Mobile pharmacies are planned to be used primarily in rural areas where there is no permanent access to pharmaceutical services. They will operate along a pre-determined route and timetable under the responsibility of an existing public pharmacy.
It is also proposed that pharmaceutical establishments in villages be granted a five-year exemption from fees for the issue and renewal of licences. Furthermore, the draft bill provides for a uniform trade mark-up on medicines across the country, regardless of where they are sold.
The document also provides for the creation of regional medicine dispensing centres based on a ‘hub-and-spoke’ model. Such centres will be able to centrally handle the assembly, dosing, labelling and packaging of prescription medicines, primarily those for repeat prescriptions.
Other proposals include the legalisation and regulation of online sales of medicines, the establishment of university pharmacies, the development of new pharmaceutical services, and the possibility of carrying out vaccinations and rapid testing in pharmacies as part of pilot schemes.
The authorities cite persistent problems in the pharmaceutical market as the reason for the reform: the high cost of certain medicines, the recommendation of more expensive alternatives, shortages of some medicines, the inadequate quality of pharmaceutical advice, and poor access to services in rural areas.
The draft ‘Pharmacy’ Bill is currently at the public consultation stage.
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