The government said Wednesday that under rules taking effect next spring, online sales of 23 drugs will be banned for three years after they move from prescription to over-the-counter status.
The new rules will also ban Internet-based sales indefinitely for five over-the-counter drugs with a potentially high risk of side effects, Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Norihisa Tamura said at a news conference.
A bill to revise the pharmaceutical affairs law to this effect will be submitted to the Diet, possibly next week, for passage during the legislative session running until Dec. 6.