Reasons that lead people to buy prescription medicines on the internet: a systematic review

Abstract

Aim: This systematic review explores the factors that could influence consumer’s decision of purchasing prescription medicines using the Internet.Methods: Relevant databases were searched to retrieve studies published from 2012 to 2021. The studies selected for inclusion were those focused on the consumer’s perspective and the purchase of prescription medicines. A narrative synthesis was employed. The Capability Opportunity Motivation-Behaviour (COM-B) and the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) were employed as conceptual lenses that guided the analysis.Results: Seventeen studies were included. These studies have adopted various methodologies: qualitative method (n = 4), quantitative method (n = 12), and mixed methods (n = 1). The studies were based in Europe (n = 8), North America (n = 3), Middle East (n = 4), and 2 studies were conducted in several countries (multinational). The analysis of these studies revealed 7 themes that represent the reasons that lead people to buy prescription medicines via the Internet. These themes were the consumers’ beliefs about the outcomes of the purchase (perceived benefits and risks of the purchase), consumer’s emotions that could influence the purchasing decision, the factors that increase or decrease consumer’s level of behavioural control over the purchase (facilitators and barriers of the purchase), consumers knowledge about the purchase, the trusting beliefs that lead consumers to trust the online sellers of medicines, the social influencing factors, and the external environmental factors that could encourage the purchase.Discussion: This study provides a comprehensive review of the breadth of reasons that drive people to buy prescription medicines via the Internet. Identifying those reasons could provide the basis for regulators to design evidence-based awareness campaigns to minimise the purchase of prescription medicines via the Internet. Furthermore, future research directions have been provided in this review to build upon the existing knowledge and address the research gaps in this area.

The characteristics and operations of “online pharmacies” investigated in relation to medicines popularised during the coronavirus pandemic: a cross-sectional study

“…This finding serves as a red flag for those interested in ensuring safe medication practices and highlights an unsettling loophole for access to medications. Our findings align with prior research highlighting increased online purchases during pandemics or for otherwise hard-to-access medicines, magnifying the potential risks involved ( Fittler et al, 2018 ; Alwhaibi et al, 2021 ; Jairoun et al, 2021 ; Moureaud et al, 2021 ; Almomani et al, 2023a ; Almomani, 2023c ). Complicating matters further is the deceptive online marketing strategies employed by rogue pharmacies as indicated by other studies ( Ozawa et al, 2022 ; Penley et al, 2022 ; Limbu and Huhmann, 2023a ).…”

“…Understanding the factors influencing consumers’ decisions, motivations, and the psychological aspects behind choosing online pharmacies for purchasing medicines could provide valuable insights. While some studies have explored consumer behaviour in this context, as highlighted in a systematic review by the authors ( Almomani et al, 2023c ), there are gaps in research across many countries. Covering this gap could provide a more comprehensive understanding consumer behaviour and enable the development of evidence-based interventions.…”

“…An online pharmacy refers to internet retailers that sell non-prescription and prescription medicines directly to patients through the mail ( Dineen-Griffin and Usman, 2021 ). While online pharmacies offer advantages such as convenience, privacy, and cost comparison, they also pose significant risks to the public if they are not operating legally; the risks include poor medication quality, safety concerns, financial risks, availability of fake medicines, and a lack of accountability ( Gray, 2011 ; Abanmy, 2017 ; Jain et al, 2017 ; Lobuteva et al, 2022 ; Almomani et al, 2023a ; Almomani et al, 2023c ).…”

What influences consumers’ online medication purchase intentions and behavior? A scoping review

“…Despite a growing literature stream, a review has yet to be carried out to summarize and synthesize the studies that have examined factors predicting consumers’ online medicine purchase intentions and behavior. Only one review touches on consumer purchases ( Almomani et al, 2023b ). This narrative review of 17 studies identifies the prevalence of and reasons for prescription medicine purchases using any internet platform, including search engines, social media, and encrypted messaging applications; however, half the qualitative studies reviewed sampled pregnant women, which limits generalizability.…”

“…Further, it solely focused on studies of prescription medication purchases published between 2012 and 2021. Although Almomani et al’s (2023b) review included any internet purchases of prescription medications, its narrow search terms missed many studies of online pharmacy purchases. In addition, it included no studies published prior to 2012 or after 2021.…”