“MAIS MAGRA, MAIS CALMA E MAIS INTELIGENTE”: A INTERNET COMO FACILITADORA DO USO OFF-LABEL DE MEDICAMENTOS

Abstract

The objective of this study was to identify sites in Brazil that carry information on medications for weight loss, anxiety and cognitive enhancement, to assess the off-label use of drugs for these situations. The identification of the sites was based on the following descriptors: “remedies to stay leaner,” “remedies to stay calmer” and “remedies to stay smarter”, with focus on the female group, justified by the fact that women constitute the largest group seeking health information on the Internet. The reliability of the sites was analyzed by the criteria of Health On The Net Foundation and the induction of off-label use was dimensioned by the analysis of the titles and contents of the texts. In the sequence, the theme was informed to the community by articles published in newspapers and Facebook posts. The sample consisted of 17 sites. Regarding reliability, only two criteria were met in full. The search sites “remedies to stay smarter” were the ones that most related to the off-label use, involving modafinil and methylphenidate. Overall, this study demonstrated that the health information available on the Internet induces the use of off-label drugs.

KEYWORDS: Web sites, off-label use, HON criteria.