Statement attributable to:
Omar T. Atiq, MD, MACP
President, American College of Physicians
WASHINGTON January 5, 2024 – The American College of Physicians (ACP) is concerned by the development of websites that enable patients to order prescription medications directly from the drugmaker. While information on in-person care is available, this direct-to-consumer approach is primarily oriented around the use of telehealth services to prescribe a drugmaker’s products.
For telemedicine services to take place responsibly, there should be an established and valid patient-physician relationship, or the care should happen in consultation with a physician who does have an established relationship with the patient.
These direct-to-consumer services have the potential to leave patients confused and misinformed about medications. While efforts to remove barriers to care are important, they should not devalue the proven benefits of the patient-physician relationship.
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About the American College of Physicians
The American College of Physicians is the largest medical specialty organization in the United States with members in more than 145 countries worldwide. ACP membership includes 161,000 internal medicine physicians, related subspecialists, and medical students. Internal medicine physicians are specialists who apply scientific knowledge and clinical expertise to the diagnosis, treatment, and compassionate care of adults across the spectrum from health to complex illness. Follow ACP on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook.
Contact: Jacquelyn Blaser, (202) 261-4572, jblaser@acponline.org