An online marketplace has opened in Ireland to try and help pharmacy owners compete with one another to get the best deals.
The website PharmacyOpenNow has been launched with a focus on the UK, with an aim to help Irish and UK businesses compete for a share of the market.
It aims to compete with the likes of Boots and the pharmacy giant A&G.
Its site is available in the UK but the US and Canada have not been added yet.
Online pharmacy operators can now submit an application online and it can be seen in its entirety below.
Online Pharmacy OpenNow has also announced that the Irish company PharmacyOpensNow will open in the US, the UK and Canada later this year.
A&.
G will also be part of the Pharmacy OpensNow network later this month.
The site has already received an impressive amount of traffic from US and Canadian pharmacy owners who are keen to make use of the opportunity to compete for an opportunity.
“It is very exciting to be part on PharmacyOpeningNow.
It’s a way for us to connect with our customers to help them get the lowest prices possible.
It also gives us the opportunity for our partners to be able to offer their customers a better value for money,” said Pharmacy OpeningNow founder, Paul Walsh.”
PharmacyOpen now is the first of its kind and it’s going to be a big win for Irish and British pharmacy owners in the next few years.”
Online pharmacy companies have long been an area of great concern to the Government, with a recent report claiming that there are more than 7,000 US-based pharmacies with over 100,000 pharmacists, while in Ireland more than 300 pharmacies are licensed.
However, with competition increasing and a number of international competitors also opening up to offer cheaper prices online, the competition may well increase.
Pharmacies in the United States have been hit hard by competition, with many losing their licences due to poor quality.
The new site, however, is designed to be flexible and can be accessed in many ways.
“We’re really keen to support these pharmacies in their competitive efforts to increase their sales and get customers back in the door,” said Dr Walsh.
The UK’s National Pharmacy Association has also welcomed the launch of the site.
It said the availability of cheaper prices was good news for the UK’s pharmacy owners, as it would allow them to compete against one another for patients.
“These prices are a real boost to the UK pharmacist market as we have a huge shortage of pharmacy supplies and are not currently receiving the quality of supplies and services that our customers demand,” said NPA spokesman, Ben Hodge.
“The NPA will continue to support pharmacy owners and the wider pharmacy industry as they try to drive down prices for their customers and to get back into the top 20 pharmacist companies in the country.”
Pharmacist groups also welcomed this development, saying that it would give them a competitive edge in the competitive market.
“I think that this is an important first step to help drive up competition and improve pharmacy pricing in the future,” said the Irish Association of Pharmacists.
“While we all recognise that competition in the pharmacy industry is challenging, it is essential for all members of the public to have access to the latest and greatest drugs and treatments.”
Online pharmacies also have an important role in the Irish health care system.
Many hospitals in the Republic of Ireland have been forced to close because of the high cost of treating patients with HIV and hepatitis C.
Online pharmacies will also allow people with health problems to have their prescriptions filled quickly and efficiently, as well as allowing for cheaper prescriptions and easier filling of prescriptions.
The company has said it hopes to provide free access to its website by the end of the year.