Since Wednesday, August 6, the generic drugs granted by pharmaceutical laboratories to pharmacies are threatened. A new decree has been published and reports a reduction in these discounts, From 40 % maximum to only 30 %, enough to weaken pharmacies that have made it a large source of income.
So far, pharmacies could buy generic medicines with a discount from pharmaceutical laboratories, then resell these same drugs to its customers at the official price. The difference between the price stored and the official price is directly classified in the beneficiary margins of the pharmacyhence the interest for her to negotiate large discounts with the laboratories.
The end of the discounts up to 40 % would be largely The fruit of lobbying of pharmaceutical laboratories, which have everything to lose with this system. By limiting maximum discounts from 40 to 30 %, they will be able to sell their products more expensive to pharmacies and therefore increase their own margins. Being part of the drugs reimbursed by health insurance, there would be, in the end, no difference for individuals.
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600 to 700 less pharmacies because of this announcement?
The direct impact will be on pharmacies, and in particular those which displayed an assessment in the green depending on this additional source of income, to pay the staff. The direct reduction in pharmacies would threaten 600 to 700 pharmacies according to the president of the UDGPO (Union of pharmacist groups), especially in rural areas. Free services would also be threatened.
On the other hand, this decision of the state would limit the risk that pharmaceutical laboratories leave the French marketas some threatened, faced with the successive reductions in the generic prices.
What must be remembered from the decrease in the prices of generic drugs to pharmacies:
- The government limits laboratory discounts to pharmacies on generics from 40 % to 30 %, weakening a key income for many pharmacies
- This measure, attributed to lobbying laboratories, would increase their margins but would have no impact on the price paid by patients
- According to the UDGPO, 600 to 700 pharmacies, especially rural, are likely to close, reducing access to care and free services
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