“The pharmaceutical desert would be a catastrophe for rural areas”: discontent and strikes among pharmacists

Les titulaires de la pharmacie Lafayette sont réquisitionnés, tout en restant grévistes. MIDI LIBRE – EBG

Répondant à un appel national, plusieurs pharmacies alésiennes sont en grève, ce jeudi 30 mai.

Shortages of medicines, allocation of new low-paid missions, multiple closures of pharmacies… The list of complaints among pharmacists is long. This tension, which has been increasing since the end of Covid, pushed the two main pharmaceutical unions, the USPO and the FSPF, supported by the Order of Pharmacists, to strike this Thursday 30 ;may.

Risk of desert in rural areas

The curtains of Alesian pharmacies will therefore be lowered, apart from that of the Lafayette pharmacy, requisitioned today. "We remain on strike. The situation is a danger for pharmacies, many of which are closing in France. After the medical desert, we must avoid the pharmaceutical desert, which would be a catastrophe for access to care in rural areas. Pharmacies are the first doors opened when needed. This proximity will be lost",explains Nathalie Malclès, one of the three owners of the Lafayettte pharmacy. "Drug shortages cause enormous stress, caused by hours spent finding alternatives and jeopardize the well-being of clients" , underlines, among other demands, the pharmacist. Comments ardently supported by Laurence Herbaux, manager of the City Hall pharmacy.

The opening of pharmacies to capital

"The period is not easy. There is annoyance on the part of customers, and pharmacists, who are in great demand due to the lack of doctors. We were therefore assigned additional missions, which compensate for the drop in margins on medicines, which are extremely time-consuming, sometimes paid a year later", explains the latter. "Another worrying measure is the opening to the capital of pharmacies, run exclusively by pharmacists, who have taken an oath…".

A decision, according to the co-owner of the Place des Martyrs pharmacy, which could harm the independence of pharmacists, already precarious since the start of 2024. "From January to March, we didn’not win a round because of the drop in activity, and the obligation to stock up big", explains the latter, who agrees with the requisitions of his sisters. "I don’have the impression that the service to the population is rendered…" According to our information, only one pharmacy, that of rue d’Avéjan, should voluntarily keep its curtain open. His team did not wish to explain their point of view.

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