Pharmaceuticals; Advertising of Retail Sales Outside of Pharmacies

Outside of pharmacies, retailers may only sell so-called over-the-counter medications. Businesses and institutions must notify the municipality of this activity before commencing it. This also applies to individuals who engage in these activities on a self-employed and professional basis. The sale of medicines in the itinerant trade must also be reported to the municipality before commencing operations. This notification under the Medicines Act must be submitted to the municipality in addition to the business registration required under the Trade Regulation Act.

Notes:
Retail sales of over-the-counter medicines may only be conducted if the business owner, a person legally appointed to represent the business owner, or a person authorized by the business owner to manage the business or handle sales possesses the required expertise.

For businesses with multiple locations, there must be a person with the required expertise at each location.

Expertise must generally be demonstrated by passing an examination administered by the relevant Chamber of Industry and Commerce. Certain examinations and certifications (e.g., pharmaceutical sales representative, pharmaceutical technical assistant) are also recognized as proof of expertise.