19 September 2026 · Understanding · Pharmacy · Pharmacy owner

What is medicine delivery by a pharmacy?

Medicine delivery by a pharmacy is a service that extends the counter, without replacing it: the pharmacy prepares and approves, a courier delivers. Dispensing remains the pharmacist's, who checks every prescription before anything is sent; the courier only carries a sealed parcel, in either direction, tracked live until it's handed over against a QR code or a PIN code.

1. Definition

Medicine delivery by a pharmacy is a transport service made available to the pharmacy, not an order that decides on its own to send something out. The pharmacist creates a delivery for whatever they want, wherever they want: a customer who has placed an order, a fellow pharmacist to help out, a supplier to receive from. A courier picks up the parcel, sealed at the pharmacy, and carries it to its destination.

What never changes: dispensing remains the pharmacy's own. A prescription uploaded online is checked and approved by the pharmacist before anything is sent; the courier only carries the parcel, they dispense nothing and advise on nothing. Delivery is a transport service, not a new way of dispensing.

2. The two directions

The same service works in both directions, with the same quote, the same courier and the same tracking:

• "I'm sending": the pharmacy sends a parcel to a customer at home, or a missing box to a neighbouring colleague
• "I'm having something delivered": the courier collects a parcel elsewhere — from a supplier, a colleague, a laboratory — and brings it to the pharmacy
• The parcel's contents are unrestricted: only the amount is entered, with no mandatory product line; the pharmacy remains responsible for what it hands to the courier

3. Who pays for delivery

The choice is made delivery by delivery, at the moment it's created: the pharmacy, or the customer. The courier, the tracking and the handover are the same in both cases; only the timing of departure changes.

• The pharmacy pays: a direct debit mandate is activated once, the delivery goes out straight away and is invoiced at the end of the week, on delivery invoices kept separate from order invoices
• The customer pays: a payment link is sent to them by e-mail and SMS, with the amount broken down; the delivery goes out once payment is received

4. How a delivery unfolds, step by step

1. 1.The type of delivery is chosen"I'm sending to a customer" or "I'm having something delivered": the direction determines where the courier picks up the parcel and where they take it.
2. 2.The address is checked, the quote calculatedThe address is looked up on a map; an address outside the pharmacy's delivery area is rejected before going any further, and the quote is shown before confirmation.
3. 3.The recipient's details are enteredName, phone number — the courier calls it if they can't find them — and e-mail, for the payment link and tracking.
4. 4.The parcel is prepared and sealedThe team closes the parcel in an opaque bag sealed at the pharmacy; as soon as the delivery is created, a courier is called.
5. 5.The handover is provenThe courier presents a QR code to scan, or a PIN code to enter; without one of the two, no handover, and proof is kept.

5. Live tracking and handover

From pickup to handover, the pharmacy and the recipient see where the run stands on a map, from the pharmacy's own tool as well as from a link sent by SMS to the recipient. The link also gives access to the delivery note.

If the courier can't find the recipient on delivery, they call them directly; on pickup from a supplier or a colleague, they go through a shared switchboard or the pharmacy's direct number, whichever it prefers. An unresolved run is automatically flagged after four hours, with no need for the team to monitor it.

6. What the regulations say

The principle that structures the whole service — dispensing remains the pharmacist's own, who checks the prescription before anything is sent — answers a requirement of the profession rather than a simple service choice. The precise detail of the regulatory framework (conditions for distance selling, cold-chain preservation where relevant, traceability of the handover) is not developed on this page: it must be checked with a pharmacist from the team before any public statement.

7. In which cities

The service exists wherever an equipped pharmacy offers it: at least one pharmacy delivers by courier or hands over at the counter in each city listed, in France. The list is drawn from pharmacies actually present on the platform, updated as of a given date.

8. How a pharmacy sets this up

The delivery service adds to what the pharmacy already has: the pharmacist creates a delivery whenever they need one, with no extra equipment or software change. They choose, delivery by delivery, who pays and who delivers — their own delivery person, or a courier from the partner network.

What happens upstream at the counter doesn't change: an order placed on the pharmacy's online platform or through the phone switchboard can trigger a delivery automatically, once the order is accepted by the team.

9. Frequently asked questions

To see how delivery would be organised for the pharmacy, using its own stock and its own area: a demonstration led by a pharmacist from the team.