General Discussions

**Emilie** · 07-31-2006, 08:02 AM

Hi to everyone,

Would appreciate any help regarding the following matter:
I want to open a site dedicated to medicine/drugs. I also plan to edit several prescriptions of different drugs. As a source I have a very good electronic version of a book (on a disk, not available online!!!), which summarizes different drugs' prescriptions. Who knows for sure if it is considered a COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT if I use and edit these prescriptions within my web-site? I have some doubts regarding this, as far as these prescriptions were not composed by the author of the book but by the manufactures of drugs. However, could anyone advise me regarding this matter or at least suggest who should I ask?

Lots of thanks!

**JohnJ** · 07-31-2006, 08:19 AM

Yes, it is a violation of the copyright laws. Open the book - within the first two or three pages you will find a copyright statement and who copyrighted the book. You can purchase permission from the copyright owner to use portions of the book but I doubt that you can purchase permission to change the book.

Now for the really serious problem (the first one will only result in a big fine) - - If you publish information about perscriptions on your website and the information proves to be false (regardless of whose fault that is), incomplete or simply in error and the information results in injury you can not only be fined, but you may also go to jail for contributing to an injury.

JohnJ

**Emilie** · 07-31-2006, 08:55 AM

thanks.

- what if i buy the medicine and take it's prescription and edit it on my site, is that a copyright infrigement as well, because the prescription got with the medicine itself is for public use???

- or what if i use the info from the book but with several changes, therefore the info looks different. is that a copyright infrigement as well??

thanks again

**ADAM Web Design** · 07-31-2006, 10:12 AM

You're gonna take hundreds, possibly thousands of different prescription drugs just so you can edit the descriptions on your site? ****, dude...that's messed up.

If you edited the descriptions enough and cited the source, I'd say you're in a grey area still. Personally, I think that would be all right but I'm not a lawyer. I'd suggest consulting one for this, rather than gambling on free advice. (I'd also consult a psychiatrist...I believe the clinical diagnosis for your idea is "****ING INSANE".)

**stOx** · 07-31-2006, 01:18 PM

You would more than likely find that "editing" a prescription is illegal regardless of copyright law.