One hundred and forty medicines in chronic shortages, citizens forced into a treasure hunt from one pharmacy to another and loss of credibility on the part of pharmacies. complaint like this, Michael DiIorio, president of Federfarma Naples, an "ancient but now explosive" situation which has as a result "a chronic shortage of many active ingredients which, in addition to creating inconvenience for citizens, makes those pharmacists without the aforementioned active ingredients lose credibility, not through their fault or will, but through current market distortions». The origin of the phenomenon, explains Di Iorio, must be sought in the "severe quotas" with which the manufacturing companies respond to parallel exports according to European regulations which "allow the free circulation of medicines within the EU". The phenomenon, he adds, "also contributes to some pharmacies in possession of a license that authorizes the pharmacist to export". «The question must be raised and made known more» reiterates the regional president «also because it is widespread throughout the Italian territory, not just in Naples. Aifa should intervene, which has dedicated a site that is not updated to deficient products. It should block, even temporarily the export. The companies should intervene, which, on the one hand, should remove it from the export channel if they declare a drug subject to a quota. On the other, they should monitor what happens to the product when it arrives at the intermediary distributor or the pharmacist who acts as a distributor under the law 219 which assigns it this license». But for now Di Iorio leaves some questions open: «Is it permitted, under the quota regime, in application of article 105 of law 219, to practice exporting without having first satisfied the needs of the territory? Is AIFA's attitude justifiable which, despite being aware of the problem, does not intervene to correct it by law? Is a national reality that sees its own citizens as holders of the same duties as other European citizens but not gratified with the same rights, first of all that of medical care, even more sustainable?».
Simone Zazzetta – 3 May 2013 – Pharmacist33
