San Francisco, Dec 02: online search engine Google Inc. Has stopped accepting advertisements from unlicensed pharmacies, joining other popular web sites that have bowed to pressure to curb the illegal distribution of prescription drugs. Google's decision follows a similar move last month by a Yahoo! Inc. subsidiary, Overture Services, that distributes ads to the web sites operated by its parent company and Microsoft's MSN. America online began restricting ad sales to unlicensed pharmacies two years ago.

Google's ad ban doesn't affect the noncommercial results that its search engine displays after scientific algorithms pore through 3.3 billion web pages stored in its database.

"Google supports end user choice in commerce and we will work hard to ensure there is always consumer choice and value in online pharmacies," the mountain view, California-based company said yesterday in a statement.

The crackdown on unlicensed pharmacies comes as regulators and congress intensify their focus on third parties - web sites, credit companies and shipping companies - that make it easier for illicit operators to sell potentially dangerous drugs.

A major trade group for legitimate pharmacies and Drugstore.com, a major online advertiser, also have been pushing for an internet marketing ban on illegal operators.

Bureau Report