Welcome to C+D's ninth Big Debate.
Tonight’s discussion will focus on the question: “Do online outlets pose a threat to community pharmacy’s reputation?”
Some online pharmacy businesses are flourishing, with the pandemic further priming the field for distance-selling outlets.
However, the General Pharmaceutical Council last month revealed it had 187 open fitness-to-practise cases linked to 83 online pharmacies and, last year, it said it was considering “differentiated fees options to cover the increased regulation needed for online pharmacies”.
So, should community pharmacies embrace the digital model and can these different models coexist? What safety improvements should online pharmacies implement?
Could community pharmacies learn something from online outlets?
We’ve got three speakers lined up to share their views tonight, but you can also let us know your thoughts by commenting and asking questions. The “live” part of the debate will close at 8pm, but feel free to continue to exchange views for as long as you like.
C+D has introduced a streamlined functionality that allows users to mention each other in a comment. Simply use ‘@’ and type in the person’s name.
This debate will start at 7pm.