Free drugs after 10pm / Vid-Phone drug dealing

[Taro Toporific]

Don Quijote to dispense free drugs in emergency
The Japan Times, Aug 21
By TAIGA URANAKA. Discount retailer Don Quijote Co. said Wednesday it will dole out free medicine to night-time shoppers in times ... The decision follows warnings from health regulators that the retailer's remote pharmacist system -- pharmacists selling drugs via TV phones -- might be illegal. .. the planned giveaway is for "humanitarian reasons" because few stores are open after 10 p.m.

[canman]

"In Japan, it is difficult to buy medicines, even aspirins, at night as regulations require face-to-face sales of all medical supplies except sticking plasters, vitamin supplements, and cotton buds."
What a country! I can't imagine any other developed country where you can't find a 24 hour pharmacy.

"The mother drove around town for antipyretics (fever-reducing drugs) as emergency hospitals refused to examine her little son, who had a temperature of 39 degrees (102 in Fahrenheit) but whose condition was not serious enough to have him suffer a seizure," Ibuchi said.

"Finally she came to one of our stores with her son for help, and I checked him through the videophone and provided proper medicines for him," said the white-coated Ibuchi, 25.

This too kills me. A while back in Iwate-ken, a little boy died as his parents were forced to drive all around the prefecture as none of the hospitals would accept there son. Either they didn't have a pediatrician on call or they were unwilling to accept him. What happened to universal care that all the Japanese rave about.

"I want to offer my support. I am going to encourage Don Quijote," Ishihara said, although in practice his power is limited to mediation between pharmacy operators and the ministry, which has the final say.
I usually hate this guy, but then he comes out in favor of cutting red tape or trying to screw the central gov't, and you have to give him some credit.