Drug firms favour GPP pharmacies
The Hanoi Times - Pharmaceutical enterprises which operate drugstores in compliance with Good Pharmacy Practices (GPP) are determined to adhere to their long-term business strategies despite incurring losses in the first few yearsThese firms say they believe in a roadmap from the Ministry of Health under which all hospital pharmacies and drug company-operated pharmacies must meet GPP standards by 2011 to remain in operation, with all other drugstores required to meet the standards by 2013.Opening IC Pharmacy, a 2,000sq.m GPP-compliant drugstore, in HCM City late last year, Dong Duong Pharmacy Joint Stock Co has announced its plans to develop other stores in major cities like Ha Noi, Hai Phong, Da Nang, HCM City, and Can Tho by 2012, with a total capital investment of US$12 million.To meet GPP standards, drugstores must meet several strict criteria, including a minimum area of at least 10sq.m and facilities to store medicines in accordance with storage requirements printed on the drug labels. All medicines must also show their place of origin and have clear instructions for their use.The deputy director of the HCM City health department, Pham Khanh Phong Lan, said the development of GPP pharmacies, fuelled by the enterprises' comprehensive investment in facilities, human resources and quality management systems, has helped to make the retail pharmaceutical system more professional.As of January, HCM City was home to 131 GPP drugstores, 37 of which were being operated by pharmaceutical firms, she said.However, many of these pharmaceutical enterprises complained that GPP pharmacies were yet to compete with traditional forms of drugstores. Dong Duong Pharmacy Co marketing director Le Thi Bach Quyen said the majority of customers failed to fully comprehend the benefits of GPP pharmacies, thinking they might simply sell medicines at higher prices than traditional drugstores. She said her company was using revenues generated from other business operations to underwrite the losses generated by a newly- opened GPP drugstore.But Nguyen Anh of Eco Pharma Joint Stock Co, which owns four GPP drugstores in HCM City, said it was difficult to evaluate business performance after only one year in operation.Businesses opening GPP pharmacies could take full advantages of incentives for directly importing rare medicines as well as for directly distributing drugs to the stores that could help them to ensure the quality of drugs and competitive prices, Lan concluded.
The Hanoi Times - Pharmaceutical enterprises which operate drugstores in compliance with Good Pharmacy Practices (GPP) are determined to adhere to their long-term business strategies despite incurring losses in the first few years
These firms say they believe in a roadmap from the Ministry of Health under which all hospital pharmacies and drug company-operated pharmacies must meet GPP standards by 2011 to remain in operation, with all other drugstores required to meet the standards by 2013.
Opening IC Pharmacy, a 2,000sq.m GPP-compliant drugstore, in HCM City late last year, Dong Duong Pharmacy Joint Stock Co has announced its plans to develop other stores in major cities like Ha Noi, Hai Phong, Da Nang, HCM City, and Can Tho by 2012, with a total capital investment of US$12 million.
To meet GPP standards, drugstores must meet several strict criteria, including a minimum area of at least 10sq.m and facilities to store medicines in accordance with storage requirements printed on the drug labels. All medicines must also show their place of origin and have clear instructions for their use.
The deputy director of the HCM City health department, Pham Khanh Phong Lan, said the development of GPP pharmacies, fuelled by the enterprises' comprehensive investment in facilities, human resources and quality management systems, has helped to make the retail pharmaceutical system more professional.
As of January, HCM City was home to 131 GPP drugstores, 37 of which were being operated by pharmaceutical firms, she said.
However, many of these pharmaceutical enterprises complained that GPP pharmacies were yet to compete with traditional forms of drugstores. Dong Duong Pharmacy Co marketing director Le Thi Bach Quyen said the majority of customers failed to fully comprehend the benefits of GPP pharmacies, thinking they might simply sell medicines at higher prices than traditional drugstores.
She said her company was using revenues generated from other business operations to underwrite the losses generated by a newly- opened GPP drugstore.
But Nguyen Anh of Eco Pharma Joint Stock Co, which owns four GPP drugstores in HCM City, said it was difficult to evaluate business performance after only one year in operation.
Businesses opening GPP pharmacies could take full advantages of incentives for directly importing rare medicines as well as for directly distributing drugs to the stores that could help them to ensure the quality of drugs and competitive prices, Lan concluded.
