Today marks the first day, under a revised law, that allows stores other than drugstores or pharmacies to begin selling certain types of medicines / drugs.

The Yomiuri newspaper had this to comment about today’s commencement of the new practice:

コンビニで薬、改正薬事法スタート

　一般用医薬品（市販薬）の販売規制を緩和する改正薬事法が１日施行され、薬剤師を置いていないコンビニエンスストアやスーパーなどでも、ほとんどの市販薬を販売できるようになった。

　コンビニ最大手のセブン―イレブン・ジャパンは１日午前３時から、東京都千代田区の麹町駅前店で市販薬の２４時間販売を試験的に始めた。販売が解禁されたのは、副作用を起こす可能性が低い風邪薬や鎮痛剤などで、薬剤師の代わりに新設された「登録販売者」を置くことにより売れるようになる。

　セブン―イレブンではこれまで、約２０店舗を対象に薬剤師が店舗にいる場合に限って市販薬を販売してきた。今後は登録販売者の資格をもつ社員らが販売にあたることにしており、他店に広げる考えだ。

Paraphrasing, “Convenience stores now able to sell drugs, the revised drug law begins. With the commencement of the law revision it is now possible for the convenience stores, supermarkets and other stores to sell medical supplies including medicines / drugs without having a pharmacist on the premises.

The major chain, 7 Eleven, started sales in their Kojimachi store at 3am today, 1st June 2009, and will be making them available to customers 24 hours a day, on an experimental basis. The drugs that can be sold are those which are said to have a low risk of side-effects, such as cold and pain relief medicine. Instead of having a pharmacist present, there is now a system of having a sales person registered who is responsible.

Up until now, 7 Eleven had 20 stores where they had a pharmacist present to sell drugs. With the law revision they expect staff to gain the qualification required to be registered and then increase the number of stores.”

Link to Yomiuri newspaper original article (in Japanese)

It is yet to be seen how many other chains will follow suit here and how quickly consumers will take to the 24 hour availability of medicines. This is certain to be another area where convenience stores will compete to gain loyalty from their customers.

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