Volume II

Issue : 17: September 9, 2004

• RIAA Sues More File Sharers While Report Shows Progress for University Anti Piracy Initiatives
• Internet Only Pharmacies in England Get the Green Light
• Man Receives Criminal Conviction under HIPAA
• U.S. Court of Appeals Rules Universal Transmitter Does Not Violate Digital Millennium Copyright Act
• Ontario Court Orders Disclosure of Employees Personal Information despite PIPEDA
• Atlantic Canada Governments to Sell Lottery Tickets Online
• U.S. Court of Appeals Finds Digital Sampling of Music Can be Infringement of Copyright
• U.S. Court of Appeals Upholds Antiecommerce Protectionist State Law

Home > Volume II > Issue 17: September 9, 2004 > Internet Only Pharmacies in England Get the Green Light

Internet Only Pharmacies in England Get the Green Light

The English government, acting on the recommendations of the report of the Office of Fair Trading, has approved the operation of Internet-only pharmacies in England without the requirement of the existence of a physical store. The Office of Fair Trading wrote that relaxing the rules now in effect, which rules provide that pharmacies may sell on the Internet as long as they have a "bricks and mortar" store in operation, would save money for both patients as well as the National Health Service.

The Department of Health has indicated that there will be strong rules in force to ensure that Internet-only pharmacies comply with proper pharmacy practices. Health Minister Rosie Winterton said the proposed changes would afford patients more choice.

Opponents of the deregulation say that the opening of new Internet-only pharmacies may force existing pharmacies to lower their level of service in order to compete, or even go so far as to put some pharmacies out of business.

The proposed changes will not come into effect until new legislation is drafted, likely after the next general election expected next year.

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