Tesco, Eni mull OTC drug sales in Hungary

UK supermarket chain Tesco and the Italian gasoline retailer Eni are considering setting up over-the-counter drug sales in Hungary after the market is opened up in 2007. Both companies have held talks with the Ministry of Health and Tesco's Hungarian spokesman, Mihaly Hardy, has said the company "will probably" go into the market, not with the expectation of major sales volume, but as a convenience to customers. Hungarians spend about 270.5 million euros ($360.8 million) annually on OTC medicines (2005 figures).

The Ministry of Health is, meanwhile, to take a decision any time now as to what drugs will be restricted to pharmacies and which can be sold elsewhere. Health Secretary Agnes Horvath has said that up to 34 drug categories would become available outside the pharmacy network. However, there is a campaign to halt the project from the political opposition, which argues that drug sale liberalization in other European countries has led to increases in the numbers of people being treated for adverse side effects. There is also concern that counterfeit drugs could enter the Hungarian market.