For those of us in the Adwords and Overture business, we all know how Google and Yahoo have changed their practice of allowing pharmacy related advertising to any program not approved by squaretrade.
Apparently, they took some heat from the US government, as well as some publishers on the issue. Here is why it not only is costing Google and Yahoo money, but the little guy lost big.
1. Squaretrade charges $200 + $50 a month for an approved seal that will allow you to sell prescription drugs via an affiliate link to an approved pharmacy.
2. Squaretrade does allow Canada pharmacies and affiliates to join, but they must have a disclaimer stating that the FDA does not reccomend ordering drugs into the US from Canada.
3. The little guy now has two problems. The first is to find a pharmacy that is approved. The second is to pay the outrageous fee.
4. Google still shows thousands of unlicensed websites in their search listings, so obviously it does not care that much.
5. People who are looking to buy prescription drugs will soon learn to use a different search engine besides Yahoo and Google. Therefore, advertisers will simply move to those search engines that do allow them.
The problem of course is the stronghold that the drug makers have on us Americans. If rx drugs were as cheap here as they are everywhere else in the world, nobody would be using the Internet to order them from a different country.
Of course, until the lawmakers quit lining their pockets with money from the drugmakers, this policy will not change, and some people will continue to buy prescription drugs online. Sadly, the rest, mostly senior citizens, will simple have to choose between food and drugs.
I am not saying you should order drugs from a different country, but for some people that is the only way they can afford them, and that is shameful.
For a licensed pharmacy example, see
Drug Review.
About the Author
J. Ratliff is an avid article writer and website developer.