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China Online Drug Sales Efforts Merit Attention

Chinese Flag with pill bottle

China recently announced that it will begin allowing online sales of prescription drugs as early as this month. This is a big change, as online pharmacies in China had been restricted to selling only over-the-counter medicines and healthcare products, such as cough remedies and vitamin tablets.

Hospitals in China currently account for 70 percent of all drugs sold and distributed. The rest are purchased through retail pharmacy locations. The ability to legally purchase prescription drugs online could open up a new avenue for Chinese consumers. However, there are concerns about consumers unknowingly purchasing counterfeit drugs, which can cause drug resistance, side effects, or even death.

How will China regulate online sales of prescription drugs and protect consumers? According to a recent Reuters article, the prescription drugs sold online will be initially limited to those on a government list. By creating a regulated environment for online pharmacies, regulators can provide legal alternatives to rogue pharmacies on the web.

One way China will regulate online sales is by partnering with trusted distributors and employing technological solutions, including specialized platforms and apps to facilitate safe purchases. Alibaba Health Information Technology Ltd. recently launched a mobile app called Alijk to accomplish this. Using the app, patients will be able to upload and send photocopies of doctor’s prescriptions to nearby pharmacies, check the availability of medicines, compare the prices, and eventually make payments. Qualified online pharmacies who partner with Alibaba Health, such as China Jo-Jo, can then fill the orders via in-store purchase or home delivery service.

CSIP will continue its work with international organizations and stakeholders to support efforts to improve online pharmaceutical and pharmacy safety.  As a U.S. consumer, to ensure safety, we suggest that you check an online pharmacy before you buy using LegitScript’s pharmacy verification tool. Also, if you have concerns about a website or drug seller, please report the information to the U.S. FDA for further investigation using our online portal.

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The Center for Safe Internet Pharmacies (CSIP) and our 13 member companies have the shared goal of helping address the growing problem of consumer access to illegitimate pharmaceutical products on the Internet. Continue to read this blog for updates on CSIP’s education, enforcement and information-sharing efforts.