E-commerce is also riding the wave of growth in the healthcare tech sector. This is because healthcare is the next big thing in the online retailing space as there is large amounts of untapped potential. The increase in life expectancy together with the increase in demand for quality healthcare products has increased the demand for healthcare supplies as a whole.
Rules about pharmacies' and authorised retailers' online sale of medicines
According to the Danish rules on online sale of medicines, medicines may only be marketed or dispensed in Denmark when a marketing authorisation has been granted.
If a medicinal product is to be marketed to users in other EU/EEA countries, a marketing authorisation applicable in the country of destination is required.
A medicinal product is not necessarily placed in the same dispensing group in the various EU/EEA countries. Some countries may, unlike other countries, have placed a medicinal product in a dispensing group, which implies that only specialists in a specific area are authorised to prescribe the medicine.
Overall, pharmacies selling medicines online must comply with all the rules applicable to pharmacies' sale of medicines to consumers. Pharmacies are obliged to offer substitution of medicines and inform consumers of less expensive alternatives, also in connection with online sale.
Anyone who has had experience with caregiving will understand the trouble of purchasing medical supplies for their patient. The highly recurring usage of diapers, milk feeds, body wipes and the list goes on. This means that caregivers have to frequently visit convenience stores to restock their depleting supplies. Going from one store to another to look for a variety of products is not only time consuming but also very frustrating. Buying medical supplies online is far more advantageous than buying them from a physical store. Here are some of the benefits of purchasing medical supplies online
Sell prescription drugs online
You may assume an idea of selling prescribed drugs online as risky for it requires from you:
- Compliance with governmental regulations.
- Creation of a trusted online environment.
- Strict control over the legitimacy of medical needs and, hence, sold medicines.
- A possibility to accept e-prescriptions.
You settle the first two questions by getting proper accreditation. NABP, National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, investigates and confirms the compliance of online pharmacies to nationally endorsed standards of pharmacy practice. Seeing the NABP badge on your website, customers will feel secured against counterfeit pills.
This model suits you the best if your business targets patients with regular medical needs. Scheduled delivery of prescribed medicine is a great helper for customers receiving long-term treatment or managing chronic diseases and takes off the stress of timely refills critical for a health condition. I personally see this opportunity as an evolution of pharmacy business as it takes the patient care to a new level.
Selling over-the-counter pharmaceuticals online
With over-the-counter drugs, you can apply a standard ecommerce implementation model enabling proper management of a product catalog, promotions, checkout, payment and orders. When you sell over-the-counter pills online, you don’t have to impose strict control over prescription validity. Still, don’t distance yourself from any responsibility for medicine use – excessive or incorrect medication may cause adverse effects and be health-threatening.
On a single website, you need to separate two scenarios of user journeys: for purchasing over-the-counter items and for ordering regulated prescription drugs. Your ecommerce solution must include:
- Product catalog with items available for all users: over-the-counter medicine, wellness and beauty goods, household and pet supplies.
- Integration with an e-prescribing solution to manage prescription medication.
- A custom personal account where users can track and refill both over-the-counter and prescription orders.
- Lower Prices and Discounts: Online prices are more transparent than physical stores as consumers are able to compare across a large range of sellers. Retailers are also able to charge a lower cost as managing an online shop has significantly lower fixed cost than traditional retailers. Furthermore, online stores frequently offer special deals and discounts which ranges from flat discounts of 20% to free delivery services.
Time to add E to your pharmacy business
The global e-pharmacy market is predicted to grow almost 5 times up to $128 billion by 2023. If you want to get a piece of this pie, don’t hesitate and start taking steps towards your online presence right now. Let me give you a bit of advice – for e-medical website development, choose proactive professionals with a strong consulting attitude, for it’s important to surface hidden challenges that may be critical for business success. If such cooperation model resonates with you, feel free to engage ScienceSoft’s team for the job.
