---
title: "The price difference for the same drug in the same store online and offline is more than three times. Pharmacies: Online is cheaper because the platform has subsidies"
type: "News"
locale: "en"
url: "https://longbridge.com/en/news/256207993.md"
description: "The price difference for the same drug at the same pharmacy exceeds three times between online and offline, with some pharmacies offering lower online prices due to platform subsidies. Taking LBX Pharmacy's \"Renhe\" artificial bile acid metronidazole capsules as an example, the online price is 8.68 yuan, while the offline price is 32 yuan. Pharmacy staff stated that the price difference mainly depends on the subsidy situation, and consumers can choose their purchasing method based on their needs. The medical insurance department has required a comparison of drug prices with online platform prices to prevent abnormally high prices"
datetime: "2025-09-06T06:18:41.000Z"
locales:
  - [zh-CN](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/news/256207993.md)
  - [en](https://longbridge.com/en/news/256207993.md)
  - [zh-HK](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/news/256207993.md)
---

# The price difference for the same drug in the same store online and offline is more than three times. Pharmacies: Online is cheaper because the platform has subsidies

The same pharmacy, the same medicine, online sales only cost a few yuan, while offline it costs over thirty yuan, a price difference of more than three times? Recently, reporters conducted tests at ten physical pharmacies including Fumei, Lei Yun Shang, Huashi, Haoyaoshi, LBX, Yifeng, and Huifeng, and found that in some pharmacies, the same medicine was more expensive in the offline physical store than in their online store, with the largest price difference exceeding three times. For example, the "Renhe" artificial bile acid metronidazole capsules at LBX Pharmacy are priced at 8.68 yuan online and 32 yuan offline, resulting in a price difference of 23.32 yuan. Why is there such a large price difference between online and offline? Staff from several pharmacies told reporters that the reason online prices are much cheaper is that platforms provide subsidies for medicines, "but not all medicines are cheaper online; some are more expensive online and cheaper offline, mainly depending on which medicine has subsidies." Some staff mentioned that consumers can choose according to their needs; if they find online prices cheaper, they can purchase directly online, but online shopping has a minimum order price, which can add up to a considerable cost. The medical insurance department has previously issued relevant documents requiring that the prices of medicines in offline retail pharmacies and other channels need to be compared with the "immediate delivery price" of online drug sales platforms. If abnormally high prices are found, they urge pharmaceutical companies to adjust proactively. Additionally, some regions have introduced policies requiring that the offline sales price of the same designated pharmacy should not exceed 20% of the price displayed by that pharmacy on the online drug sales platform

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