Government simplifies licensing and operation of pharmacy chains

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has approved changes to the licensing conditions for pharmacies. The new rules simplify the opening and expansion of pharmacy chains, allow more flexible staff recruitment and use of premises, and change the approach to assortment formation.

One of the key changes concerns obtaining a license for retail trade of medicines. For the period of martial law and within three months after its termination, compliance of premises, equipment, and staff qualifications with established requirements can be checked based on documents submitted by the applicant.

This procedure will apply both when obtaining a new license and when expanding an existing business. As a result, pharmacy chains will be able to open new outlets without a mandatory preliminary on-site inspection. The government notes that this is especially important for regions where such inspections are difficult due to the security situation.

Pharmacies will be given more freedom in assortment formation

The government also changes the principle of determining goods allowed to be sold in pharmacies. Currently, the Ministry of Health establishes a list of permitted products. After the changes, pharmacies will be able to sell medicines and other goods, except for categories included by the ministry in a list of prohibited items separately.

The Cabinet expects that this approach will allow businesses to adapt their assortment faster to demand and the emergence of new product categories without constant amendments to the list of permitted products.

In addition, ATMs, payment terminals, and self-service complexes will be allowed in pharmacy premises. Part of the space can be leased or subleased to another entrepreneur for activities permitted by licensing conditions.

Pharmacies will be able to temporarily involve employees of other companies

The changes provide more flexible personnel rules. In case of temporary staff shortage, a pharmacy may engage employees of other companies holding the relevant license under civil law contracts.

Such specialists will be able to participate in the manufacture of medicines in pharmacy conditions and their retail sale. They must still meet the established professional and qualification requirements.

The government explains this innovation by the need to ensure continuous operation of pharmacies under vacancies, temporary absence of employees, or a sharp increase in workload.

The temporary replacement of the authorized employee responsible for quality of medicines is also simplified. If they are absent due to illness, leave, or another reason, their duties can be temporarily assigned to another employee with the required qualifications.

In villages, the possibilities for selling medicines will be expanded

Separate changes are provided for localities with a shortage of pharmaceutical workers. In certain cases, specialists with appropriate medical education and professional training may be involved in dispensing medicines.

In pharmacies and pharmacy outlets in villages and settlements, other employees will also be allowed, under the supervision of a pharmacist or pharmacist assistant, to dispense over-the-counter medicines. Selling prescription medicines to such workers will not be permitted.

The Cabinet emphasizes that requirements for the quality and storage conditions of medicines, qualifications of specialists, and rules for selling prescription medicines are not being relaxed.

Based on materials from: Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine