The distance-based retail of drugs is allowed in Belarus
On May 3, 2023, the Ministry of Health of Belarus adopted Resolution No. 69, which defines the procedure for online retail of drugs. It includes not only the receipt of orders for drugs, their generation, storage and delivery to the customer but also pharmaceutical consulting to the customer.
At the same time, only drugs sold without a prescription are allowed for sale (their list is approved by Resolution of the Ministry of Health of Belarus No. 27 of April 10, 2019). However, if they have an alcoholic strength by volume over 25%, they are prohibited from distance-based sales.
Drugs can be sold online by legal entities through an Internet pharmacy, which is an information resource that allows one to form an order to buy drugs for personal use. Resolution No. 69 establishes a list of information required to be posted by the vendor on its website and the home page of the Internet pharmacy with information about the vendor, the drugs sold and their delivery terms. Also, it is prohibited to use a website builder for such purposes.
Soon the State Pharmaceutical Supervision Authority "Gospharmnadzor" () will draw up a list of legal entities with the right to sell drugs via the Internet.
The vendor must provide the Internet pharmacy with an authorised pharmacist to provide pharmaceutical consulting to the customers and inform them about the product's retail price, the expiry date and the storage conditions. The online pharmacy must also ensure delivery by setting up its own or contracting with a courier service.