In general, digital pharmacies are businesses authorized to sell pharmaceutical products online; current regulations allow e-pharmacies to sell only non-prescription and over-the-counter drugs electronic signature capture for pharmacies.
The reason for this limitation is simple: to avoid the formation of digital monopolies for the sale of drugs and, above all, to protect consumers from the indiscriminate distribution of pharmaceutical products. ” Online sales ” – reads the official website of the Ministry of Health – ” is only possible for non-prescription drugs , so-called SOPs, which include over-the-counter drugs, also called OTC (Over The Counter), which are medicines from self-medication and which as such are usually indicated for minor ailments. They are used for a short period of time and do not require medical attention. A stamp on their packaging makes them easily recognizable “.
The authorization for online sales is issued by the Region or the Autonomous Province of reference. The activation application must be submitted to the competent local authority; the information to be provided is as follows:
name, VAT number and full address of the logistics site;
date of commencement of the distance sales activity to the public of medicinal products through information society services;
address of the website used for this purpose and all relevant information necessary to identify the site.
Once the authorization has been obtained, ” the owner of the pharmacy / business that intends to start the business must register in the list of persons authorized to sell medicines at a distance to the public where the website address is indicated.
The recent growth of the digital pharmacy sector is also linked to the fact that online shopping has numerous advantages; among these there is certainly the greater discretion ensured by distance selling; in addition, online stores such as DocPeter , allow you to access a wide range of market offers, to check in advance the availability of a specific product and to get information by means of the attached information sheets.
In any case, it is advisable not to abuse the possibilities offered by e-pharmacies and to rely on a consultation by your doctor or trusted pharmacist for the purchase and intake of pharmaceutical products.