E-Commerce Times Talkback

Re: Internet Drugstores Need a New Prescription
Posted by: ECT News 2001-06-27 19:21:41

See Full Story

E-commerce industry insiders and pundits are acting out their own version of the reality
TV show "Survivor," wondering aloud which dot-com is going to be the next player kicked
off the Net.

Some companies are obvious candidates for banishment, while others, such as those in the
online pharmacy industry, stand poised at the edge of the cliff, ready for anything.
Which Web drugstores will get kicked off the Net next and which are going to turn the
corner into profits?

Re: Internet Drugstores Need a New Prescription
Posted by: Matt Murray 2001-06-28 20:43:26 In reply to: ECT News

Surely the USP is around convenience to the customer - in this case, disintermediation of the customer's need to handle the prescription at all.

Surely a Web-based model allows the prescribing doctor to write out the prescription online? Perhaps a kiosk in the doctor's surgery could enable the patient to participate in this process - once the doctor (within the consultation context) has prescribed the remedy, the patient could consult Web-generated alternatives before making an informed decision - all within the high-touch context of the doctors' surgery.

Surely a Web-based model allows a fulfilment company to deliver the prescription within the hour?

Surely a Web-based model allows the patient to review prescriptions, repeats, costs and so on at leisure? "Community-based" information value-adds could include Amazon-type "Other people who used this prescription went on to experience. . ." or "Generic drug XYZ has been found to be more effective in many cases. . ."

Why would online pharmacies be trying to create online versions of their realworld stores, when the USP is probably to save the patient the hassle of making the trip at all?

Re: Internet Drugstores Need a New Prescription
Posted by: TedDrew 2001-06-28 16:09:59 In reply to: ECT News

The person who wrote the last message (Koruption) needs to go back and read the story again. Here is how it is worded..."Merck & Co. (NYSE: MRK), for example, which does business online as MerckMedco.com..." This is indeed correct. Go to the MerckMedco web site and read the history of the company. Koruption is incorrect. Ecommercetimes is correct. The story did not say anything about Merckmedco.com selling only Merck's drugs.

Re: Internet Drugstores Need a New Prescription
Posted by: kuruption 2001-06-28 10:48:15 In reply to: ECT News

You need to check your facts.

Please be aware that www.merckmedco.com is not Merck, it is a wholly owned subsidiary of Merck known as Merck-Medco Managed Care L.L.C. Merck-Medco provides prescription drug services online as well as benefit management. Although owned by Merck, Merck-Medco is not managed by Merck and does not answer to Merck. Merck-Medco also sells other drugs than just Merck drugs. The online drugstore is also teamed up with CVS.

Merck-Medco was purchased in 1990 (I believe) and was formerly known as Medco Containment Services.

Clearly the editor needs to do more research before posting incorrect statements.