Right of generic substitution, a solution to drug shortage?
What if the right of generic substitution were a solution to the recurring shortage of medicines? In any case, it’s a demand regularly voiced by dispensing pharmacists, but which has still not been legally authorized due to traditionalist resistance.
«Morocco regularly relies on an international benchmark made up of a number of neighboring countries to draw up its laws, in particular the decree on drug pricing. Why shouldn’t it do the same for the introduction of the right to substitution?» asked Hasna Mamouni, newly elected president of the M Pharma pharmacists’ association. She also stressed the advantages of this provision for all stakeholders, starting with the patient. In fact, every time a drug is out of stock, as is currently the case for many pharmaceutical products, the patient sometimes has to go to several pharmacies in search of his or her medication, whereas «there are several so-called generic drugs with an equivalent therapeutic effect, available in sufficient quantities and which pharmacists could serve if the right of substitution were in force. In addition to benefiting the patient, this would also be a win-win situation for the country as a whole, since it would avoid the expiry of medicines, not to mention the favorable financial impact for insurance companies», added the president of the pharmacists’ association. The right of substitution would also improve the financial situation of many pharmacies. A difficult situation attributed by the president to several factors: sometimes mediocre sales, fixed charges such as rent which increases on a regular basis, water, electricity, salaries… Added to this is the continuous price drop of several thousand drugs over the last few years, which has an impact on the income of professionals. «The violation of the monopoly on medical devices», which are marketed in all kinds of entities, is not without consequences for pharmacists’ cash flow. These include sterile compresses, syringes, intranules (short polypropylene intravenous catheters), and other products.
It should be remembered that, for many patients, a pharmacist remains the first port of call before consulting the doctor. It should be noted that a decree was recently published in the Official Gazette allowing pharmacists to carry out rapid diagnostic tests such as blood glucose, strep A, influenza, as well as pregnancy and ovulation tests.
It should be remembered that, for many patients, the pharmacist remains the first port of call before consulting the doctor. It should be noted that a decree was recently published in the Official Gazette, allowing pharmacists to carry out rapid diagnostic tests such as blood sugar, type A strep throat, influenza, pregnancy and ovulation tests. Pharmacists are calling for the possibility of dispensing other procedures, such as vaccination against influenza, which is particularly deadly among the chronically ill.
Hassan EL ARIF
