If I practice at many different pharmacy establishments, can it be counted as apprenticeship to issue a pharmacy practice certificate in Vietnam?

If I practice at many different pharmacy establishments, can it be counted as apprenticeship to issue a pharmacy practice certificate in Vietnam?

Clause 2, Article 13 of the Law on Pharmacy 2016 provides as follows:

2. Has served an apprenticeship at a pharmacy business establishment, the pharmacy of a health facility, a pharmacy training school, a pharmacy research institute, a facility specialized in testing drugs and medicinal ingredients, a pharmacy authority, or a representative office in Vietnam of a foreign trader engaged in pharmacy (hereinafter referred to as pharmacy establishment); a health facility suitable for the practitioner’s expertise as follows:

a) For a person whose pharmacy practice certificate is revoked as prescribed in Clause 9 Article 28 hereof, the apprenticeship is not required. However, he/she must take a refresher course in pharmacy;

b) For a person having a postgraduate degree suitable for the scope of practice, the apprenticeship duration may be shortened as prescribed by the Government;

c) For a person having any of the qualifications specified in Point l Clause 1 Article 13 hereof, the apprenticeship duration shall be specified by the Minister of Health.

At the same time, Points d and dd Clause 1 Article 3 of Decree 54/2017/ND-CP stipulate as follows:

1. An application for the pharmacy practice certificate mentioned in Article 24 of the Law on Pharmacy consists of:

d) The original copy or certified true copy of the certificate of internship (Form 03 in Appendix I enclosed herewith). If the internship took place in more than one facility, the internship duration will be the total duration of internship at the facilities according to the certificates of internship issued by such facilities;

dd) If the scope of practice covered by the pharmacy practice certificate applied for requires different internship durations and facilities, the application shall be enclosed with a certificate of internship of one or several facilities that meet requirements of each position.

Based on the above regulations in Vietnam, the time defined as the apprenticeshi is the sum of the practice periods at one or more pharmacy establishments. 

For your case, if before signing the contract to work at company B, you had a practice period at another pharmacy company, then that apprenticeship will still be counted in the time you have been assigned to work at company B in Vietnam. 

If I have a pharmacy practice certificate but I do not open a pharmacy, will my certificate be revoked in Vietnam?

According to Article 28 of the 2016 Pharmacy Law, cases in which the pharmacy practice certificate is revoked, according to which:

1. The pharmacy practice certificate is issued ultra vires.

2. The holder of the pharmacy practice certificate requests its revocation.

3. The pharmacy practice certificate is incorrect because of the issuing authority.

4. The application for the pharmacy practice certificate contains counterfeit documents.

5. A person has more than one pharmacy practice certificate.

6. The holder of a pharmacy practice certificate rents it, lends it, leases it, borrows it or allows another person to use it.

7. A person issued with the pharmacy practice certificate fails to satisfy any of the conditions for issuance of the pharmacy practice certificate specified in Article 13 or Clause 2 Article 14 hereof.

8. A person issued with the pharmacy practice certificate fails to practice for 12 consecutive months.

9. A pharmacy practitioner does not have the certificate of completion of training program and refresher program in pharmacy within 03 years from the issuance date of the pharmacy practice certificate or the issuance date of the latest certificate of completion of training program and refresher program in pharmacy.

10. The certificate holder violates the code of ethics for pharmacy practitioners and causes harm to other people’s health or life.

11. A person has had his/her pharmacy practice certificate revoked more than once for the same violation.

According to this Article, the pharmacy practice certificate will be revoked when the certificate holder does not practice for 12 consecutive months. If you do not open a pharmacy but still operate in the pharmacy profession like selling drugs at another pharmacy, your pharmacy practice certificate will not be revoked in Vietnam.

How many pharmacy practice certificates are granted to individuals practicing pharmacy and is there an expiration date in Vietnam? 

Pursuant to Clause 1, Article 29 of the 2016 Pharmacy Law, management of pharmacy practice certificates, according to which:

1. A person shall be issued with only one pharmacy practice certificate. The pharmacy practice certificate shall specify the scope of practice within which the certificate holder is allowed to practice. A pharmacy practice certificate does not have an expiration date and is recognized nationwide.

A pharmacy practice certificate expires when its holder is dead or missing under a court’s decision or fails to have the certificate of completion of training program and refresher program in pharmacy within 03 years from the issuance date of the pharmacy practice certificate or the issuance date of the latest certificate of completion of training program and refresher program in pharmacy.

With this regulation in Vietnam, an individual will only be granted one Pharmacy Practice Certificate and this certificate has no expiration date, so you won't need to worry that this Certificate will expire.