“
In Italy the price of medicines is among the lowest in Europe. For this reason, the problem that exists in our country is certainly not that of importing medicines from other countries, but the exact opposite: the export of products to countries where they normally cost much more and where, by selling these medicines , you can earn.
A phenomenon that we have always criticized because, even if perfectly legal, it exposes us to the risk of creating drug shortages for our patients". To explain it to Pharmakronos is Annarosa Racca, president of Federfarma. “Some products, for which there is a large difference in cost between Italy and other countries such as Germany for example – he notes – are sold abroad, in a legal manner subject to authorization, but in our opinion not correct.
I don't think the opposite is happening: medicines are bought in other countries where they would cost less and are resold in Italy. Here, aspirin can now cost as little as 3 euros. Of course, only one thing would be needed to resolve the issue once and for all: that a single European price be established. In this way there would be no differences that could justify a parallel market”, he concludes.
Barbara Di Chiara – 12 January 2016 – PharmaKronos
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