What medications are 'home delivered'?

According to the newly issued Pharmacy Law, e-commerce retailing is only allowed for home delivery of non-prescription drugs, drugs subject to special control, and drugs on the list of drugs restricted for retail sale.

People buy medicine at a medical facility in Ho Chi Minh City - Photo: TTO

Recently, the Government's Steering Committee on Science, Technology, Innovation, Digital Transformation and Project 06 issued the conclusion of the July meeting, assigning the Ministry of Public Security to deploy the connection of prescriptions from hospitals to the medical data coordination system and pharmacies for synchronous integration on VNeID.

People can connect prescription data and receive medicine at home. The pilot period will start in September and officially launch in October.

Faced with this information, many people wonder what types of medicine are delivered to their homes?

Medicines that are not delivered to your home

Speaking with Tuoi Tre Online, a representative of the Drug Administration Department ( Ministry of Health ) said that according to the current regulations of the Law on Pharmacy, pharmaceutical businesses are allowed to conduct business via e-commerce on e-commerce trading floors, e-commerce sales applications, and e-commerce sales websites with online ordering functions.

Retail establishments are allowed to sell drugs through the above mentioned e-commerce method. However, the sale of drugs through e-commerce method must comply with the prohibited contents as prescribed.

Accordingly, current regulations prohibit the retail sale via e-commerce of prescription drugs, drugs subject to special control, and drugs on the list of drugs with restricted retail sale.

In particular, prescription drugs are drugs that are only dispensed and retailed based on a prescription issued by a doctor or licensed pharmacist by a competent state agency.

Drugs that must be specially controlled include addictive drugs, psychotropic drugs, radioactive drugs, etc.

Restricted retail drugs are drugs that require close supervision of prescription, prescription sales and use to ensure safety, effectiveness, and avoid drug abuse in treatment, which can cause drug dependence or non-response when using that drug or other drugs. These include many drugs used to treat malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV.

According to experts in the medical field, synchronizing prescription data to VNeID will help people conveniently track prescriptions and medications they have used.

However, home delivery of prescription drugs must be legal, because the newly issued Pharmacy Law does not allow online sales of prescription drugs.

What are the regulations on home medicine delivery?

The Drug Administration of Vietnam said that from July 1, there will be legal regulations for drug retail activities via e-commerce and home drug delivery.

Accordingly, online drug retailers must advise and guide buyers on how to use and preserve drugs before selling. The advice can be via audio, video, text messages or electronic data, and must retain contact information and a summary of the advice as evidence for at least 24 months.

Drug packaging when transported must clearly state the name and address of the buyer and retailer, storage conditions, and latest delivery date.

The carrier must be informed and comply with the storage conditions during the entire transport.

Medicines must be packaged, stored and transported according to regulations to keep them intact, free from impurities and maintain storage conditions.

Thus, pharmacies that meet the requirements of the regulations are allowed to deliver medicine to your home. Up to now, the VNeID application has connected with 3 pharmacy chains.

WILLOW

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/nhung-loai-thuoc-nao-duoc-giao-tan-nha-20250811092937284.htm