E-drug: Fixed prescription fee principle
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Dear E-druggers
I am curious to know about the experience with the fixed prescription fee
principle in South Africa. That was exactly what we discussed extensively in Nicaragua.
Was there any resistance to the scheme? From which corners? What is the
preliminary experience? What is the level of prescription fee? Is it
differential? Is there some sort of documentation available (description of
the scheme)?
The question about township pharmacies we discussd under the heading
"Farmacias Comunitarias" and we used the same arguments of making
pharmaceuticals available where no commercial incentive was present.
The short circuit or contradiction is between requiring the presence of a
pharmacist in "normal" pharmacies and not to requiere the presence when it
is a township pharmacy. The question of ownership is irrelevant!
Any person can dispense pharmaceuticals as long as that person is given the
relevant skills and a solid and supportive supervision.
The Community Pharmacy concept hinges on the viability in economic terms
(sufficient turn-over) and the deletion of the pharmacist is seen as a
cost-cutting measure.
There is also the issue of quality of medical services in "remote" areas.
If the quality of medical or health services is lousy it will have a
bearing on pharmaceutical services.
Cheers
Ole Frank Nielsen
NIELSEN CONSULT Phone: +45 33919030
Skindergade 23, 3. Cellular: +45 20144814
1159 Copenhagen K Fax: +45 33919032
Denmark E-mail: olefrank@inet.uni-c.dk
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