Is it possible to apply for a pharmaceutical practice certificate with 2 years of working experience at a pharmaceutical manufacturing company?

According to Clause 1, Article 18 of the Pharmaceutical Law 2016, which stipulates the conditions for the person in charge of pharmaceutical expertise at retail drug establishments, specifically:

The person in charge of pharmaceutical expertise at a pharmacy must possess the professional qualifications specified in Point a, Clause 1, Article 13 of this Law and have 2 years of professional practice at an appropriate pharmaceutical establishment. The person in charge of pharmaceutical expertise at a pharmacy can concurrently perform clinical pharmacy tasks at the pharmacy.

And in Clause 6 Article 20 of Decree 54/2017/ND-CP, for the position of the person in charge of pharmaceutical expertise at a retail drug establishment: The person in charge of pharmaceutical expertise at a pharmacy, drug counter, or the medicine cabinet of a commune health station must practice one of the following professional practice contents: Wholesale, retail of drugs; import and export of drugs; clinical pharmacy, drug supply at medical examination and treatment establishments; drug manufacturing; drug testing, materials for drug preparation; pharmaceutical research; drug preservation; drug distribution; pharmaceutical management at pharmaceutical management agencies.

Thus, based on the above regulations, if you have 2 years of quality control experience, you meet the practice time requirement. However, you need to have a professional qualification that is granted or recognized in Vietnam, suitable for the job position and the pharmaceutical business establishment, which is a university degree in pharmacy (hereinafter referred to as Pharmacy degree).

Additionally, you must have a health certificate to practice pharmacy issued by a competent medical institution and must not fall under any of the following cases (Article 13 of the Pharmaceutical Law 2016):

- Being prosecuted for criminal liability, serving a sentence, or decisions of the Court; during the period being prohibited from practicing, prohibited from doing work related to pharmaceutical activities according to the judgments and decisions of the Court;

- Being restricted in civil act capacity.

Please refer to the above regulations and compare them with your specific case.

Respectfully!