Cap trade discounts on generic drugs. This is what the government decided in order to contain costs and ensure market regulation. But this measure, which represents for pharmacists a loss of several thousand euros, is far from unanimous. As a sign of protest, almost 90 % of the pharmacies will be closed this Saturday in certain departments.
30% maximum of commercial discounts on generic drugs
The new decree – published in the Official Journal on August 6 – Fixed from September 1 a 30 % ceiling for commercial discounts on generic drugs, with a gradual drop (25 % from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027, 20 % from July 1, 2027 to December 31, 2027). A real blow for pharmacists, who believe that this decision threatens their activity.
“The generic economy for the pharmacist, it’s not important, it’s vital. You cannot announce a white goal that you are cutting off, it is not possible”, Going on here Normandie Marc Sartorio, president of the Union of Calvados and pharmacist pharmacists in Creully-sur-Seulles.“The pharmaceutical network will be weakened. If you want to ensure the sustainability of the pharmaceutical network of pharmacens in France, you should not shoot. The quality of care will suffer, there will be this network which today covers France perfectly”, he continues.
For its part, the Federation of Pharmacists of Frame (FSPF), majority union, and other pharmacist organizations (USPO, UNPF, FEDERGY, UDGPO), mentioned one “treason“From the government.
“”The betrayal is activated, the anger of the pharmacists is only increased tenfold“They say in a press release.”Representatives of pharmacists and pharmacies groups therefore meet, in September, in front of Parliament“, Continues the collective, which fears the closure of one in three pharmacies in France.
Result ? To push the government to return to its decision, a massive stop of activities is scheduled for this Saturday.
90% of pharmacies will be closed this Saturday
Concretely, a call to the national strike was launched for the day of Saturday August 16.
Next to “90% of the pharmacies will be closed on Saturday in certain departments, in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region, in Côte-d’Or, in Saône-et-Loire, or in the Gers”confirms Pierre-Olivier Variot, President of the Union of Unions of Frame Pharmacists. “We are not on strikehe continues, We are just closed to think about it, any closures, upcoming layoffs “, he said.
A fight that is just beginning, since the inter -union also plans to close pharmacies on September 18 and then “Every Saturday from September 27“.
“”Could the profession be rewarded for once, the profession of 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, could not be seen and not be seen as a vulgar variable of accounting adjustment of social security accounts?“, Wonded at the end of July Philippe Besset, the president of the FSPF.
Enough to reconsider the (human) cost hidden behind the drugs.