As most of you will be aware, Covid-19 also caused some changes in the way the Google Maps team was processing the contributions made by local guides - mainly because resources were shifted towards getting Covid-19 related information (such as businesses being temporary closed or offering curbside pickup) on Maps as quickly as possible. Fortunately things are already returning back to normal for the largest part.
Surely in these challenging times no new categories would be added, you might think. Wellā¦ think again. Since the last time I reported new categories, another 3 new ones have been added:
Luggage storage facility
Medical lawyer
Parapharmacy
Especially the Luggage storage facility is a great addtition as there are a lot of those to be found on Maps already as POI (as illustrated in the screenshot) but with the more general storage facility as current category. So why not start switching those to prepare for the post-Corona era when there will be more traveling again?
Iām not sure if I will be able to use Medical lawyer a lot, as to my knowledge most of those lawyers would be working for bigger law firms and hence probably not be listed as a separate entry on Maps. But that might of course be totally different in other countries, so Iām pretty sure there will be a good use for it.
The last one, Parapharmacy, I mentioned already during the Confusing Categories virtual meet-up as it might lead to confusion because the definition behind this category might be different (or at least interpreted differently) in different countries/regions. Once again a perfect illustration that we urgently need definitions of what is meant with the various categories. On that very topic I will soon elaborate in the upcoming āCategories Explained (?)ā series of Connect posts - stay tuned!
Interested in more? An overview of all posts about new categories can be found here.
@MortenCopenhagen since in a regular pharmacy you can buy ānormalā medication, I guess that in a parapharmacy you can buy āpararnormalā medication
On a serious note: what would be your interpretation of that category?
@JanVanHaver very true. We agree with you. Lets hope itās a matter of time before these categories will be updated. Weldone gone observation and reminder.
In Italy the term āparapharmacyā refers to the commercial company, where it is possible to purchase parapharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical products, for which there is no obligation to present a specific medical prescription.
The Italian law provides for the obligation to have a pharmacist registered in the register in all cases where there is a sale of medicines.
Medical Lawyers are Lawyers which handle cases regarding Medical claims .
parapharmacy are medical store which also have other items like cosmetics, hair fall treatment, other items which are not required prescription but that should be sold on medical store under proper medical professionals.
Thank you for that clarification of the situation in your country @FlavioDA . To make sure I understand you correctly: those parapharmacies sell stuff like cosmetics ans hair/skin care products, but also drugs that can be purchased without prescription (like aspirin)? And do those then also need to be registered?
And what about the category drugstore? Is that also used in Italy?
Indeed @AmbrishVarshney that would also be my interpretation of medical lawyer, but I was wondering if there are really a lot of those lawyers on Maps as separate POI - in my country they would typically work for an office where multiple lawyers are working (with the category law firm). Would that be different in your country?
Yes @JanVanHaver same here we have very less laywers who specially handle only this but I think after this covid-19 situation we will see lots of cases regarding medical claims thatās why Google Maps team added that .
Actually @AmbrishVarshney I was just looking up the guidelines again and the individual lawyers are allowed (under certain conditions) to create a separate POI at the law firm where they are working - I think I have just found a nice topic for an upcoming podcast episode
Hi @JanVanHaver , here the answers: >To make sure I understand you correctly: those parapharmacies sell stuff >like cosmetics ans hair/skin care products, but also drugs that can be >purchased without prescription (like aspirin)?
Thatās right.
>And do those then also need to be registered?
No, drugs sold in parapharmacies doesnāt need to be registered.
They only may sell drugs that donāt require registration.
>And what about the category drugstore? Is that also used in Italy?
No, in Italy there is not shops where they sell both drugs and other goods like sweets, receipts, magazines. The laws donāt admit it.
In that case @FlavioDA there are definitely different interpretations of the word drugstore in different languages. The word ādrugā actually comes from the old Dutch ādrogeā (which means drying - refering to plants being dried). Over here we have a number of big chains that are categorized as ādrogisterijā which is the Dutch version of the Maps category drugstore, and they actually do not sell any medication, but a very wide range of products for personal care, and also household items.
