Anvisa questions MercadoLibre on pharmacy retail operations

Brazil's health regulatory agency Anvisa notified MercadoLibre on Monday, September 28, requesting information on the company's pharmaceutical retail operations. The regulator requested data regarding technical compliance, such as product storage rules and the registration of professional pharmacists. In a note, Anvisa stated that there is currently no regulatory provision authorizing online platforms to intermediate drug sales, pointing to a 2009 collegiate resolution and law 15,357 of 2026, which remains conditional on agency regulation.

The request followed a letter sent on Friday, September 25, by pharmacy chain association Abrafarma, which raised concerns over MercadoLibre's accelerated entry into the sector. Last week, MercadoLibre announced plans to begin selling prescription medications and products from 20 pharmacies by the end of this year, with three scheduled to start in October. The news pressured the shares of major drugstore chains Raia Drogasil, Pague Menos, and Panvel last week over rising competition concerns.

Abrafarma cited earlier clarifications from Anvisa on August 10, when the regulator indicated that lifting previous preventive measures did not grant automatic authorization for digital platforms to sell pharmaceutical products. The association noted that while legal authorization for digital channels exists, concrete implementation requires complementary regulations from Anvisa.

On Tuesday, September 29, MercadoLibre stated in a note that consumer trust is central to its business and that it understands the seriousness of entering the pharmaceutical retail sector. The company emphasized that all products on its platform offer full traceability, ensuring control of origin and expiration dates, and comply with all applicable sanitary regulations.