Warning About Violations in Online Medicine Sales and Disruption in the Medicine Supply Chain

She added: At the start of the meeting, the relevant director general at the Ministry of Health presented a report on the measures taken to implement this legal clause; then the issue of electronic signatures and the reasons for their incomplete implementation were examined, and representatives of the Medical Council and the director general of the Statistics and Information Technology Center of the Ministry of Health presented reports in this regard.

Mohammadbeigi continued: In this regard, it was decided that the Medical Council would send the most important cases and existing challenges concerning electronic signatures, in order of priority, to the E-Health Committee so that the issue is examined specially.

The head of the E-Health Committee of the Majlis Health and Treatment Commission, referring to the report of the head of the Food and Drug Administration about the Titak system, said: The head of the Food and Drug Administration at this meeting gave explanations about the measures taken and the capacities of the Titak system for controlling and tracking medicine and combating the smuggling of goods and currency in the health sector.

She stated: Given the structural and managerial problems of the Titak system and the points raised by the committee members, it was decided that oversight of this system be carried out with greater care and that its challenges be placed specially on the agenda of the oversight bodies for examination and handling.

Mohammadbeigi, referring to the report of the project manager for oversight of online medicine sales on violations in the field of online medicine transport and sales, said: At this meeting, reports were presented on violations related to the online transport and sale of medicine; unfortunately, in practice, with online medicine sales we are witnessing some pharmaceutical items being collected from the market in illegal ways — a matter that shows the necessity of serious oversight of this project and of resolving the existing challenges.

The representative of Qazvin, Abyek, and Alborz in the Twelfth Majlis, emphasizing the importance of this issue in crisis conditions, added: Especially in wartime days, decision-making about such projects is of special importance from the standpoint of health defense. Therefore, the file on online medicine sales will remain open at the E-Health Committee and its examination and follow-up will continue.

The head of the E-Health Committee of the Majlis Health and Treatment Commission continued: In another part of the meeting, the basic insurer organizations presented reports on the measures taken in their organizations and the existing challenges in the field of e-health.

She added: The oversight bodies also presented reports on the nature and formation of centers parallel to the Ministry of Health in the field of e-health, an issue that will be examined specially in the committee.

Mohammadbeigi noted: Projects related to the components of Clause (a) of Article 69 of the Seventh Development Plan Law were referred for further investigation and examination, given the concern expressed by committee members and oversight bodies. It was also decided that the relevant bodies would send their responses and reports to the E-Health Committee within at most 7 working days of receiving the letter.

Referring to the resolutions of this meeting, she said: At the end of the session, 6 resolutions were adopted for following up legal duties and examining the existing challenges in the field of e-health.

Mohammadbeigi, describing these resolutions, said: Under the first resolution, the Food and Drug Administration was tasked with presenting a full report on violations related to online medicine sales by pharmaceutical-sector platforms and internet businesses to the Majlis E-Health Committee.

She added: It was also decided that a report on the status and manner of the Titak system's connection to the National Health Data Base and the system's capacity to provide analytical reports in the field of food and medicine be prepared and sent first to the E-Health Committee and then to the Majlis Health and Treatment Commission.

The head of the E-Health Committee of the Majlis Health and Treatment Commission continued: Under another resolution, the General Inspection Organization of the country was tasked with presenting a full report to the committee on the status of implementation of Clause (a) of Article 69 of the Seventh Development Plan Law and the complaints and possible violations recorded in this field.

This Majlis representative stated: This report must cover matters including the non-connection of systems, violations by medical centers in not sending data, and the status of implementation of duties related to electronic prescribing and dispensing, imaging centers, laboratories, and other related centers.

Mohammadbeigi, referring to the issue of electronic signatures, said: It was also decided that the Medical Council would report to the committee the reasons why electronic signatures have not been fully implemented since the law was communicated until now. This issue will be examined and followed up specially in the committee.

She added: In another resolution, it was decided that the existing challenges in the Armed Forces Medical Services Organization regarding the extent of this organization's connection to the National Health Data Base and the Ministry of Health be reported to the E-Health Committee.

The member of the Majlis Health and Treatment Commission noted: The Supreme Council of Health Insurance and the Treatment Deputy of the Ministry of Health were also obliged to present to the committee the latest status of implementation of their duties in the field of e-health related to Article 69 of the Seventh Development Plan Law, from the time the law was communicated until now.

She continued: The Supreme Audit Court of the country was also tasked with sending to the committee, within 7 working days, the report on the costs allocated to this project, oversight of the budget lines, and the level of budget performance for Clause (a) of Article 69 at the Ministry of Health.

Mohammadbeigi emphasized: The E-Health Committee has all these issues under its oversight, and examination and follow-up sessions will continue specially.

She added: In continuation of this oversight process, tomorrow, Monday, members of the Majlis Health and Treatment Commission will, by attending the Information Technology Management Center of the Ministry of Health, examine in the field the performance of this ministry's information technology sector and the status of implementation of e-health programs.