Guangzhou bans fixed-point pharmacies from selling non-medical supplies

On March 1st and 3rd, the Human Resources and Social Security Bureau of Guangzhou Municipality announced the “Measures for the Administration of Fixed-Point Retail Pharmacy in Guangzhou Medical Insurance” (Draft for Soliciting Opinions), requesting that non-drugs not only close the sales of special zones, but also occupy an area of ​​no more than 30 pharmacies. %. In response, a number of large chain pharmacies in Guangzhou have strongly opposed it. However, there have been news reports in the industry that the second draft of the Exposure Draft is about to be linked to comments, and that it will be stricter than the first draft, or it will directly prohibit the sale of non-drug drugs at designated retail pharmacies.

According to the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, it is difficult to monitor the Internet within a short period of one month. The attitude of the regulatory authorities has changed from the strict control of non-drug drugs to the planned suspension of non-pharmaceutical sales. The industry believes that the attitude of the People's Insurance Department of the People's Republic of China on the two sessions this year has a great relationship.

At the press conference held during the "two sessions" this year on the theme "Reform of the pharmaceutical and health system," Hu Xiaoyi, deputy director of the Ministry of Human Protection and the deputy director of the State Council's Medical Reform Office, said that pharmacies are a weak link in the supervision of medical insurance because pharmacies are more fragmented and they must be comprehensive. Network monitoring is relatively difficult, but the government will increase this measure. For the supervision of medical institutions and pharmacies, the reform of payment methods should be the starting point and third-party supervision should be promoted. However, Hu Xiaoyi frankly stated that there are currently more than 170,000 medical insurance designated pharmacies throughout the country, and many of them are small pharmacies. It is relatively difficult to achieve comprehensive online monitoring.

However, the industry believes that it is entirely possible to link the computers of the designated drugstores of Medicare and the Bureau of People's Insurance of China, or to settle the system of different medical insurance drugs and non-drugs separately. "There are many solutions that can be solved, but it depends on whether the government is willing to invest."

The “hard-liners” support the prohibition of non-pharmaceuticals. Many chain pharmacies are trying to meet the needs of customers and at the same time attract more customers. While selling drugs, they also sell a variety of daily necessities and foods. Medical insurance designated drugstore illegal use of medical insurance card to pay non-drug cases also continue to prohibit more than. To this end, the People's Insurance Department is trying to regulate the behavior of pharmacies.

According to recent news from the industry, the Guangzhou Municipal People's Insurance Department has also emerged as a "hard-liner." On March 1st, “Guangzhou Medical Insurance Fixed-Point Retail Pharmacy Management Measures” (Draft for Soliciting Opinions) linked to the website for comments, requiring the establishment of a medical insurance designated drugstore for non-medical supplies, a closed area shall be set up, and a separate charging system shall be established; use of the closed area The proportion of the total area used by pharmacies should not exceed 30%. According to the attitude of “hard-liners”, this draft of the draft may also be amended to prohibit the sale of non-medical supplies by Medicare designated pharmacies.

As the sales of medical insurance drugs and non-pharmaceutical products account for a considerable proportion of the total sales of pharmacies, it is expected that the suspension of non-pharmaceutical sales will cause no small impact on pharmacies. Pharmacies have to face the option of either abandoning health insurance or giving up non-drugs.