Embarrassment leads to taking health risks

A shocking 1 in 10 people say they have had unprotected sex because they were too embarrassed to buy condoms from a pharmacy. This disconcerting statistic is the finding of latest research by new online pharmacy mastersdirect.com, revealing people’s opinions about their most embarrassing health problems.

Furthermore almost 50% of the population has suffered a health problem like thrush in silence rather than face the embarrassment of seeking medical attention and a quarter has simply walked out of a pharmacy because they were too embarrassed to ask for a particular health product.

The results revealed that the high street pharmacy can be a ‘humiliation hot-spot’ for people confronting their embarrassing health issues. The most toe-curlingly embarrassing products were voted to be: condoms, incontinence pants and personal lubricants.

Thrush creams, tampons and pregnancy tests also made people feel conspicuous. In an attempt to hide their embarrassment over their purchases, well over a third had even bought something they didn’t need as a ‘cover-up’.

The results come as global healthcare company Masters Pharmaceuticals launch a new online pharmacy, fully registered by the RSPGB - and regulated by the NHS. Founded on 25 years’ experience distributing pharmacy products worldwide, mastersdirect.com offers customers the services of a high street pharmacy but with the added convenience and privacy of ordering and receiving products at their home. Customers who would like to privately discuss their health issue with a professional can speak to a registered pharmacist by telephone or on email.

Media doctor Dr Dawn Harper, who welcomes the launch of the website, said, “Pharmacies have come a long way in offering health care to the public but this research highlights how some people still feel awkward about openly discussing their private health issues. The big worry is that embarrassment could put their health at risk.

“I have always advised against randomly buying medication on the internet but with a professional online pharmacy like mastersdirect.com patients can feel reassured that they are ordering genuine medication directly to their door from the privacy and convenience of home”

MastersDirect aims to mirror the experience of shopping in a high street pharmacy offering a full range of brands, a prescription and repeat prescription service and professional advice from a registered pharmacist. However, purchasing online gives customers the freedom to select products at a time of their choosing and in private, as well as the convenience of taking delivery of purchases and prescriptions direct to their door.

Currently only around 15% of people purchase health products online, yet the results of a recent survey revealed that over half the British population has felt embarrassed discussing their health in a pharmacy. Buying online is also a particularly good option for busy working parents and commuters, and those people unable to get to a pharmacy easily such as the elderly and the house bound.

An online pharmacy is not simply an internet retailer of pharmacy products. All pharmacies, including online pharmacies, are bound by a set of codes defined and enforced by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPSGB) and are regularly inspected to ensure that they comply with these rules. The green RPSGB logo and black registration number at the bottom of each page on mastersdirect.com signifies that Masters is compliant with these rules. In addition Masters complies with all regulations set by the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA).