Retail Sale of Medicines and Medical Devices

The retail trade of medicines (drugs) and medical devices represents a key link in Uzbekistan’s pharmaceutical system, ensuring the population’s access to safe, effective, and high-quality pharmaceuticals. State regulation of this process is aimed at protecting public health, preventing the circulation of counterfeit products, and improving the quality of pharmaceutical services. The main regulatory act governing retail trade is Resolution No. 185 of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan dated April 6, 2017, which approved the corresponding Regulation.

According to the Law “On Medicines and Pharmaceutical Activity”, retail sales are regulated in order to:

• ensure the safety and quality of medicines;
• protect consumer rights;
• establish a unified legal mechanism for the circulation of pharmaceuticals.

Resolution No. 185 introduced mandatory requirements for pharmacies, regardless of their organizational-legal form, and established state guarantees in the field of pharmaceutical activity.

Retail sale of medicines is permitted exclusively through pharmacies and their branches holding a pharmaceutical activity license. Sales outside licensed pharmacies are strictly prohibited.

Main Conditions of Retail Trade

• Sale only of medicines registered in the Republic of Uzbekistan or prepared within the pharmacy;
• Employment of personnel with specialized pharmaceutical education;
• Mandatory compliance with sanitary, hygienic, and fire-safety standards;
• Availability of conformity certificates for all products sold.

E-Commerce and Digitalization of the Pharmaceutical Sector

Since the 2020s, Uzbekistan has seen the development of electronic trade in over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, as reflected in Paragraph 4¹ of the Regulation. Sales may be conducted via officially registered online platforms, provided product safety and proper documentation of transactions are ensured.

Pharmacies engaged in e-commerce must indicate on their websites:

• the full name and details of the legal entity;
• license information;
• data on the medicines sold (international non-proprietary name, dosage, batch number, expiration date, country of manufacture);
• prices, mark-ups, and quality certificates.

Thus, e-commerce in the pharmaceutical sector is considered a tool for the digital transformation of the industry, ensuring consumer convenience while maintaining government oversight.

Pricing and Social Guarantees

Retail trade is subject to state-regulated maximum mark-ups:

• up to 20 % of the wholesale price for regular pharmacies;
• up to 10 % for social pharmacies selling socially significant medicines.

Social pharmacies must display lists of such medicines in Uzbek and Russian in large print, ensuring transparency and accessibility of information to the public.

Ethical and Professional Standards

The Regulation imposes the following obligations on pharmaceutical staff:

• provide consultations on methods of medicine use;
• inform buyers about equivalents and possible risks;
• adhere to ethical communication norms with patients;
• maintain prescription logs, including electronic ones.

Therefore, a pharmacist acts not only as a seller but also as a professional consultant, responsible for the proper dispensing of medicines.

Documentation and Prescription Control

According to Article 27 of the Regulation, the sale of medicines is carried out:

• by prescription of an approved form, including electronic prescriptions;
• without a prescription — only for OTC drugs.

Dispensing of prescription medicines is recorded in the Information System for Monitoring and Accounting of Pharmaceutical Product Circulation, which prevents misuse and ensures the traceability of each prescription.

Liability and Supervision

Oversight of compliance with these requirements is assigned to the Agency for the Development of the Pharmaceutical Industry under the Ministry of Health. Violations of the norms entail administrative or criminal liability — up to and including license revocation.

Retail sale of medicines and medical devices in Uzbekistan represents a strictly regulated activity combining legal, organizational, and digital mechanisms of state control. Resolution No. 185 of April 6, 2017 established a comprehensive legal framework ensuring a balance between medicine accessibility, pharmacies’ economic interests, and consumer safety.

The introduction of electronic prescriptions and online sales of OTC drugs marks Uzbekistan’s transition toward a modern regulatory model based on digitalization, transparency, and accountability.

Summary of Requirements for Pharmacies in Uzbekistan

№	Category	Requirement Summary
1	Right to operate	Retail sale of medicines and medical devices is allowed only for pharmacies and their branches holding a license. Sales outside pharmacies are prohibited.
2	Items permitted for sale	Only medicines and devices registered in Uzbekistan or produced within the pharmacy may be sold.
3	E-commerce	Online sale is allowed only for OTC medicines and medical devices, provided proper storage and documentation are ensured.
4	Staff education	Only individuals with pharmaceutical education may engage in sales; heads of pharmacies/branches must have higher or secondary specialized pharmaceutical education.
5	Premises and equipment	Pharmacies must have premises and equipment that meet sanitary, hygienic, and fire-safety standards.
6	Pricing	Maximum retail mark-up: up to 20 % of the wholesale price; for social pharmacies — up to 10 %.
7	Quality certificates	Sale of medicines and devices without conformity certificates is prohibited.
8	Counterfeit products	Procurement, sale, or use of falsified, unregistered, or substandard medicines is prohibited.
9	Notification of Ministry of Health	Pharmacies must report adverse drug reactions.
10	Transparency	Pharmacies must display information about their license, its validity period, and the issuing authority.
11	Narcotic and psychotropic drugs	Sale is permitted only under separate regulations; online sale is prohibited.
12	Medicine compounding	Compounding is allowed only for pharmacies with a separate license and using substances approved by the Ministry of Health.
13	Prescription procedure	Sales are made by prescription (including electronic) and without prescription only for OTC drugs.
14	Electronic prescriptions	Dispensing via e-prescription must be recorded in the Pharmaceutical Product Circulation Information System.
15	Consultation and ethics	Pharmacists must inform customers about usage, dosage, and equivalents and follow professional ethics.
16	Documentation	Pharmacies must maintain prescription logs, including those for benefits, electronic, and incorrectly issued prescriptions.
17	Storage of prescriptions	Prescriptions must be stored from 3 months to 5 years, depending on drug type (narcotics — 5 years).
18	Social pharmacies	Must display the list of socially significant medicines in two languages and large print.
19	Sales area and display	Display windows may contain only OTC medicines and supplements (≥ 10 % of displays). Prescription medicines — only upon request.
20	Online information	The pharmacy website must include the company name, license, address, assortment, prices, mark-ups, certificates, payment options, and delivery terms.
21	Liability	Non-compliance entails administrative/criminal liability and may result in license revocation.