KwikMed

KwikMed emerged as an online pharmacy at a time when Internet prescribing was subject to unsettled regulatory standards in the United States. Its early history was complicated by the conduct of its former owners, who were criminally prosecuted for issuing prescriptions online without a valid physician and for illegally repackaging medicines obtained from a drug wholesaler. On October 16, 2001, Peter Ax, managing partner of Phoenix Capital Management, acquired the business. Phoenix Capital Management was based in Scottsdale, Arizona, while KwikMed operated from Salt Lake City, Utah. Following the acquisition, Phoenix Capital Management opened discussions with Utah's Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing. The first face-to-face regulatory meeting described in the source material took place in February 2002 and involved the company, its counsel, Utah regulators, and representatives of the state attorney general. The discussions focused on whether healthcare could be delivered safely through an Internet platform and what safeguards would be necessary. In December 2002, KwikMed entered a non-disciplinary consent order with Utah regulators. The consent order required the company to create and use an interactive medical assessment tool. The tool was intended to collect a detailed patient history and physical-health information sufficient for contract physicians to assess requested treatments, identify contraindications, and determine when an in-person examination was necessary. Physicians could approve the requested medicine, recommend an alternative, request more information by telephone or email, or decline to prescribe and direct the patient to face-to-face care. The company also agreed to regulatory access to its contract physicians and pharmacies and to seek approval before adding medicines to the online program. KwikMed launched its first consent-order-compliant software version in June 2003 and released a significantly enhanced version in January 2004. Its approved medicines included treatments for erectile dysfunction and male-pattern hair loss, such as Viagra and Propecia. Xenical and Celebrex were reportedly approved initially but later removed at the company's request because of safety concerns. Cialis, Levitra, and Chantix were later included among the medicines that could be distributed under the applicable procedures. The company continued refining its assessment and diagnostic tools during 2004. KwikMed became involved in policy discussions in Utah from 2004 onward. Company representatives and medical experts presented information to the Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing, the Utah Boards of Medicine and Pharmacy, and state legislators. Their work contributed to discussions about a statutory structure for online prescribing and dispensing. On March 30, 2010, Utah enacted Senate Bill 274, the Online Prescribing, Dispensing, and Facilitation Act. The law established a state regulatory framework for Internet pharmacies and created a board focused specifically on their regulation, according to the available reference material. The company's model was studied by researchers at the University of Utah and reported in the August 2008 issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings. The research compared a large set of KwikMed electronic medical records with records from a University of Utah multidisciplinary primary-care system. A stratified sample was used to examine the safety of online assessment and prescribing for erectile dysfunction. The reported results indicated that the online system involved extensive structured history-taking and physician review, while physical examination was not performed through the online system. The authors concluded that the regulated Internet model matched or exceeded the traditional model on the safety measures examined and suggested that regulators consider licensing comparable Internet-prescribing companies. KwikMed also received attention from the technology and healthcare industries. Google allowed it to advertise as an online prescribing website in 2006. Google later tightened its policy in February 2010, announcing that online pharmacies would need National Association of Boards of Pharmacy verification and VIPPS certification to advertise. Peter Ax presented KwikMed's approach at a Health 2.0 conference in October 2008. In December 2010, the company added ella, an emergency-contraception medicine containing ulipristal acetate and marketed by Watson Pharmaceuticals. The available sources do not provide reliable information about later operations, current ownership, financial results, or whether the brand remains active.

• 2010

  Utah enacts Internet-pharmacy legislation

  [1]KwikMeden.wikipedia.org

  Senate Bill 274, the Online Prescribing, Dispensing, and Facilitation Act, became law on March 30.

• 2010

  ella added to the product range

  [1]KwikMeden.wikipedia.org

  KwikMed began selling ella, an ulipristal-acetate emergency-contraception product, in December.

• 2008

  University of Utah research published

  [1]KwikMeden.wikipedia.org

  Mayo Clinic Proceedings published research comparing KwikMed's regulated online prescribing model with traditional clinical care.

• 2006

  Google permits KwikMed advertising

  [1]KwikMeden.wikipedia.org

  Google permitted KwikMed to advertise as an online prescribing website.

• 2004

  Enhanced online medical-assessment system released

  [1]KwikMeden.wikipedia.org

  KwikMed released a substantially upgraded software version and continued refining its electronic assessment and diagnostic processes.

• 2003

  First compliant assessment software launched

  [1]KwikMeden.wikipedia.org

  The company launched the first version of its software designed to comply with the Utah consent order.

• 2002

  Utah consent order established

  [1]KwikMeden.wikipedia.org

  KwikMed and Utah regulators agreed on operating procedures for online medical assessment, physician review, prescription approvals, and regulatory inspection.

• 2001

  Phoenix Capital Management executive acquires KwikMed

  [1]KwikMeden.wikipedia.org

  Peter Ax, a managing partner of Phoenix Capital Management, purchased KwikMed on October 16 after problems involving the brand's previous owners.

A regulated telemedicine and online-pharmacy platform emphasizing structured electronic medical histories, physician review, prescription screening, and state-compliant dispensing.

• Telemedicine service · 2003

  Online medical consultation

  KwikMed's core service used an interactive online questionnaire to collect medical history and treatment-relevant information. Contract physicians reviewed the responses and could approve the requested treatment, suggest another therapy, seek further information, or require an in-person consultation. The system was designed to identify contraindications and other circumstances in which online prescribing was considered unsuitable.

• Prescription medicine

  Erectile-dysfunction medicines

  The company was authorized to prescribe and dispense selected erectile-dysfunction treatments through its regulated online process. Reference material specifically identifies Viagra, Cialis, and Levitra as medicines included at different stages, subject to physician review and the requirements of the Utah consent order.

• Prescription medicine

  Propecia

  Propecia, a treatment associated with male-pattern hair loss, was among the medicines approved for distribution through KwikMed's online prescribing procedures. Its availability depended on the company's compliance with the Utah regulatory framework and physician assessment.

• Smoking-cessation medicine

  Chantix

  KwikMed sought permission to sell Chantix online in 2007. The medicine was later included among the smoking-cessation treatments that could be prescribed and dispensed through the company's approved procedures.

• Emergency contraception · 2010

  ella

  KwikMed added ella in December 2010. The product contains ulipristal acetate and was marketed by Watson Pharmaceuticals. It expanded the brand's online prescription offering beyond its earlier concentration on erectile dysfunction and hair-loss treatments.

• 2001

  Criminal prosecution of former KwikMed owners

  The company's former owners were criminally prosecuted for issuing prescriptions online without a valid physician and for illegally repackaging medications obtained from a drug wholesaler. The available material does not identify the individuals or provide case outcomes.

  Source

Read more

• 2008Health 2.0 presentation

  United States

  Peter Ax presented KwikMed's online healthcare delivery model at a Health 2.0 conference in San Francisco, positioning the company as an example of technology-enabled healthcare delivery.

  Outcome. No independently documented commercial outcome is provided in the available source material.

  Source
• 2006Google online-prescribing advertising initiative

  United States

  KwikMed received permission to advertise on Google as an online prescribing website, giving the brand prominent access to search-based customer acquisition during the early development of Internet healthcare.

  Outcome. Google later announced stricter verification and VIPPS-certification requirements for online-pharmacy advertisers in 2010.

  Source

• 2010

  Participation in Utah online-healthcare legislationStrategy

  Background

  Utah legislators and regulators were developing a framework for online pharmacies and Internet prescribing.

  Action taken

  KwikMed and medical experts educated policymakers about online pharmacy operations and the safeguards used in its business model.

  Aftermath

  Utah enacted Senate Bill 274 on March 30, 2010, creating a formal state framework for online prescribing, dispensing, and facilitation.

  Source

• 2010

  Addition of ellaProduct launch

  Background

  KwikMed's earlier approved product range focused on selected erectile-dysfunction, hair-loss, and smoking-cessation medicines.

  Action taken

  The company began selling ella, an ulipristal-acetate emergency-contraception product.

  Aftermath

  The launch broadened the documented range of medicines offered through KwikMed's online prescribing channel.

  Source

• 2003

  Launch of consent-order-compliant softwareProduct launch

  Background

  Utah's consent order required a more detailed and clinically structured online assessment process.

  Action taken

  KwikMed launched the first software version intended to gather a complete medical history for physician review.

  Aftermath

  The system became the technological basis of the company's regulated telemedicine workflow.

  Source

• 2002

  Adoption of a regulator-supervised online assessment modelStrategy

  Background

  After the change in ownership and regulatory scrutiny of prior practices, KwikMed worked with Utah regulators to define safeguards for online prescribing.

  Action taken

  The company agreed to use an interactive medical assessment tool, obtain approval for additional medicines, enable record inspections, and refer unsuitable cases to face-to-face care.

  Aftermath

  The consent-order procedures became the foundation for the company's subsequent software, product approvals, and policy engagement.

  Source

1. 1KwikMeden.wikipedia.org