Instead of banning, regulate!

That was the opinion of experts attending the policy seminar on the topic "Online drug sales - Should we or shouldn't we?" organized by Vietnam National Assembly Television on November 15th.

That was the opinion of experts attending the policy seminar on the topic "Online drug sales - Should we or shouldn't we?" organized by Vietnam National Assembly Television on November 15th.

The inevitable trend of buying and selling medicine online.

The seminar attracted the attention of National Assembly delegates, medical experts, and representatives of regulatory agencies, aiming to discuss regulations related to online drug sales, a new content in the draft Law on Pharmaceuticals (amended) currently being submitted to the National Assembly.

According to experts, online drug sales are an inevitable trend, especially after the lockdown period due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In many countries, this form of sales has been popular for many years, helping consumers easily access medicines, especially in remote areas.

Delegates attending the seminar.

In Vietnam, the online pharmaceutical market began to develop strongly from 2017-2018 and currently accounts for about 5-8% of the pharmaceutical market share, with more than 1,000 online pharmaceutical businesses.

Ms. Tran Thi Nhi Ha, Deputy Head of the People's Petition Committee under the National Assembly Standing Committee, emphasized that online drug sales have become widespread and that the "if we can't manage it, we can ban it" mentality cannot be applied.

She argued that this needs to be legalized to ensure consumer rights and regulate drug quality.

The delegates agreed that purchasing prescription drugs online offers many benefits to the public, especially those in remote areas.

Ms. Tran Thi Nhi Ha suggested that, given the trend of telemedicine and the development of the national electronic prescription system, consideration should be given to expanding the retail sale of prescription drugs on e-commerce platforms. This would not only help patients access medication more easily but also ensure interoperability and strict control over prescription information.

Patients can save time and effort by not needing to go directly to medical facilities. However, ensuring quality and safety for users is also a major challenge, requiring a clear legal framework.

Mr. Vu Thai Ha, Director of Operations at eDoctor, believes that the demand for online medicine purchases is very high and will continue to increase. The lack of clear regulations could easily lead to risks for consumers. He emphasized the need for specific regulations to ensure the legality and transparency of online pharmaceutical business.

It is necessary to clearly distinguish between different forms of online drug sales.

Another issue noted by delegates was the difference between controlled online drug sales and unregulated drug sales via livestream on social media. The lack of strict regulations could lead to the sale of illegal drugs, making it difficult for authorities to ensure drug quality.

According to Ms. Le Thi Ha, Head of the E-commerce Management Department of the Ministry of Industry and Trade , many large pharmacy chains have implemented online drug sales, but risks regarding drug quality still exist when consumers purchase from unclear sources.

Therefore, she suggested that legal tools are needed to effectively distinguish and regulate between reputable suppliers and individuals selling goods independently on social media.

Delegates discussed allowing the purchase of medicines online.

At the seminar, experts and National Assembly representatives unanimously agreed that online drug sales are an irreversible trend, but need to be managed strictly and transparently.

Legalizing online drug sales, especially regulations on the sale of prescription drugs, will help protect consumers and create conditions for a healthy market development.

The draft amendment to the Law on Pharmaceuticals, currently under consideration by the National Assembly, only allows the sale of over-the-counter drugs on e-commerce platforms. Representative Tran Thi Nhi Ha argued that the draft stipulates that drugs sold retail on e-commerce platforms are only over-the-counter drugs, while prescription drugs are only permitted to be sold wholesale to legally licensed pharmaceutical businesses.

This means that two types of businesses will exist on e-commerce platforms: retail sales of over-the-counter medications to consumers and wholesale sales of prescription medications to businesses.

Representative Nhi Ha proposed that specific regulations and tools are needed to clearly distinguish between individual users and businesses purchasing medicine, as current management is facing many difficulties.

She also suggested adding a regulation allowing the retail sale of prescription drugs if electronic prescriptions are implemented, in line with the trend of telemedicine.

Mr. Vu Thai Ha agreed, suggesting that online sales of prescription drugs should be gradually permitted, as the law already stipulates telemedicine and provides specific guidelines for the groups of diseases to which it can be applied. He argued that this expansion should be adjusted gradually depending on the level of compliance and awareness of the people.

To effectively manage the pharmaceutical business on e-commerce platforms and align with current healthcare practices, some opinions suggest that the draft Law on Pharmaceuticals should not rigidly limit the sale of prescription drugs or drugs with restricted retail sales, but only allow the sale of over-the-counter drugs.

Because every time a law is enacted, the regulations will be applied for a long period, are difficult to change, and may not keep up with the actual situation, leading to a failure to meet the needs of the people in a timely manner.

The draft Law on Pharmaceuticals (amended) is expected to continue to be discussed at subsequent sessions of the National Assembly, with the aim of perfecting regulations that are consistent with practical realities and the development trends of society.

Source: https://baodautu.vn/mua-thuoc-online-khong-nen-cam-hay-quan-d230164.html