Online pharmacy operations around the world

Topics to address:
• Technology, which was first developed to facilitate communication, has now grown into a global network of computer systems that link multiple platforms and create interrelationships between governments, academic institutions, businesses and consumers.
• Implementing healthcare based on information system and technologies (e.g. e-health) had been proposed as a way to improve health services. Hence, the scope of pharmacy practice has expanded to the provision of pharmaceutical services via the internet.
• This session will outline some of the questions around the strengths and weaknesses of the online pharmacies, their threats, but also opportunities for e-pharmacy in the future.
• Some of the largest global e-commerce companies have shown that they have a robust supply chain to really disrupt the existing pharmaceutical supply chain. Pharmacists have responded with concern to these giants’ move into the pharmacy and e-pharmacy market. How can pharmacists take advantage of modern online marketplaces? Does face-to-face interaction with the patient still make a difference? What is the added value of online pharmaceutical care services compared to other e-commerce places?

Chair:
- Manjiri Gharat, Vice-President, FIP - India

Panellists:
- Jaime Acosta, Community Pharmacy Section’s Executive Committee Member, FIP CPS - Spain
- Ardalan Mirzaei, x, The University of Sydney - Australia
- Ukamaka Okafor, Director, Education and Training; Coordinator of Supply Chain and Logistics Project Management Unit, Pharmacists Council Nigeria - Nigeria