The HCM City Department of Health has instructed medicine manufacturers, importers, exporters and retail drugstores to strictly comply with regulations on the trade of drugs.

A drugstore in HCM City.

Under the law, manufacturers, importers, exporters and traders are only allowed to sell medicine to hospitals.

Medicine trading establishments must have certificates that show they are in compliance with regulations and good pharmacy practices.

They also must keep all legal documents of suppliers and consumers.

In addition, retail drugstores must sell antibiotics and other drugs with a doctor’s prescription.

Many people in Viet Nam continue to buy medicine directly at pharmacies without a prescription. 

This habit has led Viet Nam to be listed among the countries with the highest antibiotic resistance in the world, with 33 per cent of patients considered resistant to antibiotics.

The operating licenses of violators of the regulations will be revoked, according to the Department of Health. —VNS