potentially harmful and the widespread availability of smart drugs should be realised by pharmacists and physicians. Screening the Net for this kind of information should be implemented as a standard procedure and specific, targeted information to put these drugs in a realistic perspective could be the first step leading to 'debunking' the Internet.