DrThom is a UK-based commercial online doctor service, also operating in Ireland and Australia. It is 100% owned by LloydsPharmacy, which is in turn owned by a leading international wholesale and retail company

McKesson Europe McKesson Europe AG (formerly Celesio AG, previously Gehe AG), with its headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany, is a leading international wholesale and retail company and provider of logistics and services in the pharmaceutical and healthcare sect ...

Origin

Dr Thom was founded by Thom Van Every, a sexual health doctor at London’s

Chelsea and Westminster Hospital Chelsea and Westminster Hospital is a 430-bed teaching hospital located in Chelsea, London. The hospital has a rich history in that it serves as the new site for the Westminster Hospital. It is operated by Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS ...

. Van Every noticed that many of his patients were embarrassed to see a doctor about their ailments. He founded the service focusing on sexual health, then gradually added services. In 2006, Dr Thom launched the UK’s first home test for HIV, based on saliva rather than the traditional blood test. In August 2009, Lloydspharmacy acquired a 33% stake in the business, and in March 2011 it bought the remaining 67%. At the time, Lloydspharmacy’s Managing Director, Tony Page, said, “Patients love the service - it’s a rapidly growing area of our business.” The purchase price was not disclosed.

Services

The website employs doctors, who review online assessments filled out by patients. Patient feedback is collected by an independent agency, I Want Great Care. Dr Thom provides services directly to patients through its own website, and also ‘white labels’ services. Partners past and present included

Superdrug Superdrug Stores plc (trading as Superdrug) is a health and beauty retailer in the United Kingdom, and the second largest behind Boots UK. The company is owned by AS Watson (Health & Beauty UK) Limited which is part of the A.S. Watson Group. ...

, whose online sexual health service was run by Dr Thom, and the UK's

National Health Service The National Health Service (NHS) is the term for the publicly funded health care, publicly funded healthcare systems of the United Kingdom: the National Health Service (England), NHS Scotland, NHS Wales, and Health and Social Care (Northern ...

, whose erectile dysfunction service based at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital is run in conjunction with Dr Thom. Post sale of the business, Dr Van Every was replaced as Chief Executive of the service by Rachel Carrell in 2012. Dr Van Every stepped down and left the business in 2013.

International expansion

*Ireland: DrThom launched in Ireland in August 2011 and subsequently rebranded as Lloyds Online Doctor in July 2013, in line with Celesio's brand alignment programme. In August 2013 Lloyds Online Doctor and the Irish Family Planning Association announced the launch of Ireland's first home STI testing kits. *Australia: DrThom launched in Australia in June 2013, in association with

Terry White Chemists TerryWhite Chemmart is an Australian pharmacy chain owned by the EBOS Group. It is the largest pharmacy chain in Australia, with over 550 stores, . The brand is the result of the 2016 merger of two pharmacy chains – Terry White Chemists and ...

Controversy

Dr Thom and similar websites have been criticised for enabling access to drugs including the contraceptive pill with no way to confirm that patients are who they say they are. However, the

Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) is a professional association based in London, United Kingdom. Its members, including people with and without medical degrees, work in the field of obstetrics and gynaecology, that is ...

have said that for established patients, online suppliers could be safe. The Department of Health has said that doctors practicing in the UK must abide by

General Medical Council The General Medical Council (GMC) is a public body that maintains the official register of physician, medical practitioners within the United Kingdom. Its chief responsibility is to "protect, promote and maintain the health and safety of the pu ...

rules, but are ultimately responsible for their own prescribing decisions.

References

External links