Online pharmacy, a market in the making
France has always had a special relationship with healthcare, and naturally lags behind other European countries in terms of online drug sales. Nevertheless, the legal advances of recent months, and above all the entry into force of the decree authorizing the sale of medicines over the Internet, have considerably accelerated the development of online pharmacies.
That's why the Itekpharma web agency is now offering to support professionals in this process, in compliance with the decree of July 12. This decree sets out best practices for Internet sales and lists the rules to be respected. These include the need for each online pharmacy to be backed by a physical pharmacy, as well as approval by the ARS (Agence Régionale de Santé), the Ministry of Health and the Ordre des Médecins, of the service provider hosting the website.
"Today, there are some 50 approved sites and over 180 applications for approval," says Yves Bottin Putnikovic, Founder and CEO of Itekpharma. "More and more physical pharmacies are embarking on the e-commerce adventure, but above all they are seeking to convey a reassuring image to consumers. It is therefore essential that, as a service provider and expert in the field, we offer these professionals solid infrastructures that comply with the law."
Itekpharma, the online pharmacy specialist
Founded in 2005 by a young e-entrepreneur, Yves Bottin Putnikovic, Itekpharma has become, in just a few years, a benchmark in the digital transformation of pharmacies in France, thanks to a solution enabling pharmacists to develop a non-medical-subscription drug showcase. With the decree of July 2013, Itekpharma is now more than ever the partner of pharmacists wishing to embrace the internet, a global market estimated at 21 billion euros in 2012 with double-digit growth.
To offer pharmacists the security of a legally compliant service, Itekpharma has invested nearly 85,000 euros in ARS-approved servers. The web agency thus offers its customers maximum security when shopping online, and protects consumers from the piracy of personal data. These secure servers also ensure traceability of orders, which can be analyzed at any time by medical consultants and the CNIL. And for added security, each consumer/patient must complete a health questionnaire before placing their first order.
For Itekpharma, this is a very strong commitment to better support its customers in this approach to security and services. "Pharmacies recognize our desire to work in compliance with legislation, and have confidence in us, since Itekpharma now supports more than 350 pharmacies in their e-commerce development," adds Yves Bottin Putnikovic.
Itekpharma, online pharmacy enhancer
Hosting, a database of over 10,000 references (the only web agency to offer such a large database), a customized graphic approach, the possibility of private sales and home delivery, automatic stock and order updates, multi-language sites, smartphone applications...Itekpharma offers each customer the opportunity to develop their online pharmacy according to their own criteria.
For pharmacists, the benefits are obvious: boosting sales, optimizing a local audience (reaching patients in rural areas by giving them the option of ordering online and picking up at their pharmacy's dedicated VIP counter), offering a very wide range of products, and increasing patient/customer loyalty.
For consumers, the benefits are undeniable: staying connected to their pharmacy and benefiting from interesting offers and competitive prices; avoiding queues in large city pharmacies or, conversely, ordering medicines online and having them delivered when the pharmacy is far from home; or even benefiting from online prescription renewals. This last option allows you to collect your medication in complete confidentiality.
About Itekpharma:
Itekpharma is an interactive communications agency dedicated exclusively to healthcare on the web. Experienced designers, graphic artists, community managers and web marketers put their expertise at the service of pharmacists, ensuring an effective virtual extension of their pharmacy.
Français 
English 