MEDICINE Shoppe, one of the world’s largest franchises of independent retail pharmacies, opened its first outlet in China Wednesday, the Shenzhen Economic Daily reported yesterday.

　　This is the first time a foreign pharmacy franchise has opened on the Chinese mainland, the Daily report said.

　　Medicine Shoppe International, Inc., headquartered in St. Louis, is also the fifth largest pharmacy in the United States. With 1,300 pharmacies throughout the world, the company generates annual sales of US$1.7 billion, 90 percent of which comes from the sale of prescribed drugs.

　　The first Medicine Shoppe opened in Shenzhen in partnership with Shenzhen Nep-Star Medical Trading Co. Ltd. It will sell prescribed drugs and provide counseling services to customers, a top official with the pharmacy was quoted as saying.

　　Medicine Shoppe will recruit franchisees in China and plans to increase the number of pharmacies to 150 by 2003 and 500 in 10 years.