The Current Development of Internet Pharmacy Services in China

Abstract

Objective To study the current situation and corresponding characteristics of internet pharmacy services and summarize their core connotations, and to make some suggestions for their future development based on national policies. Methods The literature of the last 20 years that fully or partially matched the theme of internet pharmacy services in China was studied to summarize the status of research and development of remote pharmacy services by combining the web survey method. Results and Conclusion China’s internet pharmacy services include online consultation, science education, information enquiry, follow-up and intervention, and other functions. The main service providers are medical institutions, Internet enterprises, and online drug sales platforms. Internet pharmacy services can improve patients’ compliance with medication and the convenience of medical treatment, which better play the role of pharmacists. However, they also face problems such as the varying service qualities, the small number of users, the difficulty in popularizing services in remote areas, and the lack of supervision and protection of patients’ rights.

Keywords

Internet pharmacy service / online consultation / pharmacy service / remote area

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