RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta – Indonesian Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) has emphasized the importance of trained personnel in managing medicines at minimarkets and supermarkets, as stipulated in BPOM Regulation No. 5/2026 on the supervision of drug and drug material management.

BPOM Head Taruna Ikrar said the presence of specialized personnel is necessary, but they do not have to be pharmacists. Personnel who have received special training are considered sufficient.

“Yes, specialized personnel are certainly needed. But they don’t have to be pharmacists. Trained personnel are sufficient,” Taruna said at BPOM’s Bhineka Tunggal Ika Building in Jakarta on Monday, May 4, 2026.

He explained that the limited number of pharmacists is one consideration, while Indonesia has a vast number of minimarkets and supermarkets. BPOM will therefore prepare training schemes for personnel at these facilities, focusing on proper medicine management and storage.

Taruna stressed that the duties of trained personnel differ from those of pharmacists in pharmacies. Unlike pharmaceutical facilities, minimarkets and supermarkets do not dispense medications.

“The primary function of minimarkets is to ensure that medicines are stored and displayed according to standards,” he said, citing the need to avoid damp areas and maintain proper temperatures.

Proper display is also a priority. Medicines must not be mixed with other products such as food or beverages. Trained personnel are responsible for checking packaging conditions and expiration dates to ensure medicines remain safe for consumption.

“This way, we can ensure that medicines are delivered, distributed, and presented correctly, so they reach the public safely,” Taruna said.

BPOM emphasized that only over‑the‑counter (OTC) and restricted‑prescription medicines may be sold in minimarkets and supermarkets. These are usually labeled with green or blue markings.

The agency added that the policy aims to provide certainty in drug distribution outside pharmacies and ensure continued supervision, even when medicines are sold in non‑pharmacy facilities.

Through this regulation, BPOM hopes to improve the management of medicines in minimarkets and to provide the public with greater protection when purchasing medicines from various outlets. (Misni Parjiati/Lasti Martina)