Vietnam HCMC Proposes Drug Sale Ban on Livestreams, Social Media
The Health Department in Vietnam’s southern economic hub of Ho Chi Minh City has asked pharmaceutical businesses not to sell products over social media platforms or livestreams, local media cited the latest information from a press conference about the city’s socio-economic development as reporting.
The proposal to ban drug sales on social media and livestreams has also been brought forth by the Ministry of Health in the amendments of the Law on Pharmacy. The draft law is being evaluated by the Ministry of Justice.
Social media platforms and livestreams have become common channels for the sale of drugs and supplementary food products. Pharmacies often conduct livestreams on social media, attracting hundreds of viewers and facilitating the sale of thousands of products. Notably, existing laws lack specific regulations addressing this mode of sale.
Mr. Nguyen Hai Nam, deputy office head of the HCMC Department of Health, believed that there needs to be more regulations regarding e-commerce in the pharmaceutical field. He highlighted the importance of stringent management and clear regulations to ensure the quality of pharmaceutical products, and to ensure their traceability. Selling drugs through social media and livestreams do not satisfy such requirements.
The health department has also been monitoring advertisements and drug sales on digital channels and has deployed online medical applications and hotlines for the public to report on the sales of drugs without clear origins.