Number of pharmacies shows annual decreasing trend

Influenced by the sluggish sales in the pharmacy sector after implementation of a new system of separating drug dispensing from medical practice, the number of pharmacies has been decreasing by 1,200 year-on-year for the past five years, according to a latest report released by the Health Insurance Review Agency.

By year, there were 19,336 pharmacies in 1999; 19,530 pharmacies in 2000;...