Pharmacists oppose the use of vending machines for sale of medicines

Pharmacists opposed the law amendments adopted at first reading in Parliament, which allow vending machines for sale of medicines.

The amendments were tabled by 'Vazrazhdane’ party in the Parliament. However, the industry believes that the proposal could lead to uncontrolled distribution of medicines without medical consultation. Pharmacists have threatened to protest if it comes to selling medicines through vending machines.

Vending machines for medicines as a substitute for pharmacies - this is what the proposed amendments to the Medicinal Products in Human Medicine Act envisages to ensure round-the-clock access to medicines without prescription. The proposal has sparked discontent from the pharmacy workers.

Lyubima Burgaslieva, chairwoman of the regional collegium of the Bulgarian Pharmaceutical Union - Burgas: "Medicines are not wafers. Medicines are a special commodity. It requires consultation with a specialist, such as a pharmacist. As far as state funding is concerned, it was not clear to me who exactly would buy these vending machines, who would buy medicines. Are civil servants going to fill them? Who will be responsible?"

Pharmacists are unhappy that the draft was tabled without seeking their opinion and are prepared to protest if it is passed.

Lyubima Burgaslieva, chairwoman of the regional collegium of the Bulgarian Pharmaceutical Union - Burgas: "I read the motives and I could not find out which medicines will be with easier access and for which people. There is talk of hard-to-reach places, but even now the NHIF methodology provides opportunities and funding for pharmacists who open pharmacies in such places, including very serious funding for non-stop pharmacies."

The party that tabled the draft commented thus:

Margarita Gencheva, 'Vazrazhdane':"Removing the vending machines from the premises is the only sensible thing we can do, because there are vending machines at the moment, but they are by regulation in the pharmacy itself. The arguments of the pharmacists are absolutely untenable because they do not currently have direct control over these machines either."

Alexander Simidchiev, WCC-DB: "Vending machines cannot solve this problem in the way they are proposed, because in order to be useful and to be able to dispense medication prescribed under the NHIF they must allow video communication with a pharmacist, and such machines cost a lot of money and the small turnover that will be in small settlements - will not allow to actually pay for the work of pahrmacists."

However, the reality for people in small settlements is different. Radostina Radolova has lived in the village of Mursalevo for 10 years with her husband and their two young children. The lack of a pharmacy within a 15 km radius of their home often causes them problems:

"If you need one medicine, one syrup, you need a car to go to the town to buy it."

According to the village residents, the problem can be solved by installing a vending machine for medicines.

Katya Panayotova: "I think it is necessary to have such a vending machine, because old people cannot afford to go to Kocherinovo or Dupnitsa for a pill, there is no public transport service, neither a bus nor a train... "

Marian Deshev: "People have learned to withdraw money from machines, haven't they? What's the problem with taking their medicines from vending machines too! None!"

Often, mayors of small villages in the area have to act as couriers for medicines as well.

Yuri Kovachev - mayor of the village. "It happens regularly that people give me prescriptions and money and ask me to buy them medicines, when I travel to larger towns."

Despite the lack of pharmacies in some settlements, not many pharmacists are willing to work in the villages.