As the administrative bodies responsible for overseeing the practice of medicine, state medical boards are struggling to find ways to ensure that unscrupulous and unsafe practitioners operating online do not harm those living within their jurisdictions. This Article examines the effect computers and the Internet have on the ability of state medical boards to regulate the practice of medicine, and the responses at the state and federal level to these technological developments. Part I briefly discusses the foundations of the state power to license and regulate medicine. Part II discusses the adoption of technology in society and how it has benefited the physician-patient relationship. Part III describes how computer and Internet technology are used in telemedicine and cybermedicine interactions, and the concerns each raises with regard to medical practice standards.
Special focus is given to the Internet pharmacy industry.
Finally, Part IV analyzes the state and federal legislative and regulatory actions taken to protect the public health and welfare from unlicensed and substandard medical practices on the Internet, and describes how the challenges of regulating Internet medicine raises new questions concerning the ability of state medical boards to continue traditionally-held responsibilities for regulating medical practice. To order the full text of this article, please go to ordering .