In a few days, several pharmacies in France could soon follow the movement launched last November by the Grace of God pharmacy in Caen. The pharmacy’s decision to open an online store of non-prescription drugs had then ticked off more than one pharmacist who denounced an illegal act.
Today the sale of medicines on the Internet is not only going to be legalized but it will be extended to all non-prescription drugs.
Why this change? After being seized by an online pharmacist, the Council of State expressed a “serious doubt” on the legality of an article of the public health code, which it considers contrary to European provisions. This article, which was to apply from March 1, excluded from the online sale of drugs of the “OTC” type (over the counter in English), that is to say that do not require a prescription and therefore free sale in pharmacies.
According to the Council of State, the member states of the European Union including France “can exclude from e-commerce activity intended for the public only drugs subject to prescription”.
France should be in compliance with European law by giving pharmacies who wish to sell their medicines online without a prescription. Of 455 drugs, the list of drugs authorized by the French Medicines Agency could include several thousand.
A list of online pharmacists on the website of the Ministry of Health
To avoid any sale of counterfeits and anyone to start selling drugs, this online business will be regulated. The Minister of Health Marisol Touraine explained to Top Health the “safeguards” that will be put in place: online shops “must necessarily be backed by a pharmacy”. This online sales service is therefore “an additional service” that pharmacies can offer.
Also, to ensure the “seriousness of the sales site”, a list of “pharmacist” sites will be posted on the site of the Ministry of Health and on the site of the order of pharmacists.
Currently, more than fifteen European countries have legalized the sale of medicines on the Internet. Some like Germany, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Sweden even allow the sale of all drugs without exception.
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