As if the Internet doesn’t already take enough blame for hooking up the wrong people with the wrong people online, new research shows that people with sexually transmitted diseases such as herpes and gonorrhea might be endangering themselves further by purchasing remedies online.
Researchers at the University of East Anglia in the United Kingdom found that less than a quarter of online vendors shared data on potential side effects of their treatments. They also left out information about how their remedies might interact — or interfere — with other drugs, and whether those breastfeeding or pregnant might be put at risk by using the remedies.
“It may be easy and convenient to buy your own treatment on the internet but we think that people are taking significant risks in doing so,” said Dr. Roberto Vivancos, a member of the research team, in a statement. “Treatment of sexually transmitted infections is not a simple one-off step of popping the pills or slapping on the creams. Some of these remedies will inevitably fail if sexual partners are not treated and if patients don’t take steps to avoid re-infection.”
The researchers also found little evidence to support the effectiveness of the remedies being sold.
