20 Oct 2003
Spam promoting medical treatments accounts for more than 10 per cent of junk email and is creating a "potent menace" to the health of UK surfers.
According to UK smart tags firm Flying Null, it is possible to purchase drugs online in response to spam without any medical checks or advice whatsoever.
Of the 8,301 unsolicited messages sent to a test email server during a three-month period, 849 offered drugs and medical treatments.
Email promotion of sex therapies such as Viagra was the most popular, accounting for 41 per cent of all drug and medical treatment spam.
Online pharmacies promoting a range of drugs, including Phentermine and Prozac, were the second most widely circulated form of spam, accounting for 37 per cent.
This was followed by weight loss, human growth hormones and anti-depressants.
Mark Gostick, business development director at Flying Null, said: "It is worryingly easy for consumers to prescribe themselves a poisonous cocktail of drugs by mistake. What's right for the average patient could be lethal to someone on heart medication."
Latest stories from Web
Related articles
Related jobs
Poll
What is the most important IT priority for your company this year?
Hands on with the highly anticipated Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich hybrid tablet
Connect with V3.co.uk
This paper focuses on a series of best practices and techniques for development teams looking to improve their software development processes
Why good data management at all levels is essential in the modern business (video, 6mins)
Desktop Support Manager 3 month contract - to start...
/ Programme Manager / 45k / Significant benefits / London...
Automation Test Manager Selenium London 75k Automation...
Mitel 3300 Engineer Key skills Mitel 3300...
Keep up to date with the latest products, services and technologies from the world's leading IT companies. IThound.com brings you over 2,000 white papers, case studies and analyst reports.
Do you agree?