Offline medicine

Lawmakers have rejected an amendment legalizing the online or mail-order sale of medicine. The Polish Pharmaceutical Chamber (NIA), is demanding a ban on internet pharmacies, in breach of the opinion of the Ministry of Health and EU law.

Online pharmacies began operating in Poland in 2004 and within two years the number of firms tapping the zł.50-60 million market rose to 80. According to Polish law, the sale of medicine via catalogue or the internet is forbidden. Pharmacists associated with the NIA fear some controlled medicines will be too easily obtained and patients would not be provided with sufficient safety information.

"[Medicine] is a very specific product. Upon sale, information must be given concerning dosage and warnings," said Maria Głowniak, the spokesperson for NIA.

Owners of e-pharmacies disagree. "All online pharmacies provide information about the medicine they sell. Clients have the opportunity to contact pharmacists via email or telephone, and receive detailed information with their purchase," said Jacek Denkowski, the president of e-pharmacy DomZdrowia.pl. He stressed that online drugstores offer a wider range of products, greater discretion and prices 10-20 percent lower than in normal pharmacies.