The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) has started licensing drug sellers operating on social media and other online platforms to regulate the rising trend of internet-based medicine sales.
PCN CEO Ibrahim Ahmed announced this new regulatory move on Wednesday in Abuja. He explained that many people sell medicines online without physical shops, making it difficult to monitor them. The PCN Establishment Act 2022 anticipated this growth and the need for oversight in electronic pharmacy practices.
To enforce the rules beyond Nigeria’s borders, PCN has partnered with Interpol. Ahmed said Interpol can shut down illegal websites in 194 countries, helping tackle the cross-border nature of online drug sales. The council has already successfully closed down one such online platform using this international cooperation.
Ahmed stressed that IT experts work with PCN inspectors to check the backend of websites for compliance. A pharmacist must supervise and approve the website’s operations before a license is issued.
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) supports PCN’s efforts. NAFDAC Director-General Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye said the agency started licensing online drug vendors two years ago. She recalled an instance when NAFDAC used intelligence to track and arrest sellers of fake anti-cancer drugs found online.
A new training for NAFDAC staff is planned for September to introduce technology that helps track internet-based drug sales.
This coordinated effort between PCN, NAFDAC, and Interpol is a crucial step to protect Nigerians from fake and unsafe medicines sold online. With the increasing reliance on digital platforms for health products, these regulations will help ensure that medicines bought online are genuine and safely dispensed.
