Pharmacy bill discussed at Vietnam's ongoing parliament

 A number of articles of the Pharmacy Law are subject to adjustment at the ongoing 8th session of the 15th National Assembly (NA). 

Nguyen Thuy Anh, NA Standing Committee member and Chairwoman of the NA Social Affairs Committee delivered a report on the revision of the draft law at the session on October 22.

An overview of the ongoing 8th session of the 15th National Assembly in Hanoi on October 22. Photos: Quochoi.vn

"The revised Pharmacy Law under discussion is expected to provide incentives and investment support for the development of the industry and aims to position the pharmaceutical industry as a cornerstone of the economy," Anh said.

She outlined the country's policies on pharmaceuticals and the industry's development, highlighting the law's Article 8, which had been revised to enable incentives and investment support for the industry.

She gave an overview of the country's pharmaceutical policy and the development of the industry. She also emphasized how Article 8 of the amended law will provide companies with additional incentives and investment support.
She also pointed out the role of Article 7 in "making the pharmaceutical industry a cornerstone of the economy," which focuses on prioritizing the purchase of domestically produced drugs in public health facilities, streamlining administrative procedures for drug registration and import permits, and reducing the prices of certain drugs to attract technology transfer.

Regarding the online sale of medicines, Anh mentioned the amendment of Article 6 and Article 42 to specify the types of medicines that can be sold online, expand the range of prohibited activities on online platforms related to medicine trade, and increase the functions of online pharmacies.

NA deputy Nguyen Lan Hieu from Binh Dinh Province mentioned that the approval process for new drugs is currently time-consuming.

Hieu said many medicines have been distributed in countries such as Japan, the United States, and Europe, but have yet to be approved for use in Vietnam. This situation puts people at a disadvantage and prevents them from benefiting from the latest advances in science.

Therefore, the NA delegate suggested that a process be devised for the importation of drugs that have been globally accepted through research and widespread use.

Hieu also highlighted concerns about online drug sales, particularly the risks associated with selling drugs of unknown origin on social networks. He supported the proposal to allow drug sales through electronic transactions but stressed the need for strict regulations. Specifically, drugs sold online must be licensed for distribution in Vietnam, and online pharmacies must meet standards set by the Ministry of Health.

He suggested that the Ministry of Health set up a specialized unit to combat the online sale of counterfeit drugs and ensure that accurate drug information is made available to the public. This would allow people to verify drug details through official websites and applications.

Deputy Pham Khanh Phong Lan from Ho Chi Minh City mentioned the lax management of the drug distribution and retail system.

"Despite the rapid growth in the number of distribution companies and retail pharmacies, they are subject to lax management measures, from inspection mechanisms to capital regulations to guidelines on distance between pharmacies," Lan said.

She emphasized that the buying and selling of counterfeit and substandard medicines continues due to inadequate oversight of the distribution system.

The NA deputy also pointed out other loopholes in the draft amendment to the Pharmacy Law, including the management of cosmetics and functional foods. She suggested the introduction of more effective measures to contribute to the development of the pharmaceutical industry and the protection of public health.

Deputy Tran Thi Nhi Ha from Hanoi brought up inconsistencies in the draft law's approach to price management for prescription and non-prescription drugs. She questioned why only the prices of prescription drugs are subject to mandatory posting.

"The draft law requires drug price declarations from local pharmacies to be submitted to provincial-level people's committees. However, the lack of clear criteria could lead to inconsistent implementation across provinces," Ha warned.

She believed that the administrative burden of submitting price reports would be immense in large cities like Hanoi, which has nearly 10,000 retail pharmacies. So Ha suggested that lawmakers specify which types of pharmacies should be required to report prices.

Minister of Health Dao Thi Hong Lan speaks at the discussion session on the revised Pharmacy Law at the ongoing 8th Session of the 15th National Assembly.

For her part, Minister of Health Dao Thi Hong Lan made clear where she stands on a number of issues, particularly regarding special incentives for the healthcare industry. "Incentives are the key to boosting the sector," she said.

"It would be difficult to include all incentives in a single bill, as they often overlap with other economic regulations. We will deal with specific incentives in specialized laws. The draft law will provide general guidelines, while more detailed provisions will be included in relevant economic legislation," Lan added.

On the issue of online drug sales, "only e-commerce platforms with online ordering functions will be allowed for sales," Lan stressed.