Luo Zhihua

  The National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Commerce, Guangdong Province, Shenzhen City, etc. researched and formulated the "Opinions on Several Special Measures to Relax Market Access in Shenzhen's Construction of a Pilot Demonstration Zone of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics" (referred to as "Opinions"), which proposed that the establishment of electronic prescriptions in Shenzhen The center conducts pilot sales of prescription drugs on the Internet and provides third-party information services for prescription drug sales agencies.

For prescription drugs marketed in China, except for drugs that are clearly prohibited by the state on the Internet, other drugs are allowed to rely on the electronic prescription center for Internet sales, and no separate approval is required.

(For related reports, see version A9)

  With the increasing popularity of e-commerce, prescription drugs should gradually be sold through Internet channels in order to better meet the needs of consumers for medical treatment and drug purchases.

If patients can only buy non-prescription drugs online, not prescription drugs, it will not only increase a lot of trouble, but also be detrimental to treatment.

During the epidemic, it was inconvenient for many patients to go to the hospital to prescribe medicines, so it is necessary to lift the ban on Internet prescription drug sales in a timely manner.

The decision to pilot online sales of prescription drugs in Shenzhen has given many people the hope of "breaking the ice" on a larger scale.

  The therapeutic effect of prescription drugs is great, and the side effects and adverse reactions are also great. The safety risk of selling prescription drugs on the Internet makes people dare not take it lightly. This is an important reason why it has been difficult to lift the ban on online sales of prescription drugs.

In addition, at the management level, how to ensure the authenticity of electronic prescriptions and how to ensure that drugs do not deteriorate during the delivery process are all difficult problems that cannot be avoided in online sales of prescription drugs.

In the past, I have always been cautious about selling prescription drugs online, which is completely understandable.

  However, the current situation has undergone great changes, and the lifting of the ban on online sales of prescription drugs already has a good social foundation.

For example, the rapid development of logistics technology, the continuous improvement of the level of logistics management, the significant improvement of distribution and storage capabilities, and the rapid delivery of prescription drugs can also minimize the impact of distribution on the quality of drugs.

The popularization of electronic drug supervision codes and the monitoring of adverse drug reactions have all benefited from the rapid development of information technology. These more efficient and effective supervision tools have greatly increased the safety of online prescription drugs.

If the newly built electronic prescription center can be combined with these mature technologies and management, it is expected to explore a safe and efficient online prescription drug sales model.

  In addition, the mutual promotion of online prescription drug sales and Internet diagnosis and treatment should not be underestimated.

During the epidemic, Internet diagnosis and treatment has developed explosively, but the “medicine without medicine” of Internet diagnosis and treatment has become a prominent problem affecting its further development. After the ban on online sales of prescription drugs is lifted, the drugs can be delivered to patients in a timely manner. This problem is expected to be solved.

  从另一个角度看,网售处方药面临“有药无医”的窘境,“处方从何处来”这道难题一直难以化解,但互联网诊疗的快速发展带来了新的契机,将来除了可建立电子处方中心之外,还能通过互联网诊疗来获得处方。网售处方药与互联网诊疗具有广泛的合作空间,只要做好规则设计,两道难题可以一并化解。

  由此看来,网售处方药解禁的条件已基本成熟,加速推进这项改革正当其时。期待此次试点能够探索出可供推广的经验,从而开启在家便捷就医的新模式。患者不仅可以在家看名医,还能在家购买处方药,名医和好药都能通过互联网直达家庭。