«Shops in large-scale distribution will not be able to provide the same services»
«WE ARE ready to challenge the competition, on quality and services. However many parapharmacies and corners may be opened in the coming months, we will be up to the challenge». Annarosa Racca, president of Federfarma Lombardia explains the strategy of the sector, facing the prospect of new points of sale in supermarkets. "We will continue to be proactive with a view to providing a better service, sure of our strengths: night service, free delivery to the elderly, toll-free numbers, expert advice".
In collaboration with the Lombardy Region, the Lombardy pharmacies have already completed the computerization and networking. "This will allow us to control the distribution of medicines and supplies in real time," he explains. Furthermore, the prescriptions for chronic patients of the aids necessary to keep the disease under control will be valid throughout the region. "A novelty that will also allow maximum mobility for the Lombards".
In Milan, 100 pharmacies in an experimental phase have already been involved in the Cup (Single Booking Center), to allow citizens to book visits and exams, avoiding queues at the counters. At the moment they are connected with 4 hospitals, for 10 first visits. The bill is also under discussion in the Regional Council which provides for opening hours of up to 54 hours per week, spread over 6 days, without constraints, to draw up the timetable on the basis of the needs of each area. It will be possible to open 5 holidays a year, and holidays will be optional.
BUT THAT IS NOT ALL. "Almost half of the pharmacies in Milan and its province already offer the analysis services that the Minister of Health, Livia Turco, has included as a proposal for the modernization of the health system". In the city 208 pharmacies offer self-analysis (49% of the total), in the province 184 (32%), with very advanced tools. However, numbers are rapidly increasing. "In 2008 we will carry on all these projects - assures the manager of Federfarma - and we hope to be able to stay open longer soon".
What worries pharmacists is above all the idea of releasing class C prescription medicines from pharmacies. "Among these are narcotics, injectables, psychopharmaceuticals: dangerous products if taken out of control". But there are also fears for the future. “If pharmacies become impoverished – he says – the additional services will be at risk, such as the capillarity, the night service. The danger is undermining the system.
In Lombardy today there are 2,536 pharmacies: with the package of Federfarma proposals, around 310 would be added. Another 59 have already been opened or are in the process of being opened. There were 153 corners and parapharmacies in 2007, of which 46 points of sale in hypermarkets. In the Province of Milan alone, 994 pharmacies operate (423 in the city), and with the Federfarma package another 115 should open. While in 2007, 47 parapharmacies asked for authorization to open in the Province of Milan. By ENRICO FOVANNA - The Day of 11/12/2007 ed. MILAN p. VII
