Search Engine Marketing and Online Medicine Sellers: Ethical Versus Unethical Marketing Strategies and Practices

András Fittler; István G. Télessy; Yam B. Limbu; Bruce A. Huhmann

doi:10.1007/978-3-032-07649-6_20

Search Engine Marketing and Online Medicine Sellers: Ethical Versus Unethical Marketing Strategies and Practices

András Fittler
, István G. Télessy
, Yam B. Limbu
, Bruce A. Huhmann

Marketing

Montclair State University

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review

Abstract

Legitimate online pharmacies (LOPs) and illegal medicine vendors (IMVs) use search engine optimization and marketing to direct patients seeking medical products (MPs) to internet links for their websites. The volume of search engine traffic is challenging to monitor and IMVs use search engine poisoning (e.g., cloaking, keyword stuffing, and redirects) to artificially boost their rank in search engine results and direct unsuspecting patients to their websites. IMV websites frequently use others’ content, branding elements, and logos to mislead consumers and gain their trust and promote false health claims and counterfeit, adulterated, or off-label MPs. They fail to provide sufficient usage instructions and use pricing and bulk purchase gimmicks to entice purchasers. Unlike IMVs, LOPs adhere to pharmacists’ professional ethical standards, responsibly and accurately inform patients about health claims and treatment options, and protect patient safety, privacy, and personal data while meeting profitability and sustainability goals. A more ethical online market of MPs, which respects patient autonomy while advancing patient well-being and public health, is a priority.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Coresource 4
Publisher	Springer Nature
Pages	297-311
Number of pages	15
ISBN (Electronic)	9783032076496
ISBN (Print)	9783032076489
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-07649-6_20
State	Published - 2025

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Medicine
General Nursing
General Health Professions

Keywords

Digital health
Ethical considerations
Internet pharmacy
Pharmaceutical marketing

Access to Document

10.1007/978-3-032-07649-6_20

Cite this

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title = "Search Engine Marketing and Online Medicine Sellers: Ethical Versus Unethical Marketing Strategies and Practices",

abstract = "Legitimate online pharmacies (LOPs) and illegal medicine vendors (IMVs) use search engine optimization and marketing to direct patients seeking medical products (MPs) to internet links for their websites. The volume of search engine traffic is challenging to monitor and IMVs use search engine poisoning (e.g., cloaking, keyword stuffing, and redirects) to artificially boost their rank in search engine results and direct unsuspecting patients to their websites. IMV websites frequently use others{\textquoteright} content, branding elements, and logos to mislead consumers and gain their trust and promote false health claims and counterfeit, adulterated, or off-label MPs. They fail to provide sufficient usage instructions and use pricing and bulk purchase gimmicks to entice purchasers. Unlike IMVs, LOPs adhere to pharmacists{\textquoteright} professional ethical standards, responsibly and accurately inform patients about health claims and treatment options, and protect patient safety, privacy, and personal data while meeting profitability and sustainability goals. A more ethical online market of MPs, which respects patient autonomy while advancing patient well-being and public health, is a priority.",

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doi = "10.1007/978-3-032-07649-6\_20",

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AU - Télessy, István G.

AU - Limbu, Yam B.

AU - Huhmann, Bruce A.

PY - 2025

Y1 - 2025

N2 - Legitimate online pharmacies (LOPs) and illegal medicine vendors (IMVs) use search engine optimization and marketing to direct patients seeking medical products (MPs) to internet links for their websites. The volume of search engine traffic is challenging to monitor and IMVs use search engine poisoning (e.g., cloaking, keyword stuffing, and redirects) to artificially boost their rank in search engine results and direct unsuspecting patients to their websites. IMV websites frequently use others’ content, branding elements, and logos to mislead consumers and gain their trust and promote false health claims and counterfeit, adulterated, or off-label MPs. They fail to provide sufficient usage instructions and use pricing and bulk purchase gimmicks to entice purchasers. Unlike IMVs, LOPs adhere to pharmacists’ professional ethical standards, responsibly and accurately inform patients about health claims and treatment options, and protect patient safety, privacy, and personal data while meeting profitability and sustainability goals. A more ethical online market of MPs, which respects patient autonomy while advancing patient well-being and public health, is a priority.

AB - Legitimate online pharmacies (LOPs) and illegal medicine vendors (IMVs) use search engine optimization and marketing to direct patients seeking medical products (MPs) to internet links for their websites. The volume of search engine traffic is challenging to monitor and IMVs use search engine poisoning (e.g., cloaking, keyword stuffing, and redirects) to artificially boost their rank in search engine results and direct unsuspecting patients to their websites. IMV websites frequently use others’ content, branding elements, and logos to mislead consumers and gain their trust and promote false health claims and counterfeit, adulterated, or off-label MPs. They fail to provide sufficient usage instructions and use pricing and bulk purchase gimmicks to entice purchasers. Unlike IMVs, LOPs adhere to pharmacists’ professional ethical standards, responsibly and accurately inform patients about health claims and treatment options, and protect patient safety, privacy, and personal data while meeting profitability and sustainability goals. A more ethical online market of MPs, which respects patient autonomy while advancing patient well-being and public health, is a priority.

KW - Digital health

KW - Ethical considerations

KW - Internet pharmacy

KW - Pharmaceutical marketing

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PB - Springer Nature

ER -

Search Engine Marketing and Online Medicine Sellers: Ethical Versus Unethical Marketing Strategies and Practices

Abstract

UN SDGs

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Keywords

Access to Document

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Cite this