BRATISLAVA, September 28, (WEBNOVINY) – A ban on loyalty systems for prescription drugs as well as the abolition of networks of public pharmacies is becoming a bit more realistic. At its extraordinary meeting on Friday, the Cabinet of Robert Fico approved extensive changes in the draft amendment to the law on drugs, which include the aforementioned measures. The author of the draft, which is the Health Ministry, proposes omitting from the law the provisions on loyalty systems, as these are measures with a marketing character and the ministry believes they are weakening professional and health care character of the activity.
„Competition between public pharmacies for patients should be led at a professional level,“ said the ministry, which proposes to prohibit the provision of cash or non-cash benefits, donations and benefits for medicines, dietary foods and medical devices, which are available only on prescription. By canceling such benefits, the ministry wants to remove practices that lead to increased consumption of drugs, including those that are not on prescription. As the department points out, any activity promoting the consumption of drugs is inconsistent with the objectives of public health policy.
The company Mirakl that operates of the pharmacy network Dr. Max has already spoken out against interference in loyalty systems. In addition to a collective comment to the draft bill they filed, they also started a petition to preserve loyalty systems. So far, it was signed by 20,000 people, and according to the Director General of Dr. Max Tomas Slechan, they expect more signatures until October. Then they want to present the petition to Parliament, which will have to discuss it if it contains more than 100,000 signatures.
The proposed legislation introduces further changes for providers of pharmacy care. The draft bill suggests that a natural or a legal person could only get a license for the provision of pharmaceutical care in only one public and one branch pharmacy of a public pharmacy, which in practice will mean the abolition of networks of pharmacies.
The bill also introduces regulation for a new business activity – intermediation of purchase and sale of drugs. The Health Ministry proposes that export of drugs should be subject to monitoring by the State Institute for Drug Control. If a specific medicine is scarce in Slovakia, the institute will not allow its export. If the draft amendment is approved in Parliament it will come into force on January 2 of next year.
SITA
