Public eHealth and new scenarios in terms of risks and opportunities: a specific focus on cyberpharmacies

The Internet has changed several aspects of our lives, including health. The purpose of this article is to discuss some public health implications of the spread of the Internet, from the perspectives of health professionals, health organizations and patients. Emphasis is placed on the rising phenomenon of purchasing health services online, particularly drugs. Pharmaceutical preparations can be bought from cyberpharmacies, often without a medical prescription. This analysis of the marketing strategies of cyberpharmacies focuses on the semiosis of online drug-selling and the risk of shaping an understanding of medical products in terms of other commodities. The potential effects of this phenomenon in terms of the doctor–patient relationship and of health system implications are discussed as well.