Dr Thom Explained

DrThom is a UK-based commercial online doctor service, also operating in Ireland and Australia. It is 100% owned by LloydsPharmacy, which is in turn owned by a leading international wholesale and retail company McKesson Europe.

Origin

Dr Thom was founded by Thom Van Every, a sexual health doctor at London’s Chelsea and Westminster Hospital. Van Every noticed that many of his patients were embarrassed to see a doctor about their ailments.[1] He founded the service focusing on sexual health, then gradually added services. In 2006, Dr Thom launched the UK’s first home test for HIV, based on saliva rather than the traditional blood test.[2]

In August 2009, Lloydspharmacy acquired a 33% stake in the business, and in March 2011 it bought the remaining 67%. At the time, Lloydspharmacy’s Managing Director, Tony Page, said, “Patients love the service - it’s a rapidly growing area of our business.” [3] The purchase price was not disclosed.[4]

Services

The website employs doctors, who review online assessments filled out by patients. Patient feedback is collected by an independent agency, I Want Great Care.[5]

Dr Thom provides services directly to patients through its own website, and also ‘white labels’ services. Partners past and present included Superdrug, whose online sexual health service [6] was run by Dr Thom, and the UK's National Health Service, whose erectile dysfunction service based at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital is run in conjunction with Dr Thom.[7] Post sale of the business, Dr Van Every was replaced as Chief Executive of the service by Rachel Carrell[8] in 2012. Dr Van Every stepped down and left the business in 2013.

International expansion

Controversy

Dr Thom and similar websites have been criticised for enabling access to drugs including the contraceptive pill with no way to confirm that patients are who they say they are.[16] However, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists have said that for established patients, online suppliers could be safe. The Department of Health has said that doctors practicing in the UK must abide by General Medical Council rules, but are ultimately responsible for their own prescribing decisions.[17]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Interview with Dr Thom Van Every, Founder of DrThom . Doctorpreneurs . 2013-02-26.
  2. News: Health | HIV home screening kit launched . BBC News . 2006-12-28 . 2013-02-26.
  3. Web site: UK: Lloydspharmacy Takes Control Of DrThom . Kamcity.com . 2011-03-28 . 2013-02-26 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20111111033053/http://www.kamcity.com/namnews/asp/newsarticle.asp?newsid=58940 . 2011-11-11 .
  4. Web site: Lloydspharmacy takes control of DrThom.com . Retail Gazette . 2011-03-28 . 2013-02-26 . dead . https://archive.today/20120914135519/http://www.retailgazette.co.uk/articles/01331-lloydspharmacy-takes-control-of-drthomcom . 2012-09-14 .
  5. Web site: iWantGreatCare Reviews of Dr Thom . Iwantgreatcare.org . 2013-02-26 . dead . https://archive.today/20120802133516/http://www.iwantgreatcare.org/en/services/dr-thom . 2012-08-02 .
  6. Web site: Superdrug teams up with DrThom for sexual health service - Chemist + Druggist . Chemistanddruggist.co.uk . 2011-04-07 . 2013-02-26.
  7. Web site: E-Health Insider :: DrThom launch 'male health' service online . Ehi.co.uk . 2007-10-08 . 2013-02-26.
  8. Web site: Collette Devlin . Southlander heads British online doctor . Stuff.co.nz . 2012-04-12 . 2013-02-26.
  9. Web site: 2011-08-25. DrThom.ie: first online GP sets up 'shop' in Ireland. 2021-04-13. IrishCentral.com. en.
  10. News: Irish women welcome online prescription service . Irish Independent . 2013-07-08.
  11. Web site: Barry. Aoife. Worry online Pill prescription takes away 'face-to-face' doctor contact. 2021-04-13. TheJournal.ie. en.
  12. Web site: Celesio is introducing a new pharmacy concept for the European market. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20130608154809/http://www.celesio.com/en/Press/Press_releases/Press_releases_group/309934.html. 2013-06-08. 2021-04-13.
  13. News: Low-cost home-testing STI kits to be made available in Ireland . Irish Independent . 2013-08-12.
  14. Web site: Bohan. Christine. Now you can test yourself for STIs in your own home. 2021-04-13. TheJournal.ie. en.
  15. Web site: 2013-07-03. 'Worrying' internet script service comes to Oz. 2021-04-13. AusDoc.PLUS. en.
  16. News: Health | Pill on the web scheme concerns . BBC News . 2008-06-23 . 2013-02-26.
  17. Web site: Online Doctors (Consultations & Prescriptions) Express Med Refills. 2021-04-13. www.expressmedrefills.com.

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