"Situation under control, no alarmism". The president of Federfarma Annarosa Racca does not show great concern about the stop of the drug delivery service to pharmacies, decided by the wholesalers against the maneuver under discussion in the Senate. The protest "Federfarma Servizi will not join - recalls Racca - and also some companies of the Association of Pharmaceutical Distributors" (Adf). «Yesterday the assembly of the Adf – specified Racca – decided to start scheduling for the possible block on the delivery of medicines to pharmacies. But, as far as I know, no strike days have yet been decided." The comment by Health Minister Ferruccio Fazio should also be noted on the subject, according to which the profit margins of wholesalers on drugs «already did not go entirely to them». «I remember that the margins of the wholesalers did not go to them. I remind you that a measure was taken in the maneuver that will allow wholesalers to manage warehouses. I would like to remind you that from the point of view of the players, i.e. of the acronyms and numbers in the field, there is a disproportion in the field of wholesalers between Italy and other countries. And I don't want to go into any further», said Fazio on the sidelines of the presentation of the Viareggio Health Festival, scheduled for September in Versilia.
The financial maneuver "does not affect the margins of pharmacists". While the "spreading" of the cut in wholesalers' margins "increases them, reducing those of the industry which are already the lowest in Europe". Thus the Minister of Health Ferruccio Fazio, returns to speak of the measures on pharmaceuticals contained in the maneuver, for which the approval (or possible modifications) of the amendment relating to the sector is awaited. «I invite – Fazio said yesterday in Rome, at the presentation of the third edition of the Health Festival, requested by journalists – to see how the rules change. The maneuver reduces the margins of wholesalers by 3.65%, formally not affecting those of pharmacies. The "spreading" - he reiterates - leads to increasing the margins of pharmacies, reducing those of industry. These are the facts. And it seems to me that they go in one direction only». However, "Parliament will take the appropriate decisions", adds Fazio, underlining that the "maneuver provides for an intervention until the methodology of the remuneration of the Pharmacies is re-determined", a topic on which a discussion table will be opened. Fazio also recalled that work is underway on service pharmacies, "a path in which we firmly believe", and that the delegated decrees for this reform will be presented to the Regions shortly.
Pharmacist33 – 8 July 2010 – Year 6, Number 126
