Do doctors in Vietnam have the right to sell drugs? What are hour requirements for Medical Continuing Professional Development (CPD) of doctors in Vietnam?

Do doctors in Vietnam have the right to sell drugs?

Pursuant to Clause 5 Article 7 of the Law on Medical Examination and Treatment in 2023 stipulating prohibited acts in healthcare services:

Prohibited acts in healthcare services

1. Infringe patients’ rights.

2. Refuse or intentionally delay to refer patients to emergency care services, except as defined in Article 40 herein.

3. Carry out healthcare services that do not satisfy the conditions set out in Article 19 herein.

4. Deliver healthcare services that do not fall within the scope of practice or operation permitted by competent authorities, except in case of emergency care needed, or as these healthcare services are delivered under the mobilization or dispatch decisions of competent authorities in case of natural disaster, catastrophe, group-A infectious disease or state of emergency.

5. Practice medicine at the time or place which is not stated in the registration for practice of medicine, except as specified in clause 3 of Article 36 herein.

6. Fail to comply with regulations on professional and technical expertise in healthcare; use any professional method and technique, or medical equipment that has not been approved by competent authorities.

7. Prescribe medications that have not obtained marketing authorization as provided in law on pharmacy in healthcare.

8. Commit the act of harassment in the delivery of medical services.

9. Prescribe patients drugs, technical and medical equipment services; suggest referral to other medical establishments to patients, or commit other acts for personal gain.

10. Erase and tamper with medical records in order to falsify information on medical examination and treatment, or create fraudulent medical records or other documents showing medical examination and treatment results.

11. Any practitioner sells drugs in any form, except in the following cases:

a) Traditional medicine doctors, traditional medicine physician assistants or traditional medicine herbalists who sell traditional medications;

b) Holders of folk remedies who sell drugs prescribed according to folk remedies under their registered ownership.

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As regulated above, doctors in Vietnam are not allowed to sell drugs in any form, except in the following cases:

- Traditional medicine doctors, traditional medicine physician assistants or traditional medicine herbalists who sell traditional medications;

- Holders of folk remedies who sell drugs prescribed according to folk remedies under their registered ownership.

Do doctors in Vietnam have the right to sell drugs? What are hour requirements for Medical Continuing Professional Development (CPD) of doctors in Vietnam? - image from internet

What are hour requirements for Medical Continuing Professional Development (CPD) of doctors in Vietnam?

Pursuant to Clause 1 Article 3 of the Circular 32/2023/TT-BYT stipulating CPD hour requirements:

CPD hour requirements

1. Medical practitioners are obliged to undertake at least 120 credit hours of medical CPD for 5 consecutive years (1 credit hour for a short-term training and refresher course is equivalent to 1 class period).

2. Medical practitioners who undertake any of the medical CPD activities outlined in Articles 4, 5, 6, and 7 of this Circular can earn credit hours. These credit hours will be totaled to calculate the practitioner's overall medical CPD hours.

As regulated above, doctors in Vietnam must undertake at least 120 credit hours of medical CPD for 5 consecutive years.

What are forms of medical CPD in Vietnam?

Pursuant to Clause 2 Article 3 of the Circular 32/2023/TT-BYT stipulating forms of CPD:

CPD hour requirements

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2. Medical practitioners who undertake any of the medical CPD activities outlined in Articles 4, 5, 6, and 7 of this Circular can earn credit hours. These credit hours will be totaled to calculate the practitioner's overall medical CPD hours.

As regulated above, doctors in Vietnam may undertake any of the following medical CPD activities:

(1) Medical CPD by undertaking short-term training and refresher courses, conferences, and seminars related to medicine appropriate to the scope of practice;

(2) Medical CPD by development of medical textbooks and teaching materials, and medical documents;

(3) Medical CPD by conducting scientific research and teaching medicine within the scope of practicel;

(4) Medical CPD by self-directed medical CPD and other forms such as:

- Practitioners serve as thesis or dissertation advisors appropriate to their scope of practice and these theses and dissertations have been approved by the School-level Thesis and Dissertation Evaluation Council;

- Practitioners participate in thesis and dissertation evaluation councils; councils for acceptance of science and technology tasks at all levels; the expert panels that evaluate medical training programs and documents appropriate to the scope of practice, the assessment councils, and the medical error review councils;

- Practitioners engage in professional activities in the field of medical examination and treatment appropriate to their scope of practice, including: direct or indirect case consultation, case analysis;

- Participate in diploma training courses at home and abroad (excluding study extensions) appropriate to their scope of practice;

- Participate in training courses in the following specialties to be granted relevant certificates: specialties, subspecialties, specialized techniques, and technical transfer appropriate to their scope of practice;

Note: Medical practitioners who undertake any of the medical CPD activities can earn credit hours. These credit hours will be totaled to calculate the practitioner's overall medical CPD hours.

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