Statements

STATEMENT BY JOSEPH A. CALIFANO, JR. FOUNDER AND CHAIRMAN, THE NATIONAL CENTER ON ADDICTION AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY AND FORMER U.S. SECRETARY OF HEALTH, EDUCATION AND WELFARE ON NEW LEGITSCRIPT-KNUJON REPORT ON ROGUE ONLINE PHARMACIES

NEW YORK, August 18, 2009 – The findings in the report released today by LegitScript and KnujOn, “Analysis of Yahoo! Prescription Drug Sponsored Search Results,” combined with their previously released report on similar sponsored search results by MSN, spotlights the failure of the main Internet search engines to block ads for the illicit sale of dangerous drugs by rouge pharmacies. CASA’s own report “You’ve Got Drugs!” V: Prescription Drug Pushers on the Internet” highlighted this problem with Google as well. CASA has written to all three major search engines urging them to block such ads from rogue pharmacies. Continued failure of these companies to take strong and decisive action contributes to the ease with which anyone –adult or child – can purchase highly addictive and harmful drugs online without a prescription.

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