The National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) has lifted the limitation that prevented Shopee from displaying and selling medicines on its platform. This change aligns with new regulations that allow duly licensed pharmacies to use digital platforms for deliveries.
This determination, published in the Official Gazette of the Union, expands the use of marketplaces in the pharmaceutical segment, while preserving rigorous requirements to ensure that only approved items reach buyers.
With this new guideline, Shopee can be used by accredited pharmacies and drugstores both as a sales channel and for logistics management. It is important to note, however, that this does not mean that any seller on the platform can commercialize medicines.
Sales remain restricted to establishments that hold a health license and products that have been formally registered by Anvisa. Among the maintained conditions, it is highlighted that, in practice, consumers will find medicines in digital environments, but the responsibility for the transaction always lies with the authorized locations.
Anvisa's decision was based on Law No. 15.357, enacted on March 20 of this year. This law modified the pharmaceutical sector's legislation by allowing licensed pharmacies and drugstores to contract e-commerce platforms for delivery and logistics services.
Additionally, the change authorized the installation of pharmacies inside supermarkets, enabling sales both at physical points and through the virtual channels of these same establishments.
With this update, digital platforms gain a recognized role in medicine distribution, provided that all sanitary standards are strictly observed. Despite this permission, Anvisa maintains its monitoring over products offered online. Medicines without registration or advertisements containing false information remain prohibited and may lead to content removal and seller blocking.
This measure signals a new phase in the interaction between e-commerce and the pharmaceutical sector in Brazil. Consumers gain new means of digital access and purchase, but they must remain vigilant about the origin of the products.
The inclusion of platforms like Shopee in this market does not alter the basic security premises: medicines must be purchased from accredited companies and in compliance with sanitary regulations. Anvisa's intention is to keep pace with the increase in online purchases without neglecting control over products that directly impact users' health.
