On October 22, the National Assembly discussed the draft amendments to the Law on Pharmacy. The discussion included contributions from eight health sector representatives addressing issues such as online drug sales and drug price management.

Ban on online prescription drug sales

The National Assembly Standing Committee recognized the necessity of legalizing regulations on drug and raw material sales via e-commerce, aiming to address existing practical issues and legal gaps.

In her report on the amendments, Nguyen Thuy Anh, Chairwoman of the National Assembly's Social Affairs Committee, emphasized that drugs are unique items that directly affect users' health and lives.

Therefore, the National Assembly Standing Committee directed the amendment of the law to prohibit the retail sale of prescription drugs and drugs requiring special control through e-commerce.

Commenting on this issue, delegate Nguyen Lan Hieu (Director of Hanoi Medical University Hospital) pointed out that online drug sales pose health risks, and products falsely advertised as drugs have caused public outrage.

He agreed to allow online drug transactions since this practice is already occurring. Consumers can simply send images of their prescriptions via social media to pharmacies, and the drugs are delivered to their homes without any difficulty.

Therefore, Hieu suggested that stricter and more specific regulations be put in place regarding online drug sales. Specifically, pharmacies selling online must meet the standards set by the Ministry of Health and undergo assessment and licensing. This should be tested at hospital pharmacies that have fully implemented electronic medical records.

He also proposed that the law include provisions for the Ministry of Health to establish a dedicated unit to combat counterfeit drugs on social media; this unit would be responsible for verifying the accuracy of drug advertisements.

Concerns about drug market monopolies

Notably, the draft law includes measures for announcing wholesale drug prices. The draft also outlines the responsibilities of state management agencies and drug businesses concerning price management measures.

Delegate Tran Thi Nhi Ha (Deputy Head of the National Assembly's People’ Petition Committee) expressed concerns that the current draft law states that the maximum wholesale price is determined by the importing and producing establishments, which other drug businesses must follow. This regulation could lead to potential monopolies in the drug market.

The draft law specifies that provincial-level People's Committees will receive price declaration documents from drug businesses according to the Price Law. Delegate Ha worried that each locality would implement this policy differently; a business operating across multiple localities could face inconsistent price declaration requirements.

“Constituents want drug prices to be managed under specific regulations in the specialized law. However, the measures outlined in the amended Drug Law largely comply with the Price Law,” Ha noted.

The delegate suggested developing more suitable regulations for declaring and announcing prices that align with practical situations and are feasible for implementation.

In response to the delegates' concerns, Health Minister Dao Hong Lan emphasized that drugs are special commodities, so managing drug prices is critically important. The 2016 Drug Law included provisions related to wholesale drug price management. In 2023, drug prices were also addressed in the Price Law.

“We have seen reports asking why drug prices are increasing uncontrollably. We have managed this since 2016, yet prices continue to rise. Without regulation, it would be like 'letting the chickens run wild' - it would be impossible to manage,” Minister Lan stated.

Minister Dao Hong Lan assessed that the regulations in the 2016 Drug Law and the 2023 Price Law have contributed to managing drug prices in Vietnam, helping to stabilize drug prices over time. She cited data showing that drug prices rose by 0.4% in 2022 and 1.45% in 2023, even as all types of drugs and raw materials increased post-COVID-19.

“With such measures in place, we will gradually manage drug prices, preventing sudden spikes in the market,” Minister Dao Hong Lan added.

Quang Phong