What would happen if local pharmacies disappeared? In any case, this is what Philippe Besset, president of the France Federation of France (FSPF) Teme. France Inter guest this Thursday, August 14, this pharmacist who exercises at the AUDE shared strong concerns about the future of his profession, after the publication, at the beginning of August, of a ministerial decree that planned the roofs of commercial discounts granted by laboratories on generic drugs (copies of principles, so reduced brand drugs).
Until now, pharmacists have benefited from discounts up to 40% of the price of generic medication boxes. But as of September 1, discounts will be limited to 30% and this roof will still gradually fall to reach 20% on July 1, 2027.
“A firm pharmacy every day”
These decreases in ceilings represent a significant deficit for pharmacies that have not reached a certain critical size to maintain. It is of the order of “300 million euros in a full year”, according to the figures presented by Pierre-Olivier VarioT, president of the Union of Frame Pharmaceutical Unions (USPO), with BFM businesses.
However, pharmacies have already suffered for several years “a drastic policy about drugs,” he insisted on Philippe Besset in the microphone of France Inter this Thursday.
Despite the new missions granted to pharmacists, particularly in terms of vaccination, pharmacies are less and less in the country even though the demand for care increases, under the effect of population aging.
“In the last 15 years, 4,000 pharmacies have closed, we have gone from a network of 24,000 to 20,000 pharmacies in France, we had 260 closures last year, 140 since the beginning of the year. A firm pharmacy every day in the territory, this reaches small villages, the districts, are the proximity structures they reach,” said the president of the F.
National strike on Saturday, August 16
After the strikes of the guards in early summer, the union requires strengthening mobilization. On Saturday, August 16, pharmacies are asked to close their doors to the public all day nationwide. The strike call must be followed widely, to 90% in certain departments, according to the OPPO.
It should be said that the anger of pharmacists is multifactorial. In addition to the decreases in commercial discounts on generic medicines, the profession also opposes the new increases in the deductible doctors provided by the Government, including a draft decree, consulted by BFM Business, has already been presented for its advisory opinion to health insurance funds.
Under the pretext of raising awareness among patients at the expense of health and ending the myth of “all free”, the government plans to involve pharmaceuticals in regulations, by patients, of these franchises in medication boxes. “The fact of transforming the pharmacist into a tax collector, we will not.
Source: BFM TV
