Ministry of Health recommends e-commerce platforms block the sale of prescription drugs

On April 21, according to information from the Ministry of Health , the Department of Drug Administration has just issued an Official Dispatch on strengthening inspection, examination and handling of violations in pharmaceutical business activities.

According to the Drug Administration of Vietnam, recently, the media has reported on the phenomenon of buying and selling drugs, including prescription drugs and drugs subject to special control, on social networking sites. In response to this situation, the Administration has requested units and organizations selling products through e-commerce to take measures to control and prevent these behaviors.

To strengthen the management of pharmaceutical business activities by e-commerce and to ensure safety for users, while ensuring adequate supply of quality drugs for people, the Drug Administration of Vietnam requests local Departments of Health to direct and coordinate with relevant units to strengthen inspection, supervision and monitoring of pharmaceutical business establishments in the area to maintain proper implementation of professional regulations; Ensure strict compliance with legal regulations in pharmaceutical business activities.

In particular, strengthen the inspection and supervision of drug retail establishments in the area to detect and prevent drug trading at places other than the business locations stated on the certificate of eligibility for drug trading or permitted by competent state agencies (currently online trading); Buying and selling prescription drugs and drugs subject to special control in violation of regulations and strictly handling violations (if any).

The Drug Administration also requested relevant units to increase information and disseminate to pharmaceutical businesses in the area legal regulations on the pharmaceutical field, "Good Practice" standard principles, in which pharmaceutical businesses are required to focus on checking and controlling the origin of drugs, drug quality, and expiry date of drugs before circulating them on the market.

Relevant units should strengthen the inspection of legal documents of suppliers and customers, only buy and sell drugs to pharmaceutical businesses with certificates of eligibility for pharmaceutical business with appropriate business scope, update documents regulating the purchase and sale of prescription drugs, special control drugs.../.

(Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/bo-y-te-de-nghi-cac-san-thuong-mai-dien-tu-chan-hanh-vi-ban-thuoc-ke-don-post1034128.vnp