Controversy Surrounding Pharmaceutical Company's Payments to Pharmacists

Sep.13.2022

Pharmaceutical company stops paying kickbacks to pharmacists for VEEV e-cigarette prescriptions in response to backlash.

Recently, the practice of paying kickbacks to pharmacists who ordered VEEV electronic cigarettes by FirMo International has sparked strong opposition and has been forced to stop.

In Australia, approved patients are allowed to use nicotine e-cigarettes. Pharma international pays kickbacks to pharmacists who order VEEV e-cigarettes. Pharmacists receive $5 AUD (approximately ￥23.16) every time they prescribe VEEV to a patient, and will receive $10 AUD (approximately ￥46.33) for introducing a new patient to the device. They will also receive $5 AUD for referring a patient to a doctor to obtain a VEEV prescription.

Australian health experts have expressed shock at the actions of Philip Morris International. The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia has condemned the multinational tobacco company's practice of offering kickbacks to pharmacists, calling it a blatant disregard of their professional ethics.

This article contains excerpts or reprints from third-party sources. The copyright belongs to the original media and authors. If there is any infringement, please contact us for removal. Any units or individuals wishing to reproduce must contact the author, please do not reproduce directly.

#North America #United States #Market #Pod system e-cigarettes

This document has been generated through artificial intelligence translation and is provided solely for the purposes of industry discourse and learning. Please note that the intellectual property rights of the content belong to the original media source or author. Owing to certain limitations in the translation process, there may be discrepancies between the translated text and the original content. We recommend referring to the original source for complete accuracy. In case of any inaccuracies, we invite you to reach out to us with corrections. If you believe any content has infringed upon your rights, please contact us immediately for its removal.

Smoking Rate Drops to 17.9%, Vaping Rate Climbs to 9.3% in South Korea

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) released its 2025 Community Health Survey results covering more than 230,000 adults. Traditional cigarette smoking dropped to 17.9%, down 1 percentage point from last year, while e-cigarette use increased to 9.3%, up 0.6 points. Overall tobacco product use stood at 22.1%, a slight decline from 2024 but still 0.5 points higher than 2019.

Dec.08 by 2FIRSTS.ai

South Korea’s Parliament Reconsiders Bill to Regulate Synthetic Nicotine as Tobacco

South Korea’s National Assembly is once again reviewing a bill to classify synthetic nicotine as a tobacco product under the Tobacco Business Act. The proposal aims to close regulatory loopholes that allow untaxed, unregulated nicotine liquids — often used by minors — to circulate freely. Lawmakers expect the bill to pass during the current session amid growing public and civic pressure.

Nov.26 by 2FIRSTS.ai

Baltimore Moves to Zone Smoke Shops, Set Minimum Distance From Schools

Baltimore’s City Council in Maryland, building on recently enacted restrictions on “small box” dollar-store chains, has proposed a package of regulations for tobacco and vape retailers. The measures would create a standalone land-use category for “smoke shops,” establish distance buffers from schools and parks, limit exterior signage brightness, and schedule an informational hearing.

Oct.29 by 2FIRSTS.ai

Russia’s Health Ministry backs full ban on vapes and nalivaykas

Russia’s Ministry of Health (Minzdrav) has expressed support for a full ban on vapes and “nalivayka” alcohol outlets, calling it an effective measure to curb harmful habits and improve public health.

Oct.17 by 2FIRSTS.ai