Protest from pharmacists: “We can close our pharmacies, we are exhausted”

Recently, there have been serious difficulties in the supply of medicines. In particular, there are difficulties in accessing medications for chronic diseases such as diabetes, blood pressure, heart disease. In the declaration published by the Association of Turkish Pharmacists and the “chambers of pharmacists”, it was emphasized that pharmacists were in very difficult situation economically and that they were not responsible for the lack of medicines.

They complain saying”We are exhausted… We can close our pharmacies… Bankruptcies are just a matter of time… In order to protect our professional dignity, if necessary, our gradual action plan, including closing the pharmacy, will be implemented urgently.”

Presidents and managers of the Association of Turkish Pharmacists and 54 regional pharmacists’ chambers met in Konya for an Interregional Meeting and issued a joint declaration on the problems of the sector.

“The main reason for this threat is the drug price decree, the part of which has been related to pharmacists since 2009 has not been changed in any way,” the statement said, emphasizing that the pharmaceutical profession is under an economic threat that has never been experienced before. The addition of the economic crisis to the conditions created by the drug price decree, which has not been changed for 13 years, has completely exhausted pharmacists.

Pharmacists have reached the point where they cannot even pay routine payments such as rent, electricity, natural gas, personnel expenses, paid in pharmacy warehouses, accumulated and entered a debt spiral where they paid off one loan debt with another loan debt. It is not possible for pharmacists who cannot afford even the most basic operating expenses to get out of this debt spiral. In this environment, where one of the two pharmacies is in danger of closing, it is only a matter of time before pharmacy bankruptcies begin.”