Vietnam broadens digital healthcare initiatives by implementing e-prescriptions on VNeID platform
Vietnam is taking a significant step forward in digitalizing healthcare with the integration of electronic prescriptions into the national VNeID digital identity platform. This move will facilitate easy and secure ordering of medicines on a nationwide digital platform and support the growth of home delivery services for medicines, improving accessibility to treatment across the country.
The integration, led by the Ministry of Public Security, connects hospital prescription systems, pharmacy networks, and the national health data coordination system with VNeID. A pilot project started in September 2025, with nationwide rollout planned for hospitals in October 2025, and other medical facilities required to issue e-prescriptions digitally by January 2026.
Patients will benefit from streamlined access to medicines and better prescription tracking through the VNeID app’s health record features. This fosters convenience and improves medication adherence. The integration is part of a broader Vietnamese government strategy to digitalize healthcare, reduce hospital crowding, and modernize pharmaceutical distribution channels.
The integration will also prevent pharmacies from dispensing medicines based on reused or handwritten prescriptions, closing loopholes that allow fake or invalid prescriptions. Only non-prescription drugs may be sold online and delivered to homes, with retailers required to provide patient counselling and keep records.
Online sales of prescription drugs are prohibited, except for controlled substances and restricted-sale medicines, which require strict prescribing and monitoring to avoid misuse or drug resistance. Pharmacies joining the system must meet both technical and regulatory standards, supply genuine and quality-assured medicines, and ensure ease of access for patients.
However, processing and synchronising massive amounts of data for VNeID's integration with national health records could strain system performance. As of now, only three major pharmacy chains integrated with VNeID account for about 5,000 out of around 62,000 pharmacies in Vietnam. Integrating only large chains could exclude smaller, independent pharmacies from the digital system, according to some experts.
The plan was outlined in the July conclusions of the Government's Steering Committee on Science, Technology, Innovation, and Digital Transformation. The Ministry of Public Security has been tasked with connecting hospital-issued prescriptions to the national health data coordination system and pharmacy networks.
Pharmacity representatives are upgrading supply chain capacity, e-commerce infrastructure, and IT systems to ensure readiness for remote prescription services once legal conditions allow. Hospital leaders also anticipate that the integration will close loopholes that allow fake or invalid prescriptions.
In conclusion, the integration of electronic prescriptions into Vietnam's VNeID digital identity platform is expected to boost online pharmacy sales by facilitating easy and secure ordering on a nationwide digital platform and support the growth of home delivery services for medicines, improving accessibility to treatment across Vietnam.
[1] Ministry of Health, Vietnam. (2025). Circular 26 on the implementation of electronic prescriptions. [2] Ministry of Public Security, Vietnam. (2025). Decree 13 on security, privacy, and regulatory compliance for electronic prescriptions. [3] Pharmacity. (2025). Upgrading infrastructure for remote prescription services. [4] VNeID. (2025). Health record features for electronic prescriptions.
- The integration of electronic prescriptions is a significant step in Vietnam's digitalization of healthcare, led by the Ministry of Public Security.
- This move aims to streamline access to medicines and improve medication adherence through the VNeID app’s health record features.
- The government strategy also includes reducing hospital crowding and modernizing pharmaceutical distribution channels.
- The integration connects hospital prescription systems, pharmacy networks, and the national health data coordination system with VNeID.
- A pilot project started in September 2025, with nationwide rollout planned for hospitals in October 2025, and other medical facilities required to issue e-prescriptions digitally by January 2026.
- Processing and synchronizing massive amounts of data for VNeID's integration with national health records could strain system performance.
- Online sales of prescription drugs are prohibited, except for controlled substances and restricted-sale medicines, which require strict prescribing and monitoring.
- Pharmacies must meet both technical and regulatory standards, supply genuine and quality-assured medicines, and ensure ease of access for patients.
- The Ministry of Health, Vietnam, has issued Circular 26 on the implementation of electronic prescriptions, and the Ministry of Public Security has Decree 13 on security, privacy, and regulatory compliance for electronic prescriptions.
- Pharmacy chains are upgrading their infrastructure, e-commerce, and IT systems to ensure readiness for remote prescription services, such as Pharmacity, which has made plans to upgrade its supply chain capacity and e-commerce infrastructure.
