Japan’s Ministry Considers Interim Measures for OTC Online Purchase Ban
This article was originally published in PharmAsia News
Executive Summary
Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare decided May 11 on a two year grace period for online purchases of over-the-counter drugs. The policy only applies to people who are living on remote islands and those who are currently using specific drugs on a regular basis. In February, MHLW ordered a ban on online purchases of most OTC drugs that belong to class 1 and class 2, and only drugs that are in the lower-risk class 3 are allowed to be sold online. The new policy is to take effect June 1. The interim measure only applies to class 2 drugs. (Click here for more - Japanese language