HÀ NỘI — The Drug Administration of Việt Nam under the Ministry of Health launched a pharmaceutical database bank, Drugbank.vn, at a ceremony on Monday in Hà Nội.

The databank contains information on more than 10,000 currently operating drugstores, nearly 41,000 production and distribution facilities and pharmacists who have been granted working certificates. It provides users with a comprehensive information lookup platform that can be easily accessed on the website or via the mobile application.

The system was built with the aim of supporting quick and convenient industry management and to help the development of drug firms and raise community awareness of health and drug use habits.

“Drugbank.vn will bring many utilities for users from management agencies to doctors, pharmaceutical enterprises and the community,” said Dr. Trương Quốc Cường, Deputy Minister of Health, at the launch ceremony.

Cường said management agencies would be able to easily track the changing history of drugs and business operations over time, quickly update information and help control the quality, distribution status and circulation of drugs, thereby improving management of drug prices.

Doctors will be able to access the most complete database of drugs circulating in Việt Nam from the official channel and update it with the latest information.

People will also have access to the comprehensive database of drugs in circulation, including information about the safe, effective and economical use of drugs as well as accurate information about the origin of medicines and pricing.

With the introduction of the database, the Drug Administration of Việt Nam marked a milestone in digitalising drug data and related data in Việt Nam. The Drug Administration of the Ministry of Health has become one of just a few national-level management agencies around the world that have built a drug database system and provided search tools for the public. — VNS