03 Positions requiring pharmacy practice certificates in Vietnam

03 Positions requiring pharmacy practice certificates in Vietnam

Pursuant to the provisions of Article 11 of the Law on Pharmacy 2016, the following positions must have a pharmacy practice certificate:

(1) The chief pharmacist of a pharmacy business establishment.

(2) The person in charge of quality assurance of a facility manufacturing drugs or medicinal ingredients.

(3) The person in charge of clinical pharmacology of a health facility

Cases of issuance, reissuance, adjustment of pharmacy practice certificate in Vietnam

Cases of issuance, reissuance, adjustment of pharmacy practice certificate are specified in Article 12 of the Law on Pharmacy 2016 as follows:

- The pharmacy practice certificate shall be issued with or without an examination to:

= A person who applies for the pharmacy practice certificate for the first time;

= A person whose pharmacy practice certificate is revoked as prescribed in Article 28 of the Law on Pharmacy 2016.

If the pharmacy practice certificate is withdrawn in the cases specified in Clause 4, 6, 10, or 11 of Article 28 of the Law on Pharmacy 2016, it shall only be issued after 12 months from the revocation date.

- The pharmacy practice certificate shall be reissued if it is lost or damaged.

- The pharmacy practice certificate shall be adjusted if there are changes to its holder’s scope of practice or method of issuance of the certificate or its holder’s information.

03 Positions requiring pharmacy practice certificates in Vietnam (Internet image)

Conditions for issuance of a pharmacy practice certificate in Vietnam

To be issued with a pharmacy practice certificate, a person must:

(1) Has any qualifications issued or recognized in Vietnam suitable for his/her position and the pharmacy business establishment. Such qualifications include:

- Bachelor’s degree in pharmacy (hereinafter referred to as pharmacist degree);

- Bachelor’s degree in general medicine;

- Bachelor’s degree in traditional medicine or traditional pharmacy;

- Bachelor’s degree in biology;

- Bachelor’s degree in chemistry;

- College degree in pharmacy;

- Associate degree in pharmacy;

- College degree or associate degree in medicine;

- Associate degree in traditional medicine or traditional pharmacy;

- Basic diploma in pharmacy;

- Certificate of traditional physician or pharmacist, certificate of hereditary remedy, or other traditional medicine qualifications issued before the effective date of this Law.

The products qualifications specified in Point 1 of this Clause required as a condition shall be specified by the Ministry of Health according to socio-economic development, the people’s need for medical examination and treatment in each area and each period.

(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:

- 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;

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

- 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.

(3) Has a certificate of suitable health for pharmacy practice issued by a competent health facility.

(4) Not:

- Be facing a criminal prosecution, serving a court’s sentence or ruling; be suspended from practice or doing works related to pharmacy under the court’s sentence or ruling;

- Have limited legal capacity.

Note: Any person who wishes to take an examination to obtain a pharmacy practice certificate must fully satisfy the conditions as prescribed above.

Mai Thanh Loi

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