By Dan Seitz
You’ve heard the jokes. We here at eDrugstore.com have heard them twice, plus we get them as email forwards: people buy the kinds of drugs online that they don’t even want their doctor to know about. Erectile dysfunction drugs like Viagra or Cialis, baldness drugs such as Propecia…drugs people want, but maybe don’t really need.
The reality, though, might surprise you.
In recent surveys of online drugstores, the number one pill purchased is…various forms of high blood pressure medication. Surprised? Don’t be. 74.5 million Americans from all walks of life have high blood pressure, also called hypertension. It can be caused by anything from alcohol abuse to diabetes to simple aging, and is also generally the source of a wide range of medical problems. It’s vital to keep it under control, medically speaking, as even mild high blood pressure can aggravate a whole host of problems. And as many people need to cut costs, so they find the lowest price available, especially for the more advanced prescriptions.
Second? Abilify, aka aripiprazole, an antidepressant and antipsychotic medication. Again, it’s less than surprising: depression is extremely common across America and Abilify, while effective, isn’t cheap. In fact, anti-depressants are extremely common.
Third? None other than…Provigil. What’s that? It treats narcolepsy: kind of important for narcolepsy sufferers.
This is a common theme throughout the list: the most popular drugs are the ones that treat common problems like thyroid disorders, cholesterol control, and, er, athlete’s foot (Lamisil is a popular prescription). Especially common are drugs that don’t currently have a generic on the market, which isn’t surprising. The difference between a generic drug price and a “brand name” can be enormous.
In fact, you have to almost leave the top ten before you come across an ED drug, and it happens to be Bayer’s Levitra, third place in sales next to Viagra and Cialis. Those drugs? Float at 19 and 21, respectively, barely making the top 25.
So why are all these utilitarian drugs on the list while the ones you’d expect aren’t the hits you thought they were? It’s all about the market you’re looking at, and the big market for pharmaceuticals is…senior citizens.
Our seniors consume enormous amounts of pharmaceuticals. Seniors spend nearly $3000 a year on medications, and can average a total of 30 prescriptions, an average that only goes up the older they get. Furthermore, many seniors live on a fixed income; as their doctor puts them on more drugs, and as those drugs become rarer and thus pricier, they look to cut corners to maintain their health while having a little money in their wallet. Online purchases have a second advantage: no driving, so it’s one less trip they need to take. This is especially important for shut-ins and seniors with limited mobility.
So, in short, the person buying drugs online isn’t your vain, aging uncle: it’s your grandmother. Well, also your vain, aging uncle, but your grandmother outspends him. Online pharmacies fill an important niche for our elderly, keeping them healthy, happy, and running fewer errands.
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