Supermarkets to Sell Digestive Pills
By Yoon Ja-young
Staff Reporter
Over the counter drugs, such as digestive pills that don't need a doctor's prescription, could be sold at supermarkets in the near future, and people without a pharmacist's license may also be allowed to run pharmacies.
Those were among the suggestions made by the Korea Development Institute (KDI), the country's leading think tank, at a public hearing on services-sector reform, Thursday. It has been conducting research on possible reforms at the request of the government, which sees an urgent need for an upgrade of the sector. Pharmacists are expected to oppose the plans.
"Most of the drug stores in the country are small ones run by one pharmacist alone. They are too small and aren't effective in management," Yun Hee-suk, a KDI research fellow, said.
According to Yun, 74.1 percent of pharmacies are run by a single pharmacist, or by a pharmacist and an assistant.
This makes it difficult for drug stores here to be equipped with all the drugs that consumers require, with outlets often suffering the burden of being overstocked in certain areas.
Yun suggested the establishment of corporate drug stores, adding that they would lead to effective management, and pharmacies would become more systematic and specialized.
She said people without a pharmacist's license shuld also be allowed to run pharmacies as they could attract huge capital to the industry, giving birth to large drug store chains.
She added that a pharmacist's license means the exclusive right to deal drugs, not the exclusive right to invest in drug stores.
The researcher also pointed out that interest groups such as doctors and pharmacists exerted too much influence in medicine and pharmaceutical policy - with the market mechanism not working effectively in the sector here.
There have been huge illegal rebates for doctors and pharmacists in the drug industry, causing conflicts between doctors and pharmacists.
"Consumer welfare has been ignored. Only the conflict between interest groups mattered," Yun said. She said it was time for the focus to be shifted to consumers, who have been neglected in policy-making.
Yun suggested that over-the-counter drugs like digestive pills be sold at places other than pharmacies.
"This would trigger price competition across a wide range of distribution channels," she said.
In the United States more than 100,000 drug products are available in convenience stores, gas stations and supermarkets.
Pharmacists here have opposed the move, saying it could lead to drug abuse.