Vietnam National Assembly adopts amended Law on Pharmacy

One of the important regulations in the amended law is ensuring adequate and timely supply of quality drugs at reasonable prices for disease prevention and treatment requirements. Another is ensuring rational, safe, and effective use of drugs, with policies to develop clinical pharmacy.

The National Assembly adopted the amended Law on Pharmacy on November 21. Photo: VGP/LS

For drug purchases using the state budget, capital from other legal sources of revenue at public health facilities can be implemented in line with the rules on bidding. Incentives for drug purchases can apply in the following cases: drugs researched and produced domestically using domestic raw materials; original brand-name drugs with technology transfer in Vietnam; the first domestically produced generic drugs; the first domestically produced biosimilars; medicinal herbs and traditional drugs using domestic medicinal materials that meet Good Practices for Cultivation and Collection of Medicinal Herbs; medicinal herbs and traditional drugs produced on the basis of national, ministerial or provincial science and technology tasks that have been accepted; drugs on the list of national products approved by the PM.

Regarding preferential policies and investment support policies for the development of the pharmaceutical industry, the amended law stipulates they must be in accordance with the Law on Investment.

Regarding the issuance, renewal, change, or supplementation of marketing authorisation (MA), the National Assembly Standing Committee has revised the amended content in Article 56 by not specifically regulating in the amended law but assigning Ministry of Health to specify the necessary dossiers and procedures.

With these positive changes, the amended law is expected to create more favourable conditions for the business community in the pharmaceutical industry.

The amended law will take effect from July 1, 2025, except for the regulation on renewal of MA of drugs and pharmaceutical ingredients, which will take effect from January 1, 2025.

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