Bascome to crack down on Viagra cyber-sales
Laws which enable Bermudians to buy potentially deadly prescription-only drugs like the sex pill Viagra over the Internet are to be tightened.
And after The Royal Gazette yesterday revealed the easy access to the impotency tablet, Health Minister Nelson Bascome said he was to set up a meeting with the Chief Medical Officer to discuss what could be done.
But closing the legal loophole which enabled cyber sales of the sex pill could take "another few years'', some experts admitted yesterday.
In the meantime, anyone can buy bottles of the potent blue diamond-shaped pill from mail order companies abroad and have it home delivered within days.
Pharmaceutical Council chairman Bob Totty said the loophole existed because the relevant law was passed in 1978 before the rise of the Internet and the subsequent boom of mail-order drug companies.
"Combating this is difficult but we are working to close this and other loopholes by drawing up recommendations for a new Act.
"Unfortunately the Council's work is voluntary so doing this properly takes a lot of time. We've been working on it for three years but the whole process could take another three years until it becomes hard and fast law.'' Amending the laws was not an urgent Government priority, he said.
But he emphasised the prescription and sale of such potent drugs over the Internet could be life-threatening and anyone who took Viagra without seeing a doctor risked death, permanent damage or side-effects.
He said the threat was so real that in Britain a group of inspectors called the "V-Squad'' patrolled pubs and bars to keep a check on illegal Viagra use among patrons looking to instantly pep up their love lives.
New Health Minister Mr. Bascome said he planned to draft the laws "as quickly as possible'' but he was limited by the previous Government's budget.
He said Chief Medical Officer Dr. John Cann would be researching the issue and meeting with him very soon.
And he issued a stark warning to those contemplating revving up their sex life with cyber Viagra: "When it comes to health care the thing people need to do always first off is to check with their local physician.
"No one should venture online for drugs which have the potential to cause problems if not administered and prescribed properly.'' But because it was very difficult to police the Web the initial thrust of Government's effort to combat the problem would be education, he said.
"That way no one will be duped into believing the hype on some of these Internet sites.'' Dr. Cann said the review of current laws began several years ago but ensuring all the necessary Government and community consultation took place was a lengthy process.
Nelson Bascome Graphic file name: NELASO