RESUMO
In order to check unhealthy tendencies in the purchase and sale of drugs, the Drug Allocation Center of Jinshan District in Shanghai started from 1996 the practice of centralized purchase of drugs through bidding, originally handled by fax and then via the Internet by the year 2000. Specific measures adopted include: defining the mode of bidding, standardizing the system of authorizing the purchase of drugs form some pharmaceutical companies and conducting yearly checks of them according to relevant laws and regulations. The system of conducting checks at any time with regard to other pharmaceutical companies may also be adopted. On the basis of the above preparations, the computer network framework, the system model and the flow of data exchange of the bidding center should be determined and bidding via the Internet can thus be conducted thereby. Bidding via the Internet makes it possible for medical organizations to conduct zero stock management of drugs, guarantees the timely supply of drugs, is favorable to fair competition and shortens the business cycle.