The decree or the official launch of the online pharmacy

The year 2013 marked a turning point in French legislation, which now authorizes the online sale of drugs without a prescription under a decree adopted since July 12.
This decree is subject to very strict regulations, and any pharmacist wishing to launch a business on the Internet must scrupulously respect certain rules.
These include the need for each online pharmacy to be backed by a physical pharmacy, to be approved by the ARS (Agence Régionale de Santé), the Ministry of Health and the Ordre des Pharmaciens, to host the website with an ARS-approved hosting provider, and to sell only drugs not subject to compulsory prescription.
What's more, in the interests of transparency, the French National Order of Pharmacists is obliged to provide the public with a list of sites authorized to sell medicines online.

Today, there are some fifty approved pharmacies and over a hundred applications for approval in progress.

Usage: the importance of the legal framework

In recent years, e-commerce has considerably changed the way we buy and consume. This new form of purchasing has been strengthened by the massive support of consumers, who have been won over by this simple and secure practice. Today's consumers feel reassured when they shop on the Internet, and for some, it has become a habit or even a way of life.
And yet, buying drugs online is still a marginal practice in France, and one that lacks notoriety. Indeed, between the pioneering and liberal United Kingdom, Germany and its 8% growth market, and Italy, which has managed to bring down prices by 25%, France had fallen considerably behind in this field, notably because of its very complex relationship with health, but also because of the uncertainty linked to securing health data on the Internet.
By requiring online sites to be hosted by a service provider approved by the ARS, consumers/customers/patients recognize a guarantee of security. This is a "key" measure designed to ensure the confidentiality of patient health data, eliminating the risk of any form of piracy or hacking on these highly sensitive and coveted databases.
What's more, 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.

These considerable advances mark the starting point for the democratization of the online pharmacy, which could only develop in France within the framework of strict legislation.

Economic leverage for pharmacies and added value for consumers

With a global market estimated at 21 billion euros in 2012 and double-digit growth, online pharmacy is definitely an economic lever for pharmacists wishing to
develop their sales.
In addition to this economic aspect, the online pharmacy also helps to optimize a local audience by reaching patients in rural areas and offering them the possibility of ordering online and of
pick up products at the pharmacy's dedicated VIP counter. What's more, this virtual showcase features a very wide range of products, more than a physical pharmacy could contain.
Last but not least, pharmacists see their patient/customer loyalty rate increase significantly thanks to this new service.
While the majority of French consumers have not yet embraced the idea of buying medicines over the Internet, those who do decide to take the plunge will find undeniable advantages.

In fact, the online pharmacy follows the rules of traditional e-commerce, enabling customers/patients to stay connected to their pharmacy and benefit from interesting offers and competitive prices. Aficionados of Internet tools and bargain-hunting will quickly appreciate this new service.
On a more practical level, it allows city dwellers to avoid queuing in large city pharmacies or, on the contrary, offers the possibility of ordering medicines online and having them delivered to the home when the pharmacy is far from the home. Last but not least, online prescription renewal is a guarantee of discretion when it comes to recovering certain so-called "sensitive" drugs in complete confidentiality.

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