Online pharmaceutical market in Poland
Journal Title: Medycyna Ogólna i Nauki o Zdrowiu - Year 2013, Vol 19, Issue 3
Abstract
Introduction: Online pharmacies are a new distribution channel on the pharmaceutical market, full of medical preparations, food supplements, special use nutritional products, cosmetics, various kinds of medical and rehabilitation products, and other products previously available only in traditional pharmacies and medical supply stores. The pharmaceutical trade on the Internet is very controversial, and the opinions of participants in this debate tend to be extremely polarized. Objective: To compare the availability and price levels between the stationary and the Internet market, and confirm the argument for the higher economic viability of Internet market shopping. Material and methods: Collected and compared data about prices, the 5 selected OTC in 114 Internet pharmacies and 128 traditional pharmacies. Results: Internet websites typically provide strong price competition for traditional stores, thanks to lower operating costs than in legally operating Internet pharmacies in Poland. Conclusions: The conclusions concern the comparison of the risks, opportunities and threats arising from this form of sale and the current condition of the sector, along with potential development opportunities. Material: The first half of this study is in the firm of a review summing up problems of the medical trade on the pharmaceutical market in Poland, based on the literature, legislation and analysis of web sites of selected entities. The second part consists of an analysis of 5 drugs available in Internet pharmacies and stationary pharmacies.Key words: online pharmacy, pharmaceutical market, OTC
Authors and Affiliations
Tomasz Holecki, Magdalena Syrkiewicz-Świtała, Damian Leśniak
Keywords
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