TY - JOUR
AR - DDA-2020-1-101
TI - Drug Abuse Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic: A Dark Side of Online Pharmacy
AU - Avinash, Chandra
AU - Ayush , Chandra
JO - Drug and Drug Abuse
PY - 2020
DA - Mon 15, Jun 2020
SN - 2674-5062
DO - http://dx.doi.org/10.31487/j.DDA.2010.01.01
UR - https://www.sciencerepository.org/drug-abuse-amidst-covid-19-pandemic-a-dark-side-of_DDA-2020-1-101 
KW - Online pharmacy, drugs, COVID, pandemic, lockdown, prescriptions
AB - Online pharmacy has been in the focus of heightened interest during this lockdown period due to COVID
outbreak in Nepal and worldwide. This paper explains the issues relevant to online pharmacies that sell
drugs with or without prescriptions to patients at the retail level online (through software apps or website).
The online pharmacy industry has shifted its target abruptly during this pandemic period in developing as
well as developed countries. The various aspects of online pharmacy practice are listed within this article.
Issues like access, prescription, availability, misuse, and lack of awareness among the patients are described.
The challenges and opportunities are discussed as well as the necessity of rules and regulation for online
pharmacies on country level are elaborated. A proper advice to the patients and proper monitoring of online
pharmacy should be offered for proper and safer way of purchasing drugs. The zero tolerance to the misuse
or abuse of prescription and non-prescription drugs should be practiced.