Trade Associations Demand: Social Security Organization Must Comply with the Digital Economy Facilitation Committee's Ruling

Despite licensing registration on the National Licensing Portal and legal requirements, insurers and the Social Security Organization are placing obstacles in the way of experimental platforms' activities.

Despite the registration of the license in the national portal of licenses and legal requirements, insurances and social security block the activity of laboratory platforms.

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The representatives of the digital health commissions of the Tehran Electronic Commerce Association and the Computer Trade Union Organization of Tehran province, in their first joint press conference, demanded the implementation of the Facilitation Committee's decision on the activity of laboratory service platforms. This decision prohibits social security from preventing authorized platforms from operating and restricting or terminating the contracts of their partner laboratories.

According to Ambassador Arjan, the joint press conference of the two digital health commissions was held on Wednesday, October 22, 1405, following the issuance and notification of the decision of the Digital Business Facilitation Committee of the Supreme Council of Cyberspace. In this meeting, the representatives of the two organizations, while explaining the process of following up on the problems of on-site testing platforms, criticized the continued uncertainty of online drug delivery and the possibility of extending restrictions to appointment platforms.

Ahmad Taherkhani, the head of the Digital Health Commission of the Tehran Electronic Commerce Association, said about the history of on-site testing platforms: "Platforms have been operating in the field of on-site testing services for about eight years, and their activity peaked during the Corona era. Since 1401, various challenges have been created for these businesses and insurances have prevented their activities. Our actions and negotiations with insurance companies and the Ministry of Health started from the same time."

Regarding the follow-up of licensing of these businesses, he added: "We tried to create a license related to this activity in the National License Portal, which was finally registered in May 1404. However, insurers, especially the Social Security Administration, still did not recognize these platforms and put pressure on the labs.

Taherkhani continued: "Finally, in November 1404, we submitted a complaint to the Digital Business Facilitation Committee of the Supreme Council of Cyberspace. After the hearing process, the final decision of the committee was issued on August 27, 1405. This matter was announced in a letter addressed to the head of the Social Security Organization and the activities of these businesses were recognized.

The decision of the Facilitation Committee has been notified for implementation on the 4th of October. Based on this decision, the provision of laboratory services through licensed platforms is not considered a violation if the legal requirements are met, and social security cannot therefore prevent the platforms from operating or limit or terminate the contract of their partner laboratories.

"Mehdi Khodadadi", head of Nasr Digital Health Commission of Tehran, also said about the reason for referring the matter to the Facilitation Committee: "In May of last year, the license of these businesses was approved based on the Business Environment Facilitation Law, but Social Security did not comply and did not consider itself bound to implement the deregulation board's decision. That's why we had to take the matter to the facilitation committee."

He added: "I hope social security will comply with this vote. The conditions of the country are special and the contractionary policies and pressure on businesses are so much that they should no longer be put under additional pressure."

Ruhollah Rahbarpour, director of the legal and regulatory committee of the Tehran Electronic Commerce Association, said about the guarantee of implementation of the decision: "The facilitation committee has a quasi-judicial function and has issued a good decision. This is an extra-committee, and the way of implementing its votes is explained in the regulations for the formation of the committee; Therefore, there should not be a problem in this regard."

He continued: "There is a requirement to implement the vote and action must be taken to implement it. All the solutions are foreseen and decisions can be implemented in the case of Mostankaf. We expect social security not to let it reach that stage.

Referring to the presence of a representative of the judiciary in the Facilitation Committee, Rahbarpour added: "You can also file a complaint in the Court of Administrative Justice against an official who refuses to perform his duties."

Khodadadi also said about the follow-up after the verdict was issued: "After the verdict was issued, we sought to hold a joint meeting with social security to discuss it and resolve the issues. The Ministry of Communications is also required to follow up on the implementation of the decision. Its implementation will take time, but our next step will be to pursue its implementation."

In another part of the meeting, the head of Tehran's Digital Health Commission, Nasr, criticized the regulatory process of online drug delivery and said: "We have had many ups and downs in the field of online drug delivery. "After all these issues, the Food and Drug Organization approved the regulation of online drug delivery in October last year without receiving the opinion of the private sector, but they did not implement the same regulation."

In the regulations, the generalities are stated and the formulation of the rules has been assigned to a working group, of which only one meeting was held. In the same meeting, they did not receive the opinions of the private sector. They are trying to move the space in a direction where the private sector remains in uncertainty.

Criticizing the entry of regulatory bodies into the details of the commercial activity of platforms, he said: "Institutions such as the Food and Drug Administration have a serious desire to go beyond regulation and supervision and enter the field of business. We obey the law, but our question is, why do they enter into the issues related to the platform contract and pharmacy and tariffs? These actions are clearly against the law, according to the law of the Seventh Development Plan, which prohibits the government from imposing tariffs.

The FDA's strategy seems to be to drag out the issue of online drug delivery so long that the pressure on businesses increases, their resilience decreases, and they eventually retreat.

Taherkhani also said about the status of online appointment platforms: "During the Corona era, they praised these platforms a lot, but at the same time, we predicted that it would be their turn to be reckoned with." "Recently, we've also been hearing about queuing platforms, comments about fees and monitoring of their activity."

"We want lessons to be learned from what happened to online drug delivery and on-site testing platforms," he added. "These comments by officials who are not knowledgeable about the issue are mainly due to ignorance of business activities and harm the digital economy."

"Merim Najafi", the secretary of the Tehran Electronic Commerce Association, said at the beginning of the meeting about the formation of this cooperation: "This is the first joint press conference of two commissions active in two trade unions. The goal is to form a trade union approach that is more effective in pursuing industry issues. Considering the difficult conditions of the country and businesses, the need for unity among trade unions is felt more than ever."

He added: "E-commerce association, especially in the fourth term of the board of directors, has put the development of union cooperation and synergy on the agenda. Considering the complexity of business challenges, it is necessary to deliver a more coordinated voice to the audience and authorities instead of fragmented actions."

Taherkhani also emphasized the continuation of this cooperation and said: "The regulatory challenges in digital health have clarified the necessity of further cooperation. A good cooperation was formed between the two commissions and we decided to continue this pattern. "We have asked the National Union of Virtual Businesses, which has formed the Digital Health Commission, to join this cooperation."

Born in 1350, studied software engineering and English language and literature. I have been a journalist since 1376 and launching the first information technology page in Iranian newspapers, editor of the first weekly newspaper and the first information technology newspaper of Iran are among my records.