Towards the end of the pharmacist monopoly? Michel-Edouard Leclerc, CEO of the Leclerc group, is in favor of this measure. It would make the drug market more competitive.
A report by the General Inspectorate of Finance (IGF), whose conclusions were revealed on Monday, calls for the end of the monopoly of pharmacies for the sale of certain optional and non-refundable prescription drugs, such as Spasfon or Doliprane. They could soon be sold in supermarkets. The idea worries the profession a lot. In an interview with France Info, Michel-Edouard Leclerc, CEO of the Leclerc group, is in favor of this provision, in order to lower the price of drugs for consumers.
For the monopoly of expertise
“It is only in France that there is a monopoly of the dispensary. I am for the monopoly of the pharmacist, of expertise, not of structure, ”explains Mr. Leclerc. Professional advice is needed more than ever, as many people take medication without realizing the risks. But for the CEO, that doesn’t mean that pharmacies should be the only ones selling them.
Develop a competitive circuit
The great hobbyhorse of Michel-Edouard Leclerc is the decrease in prices. He would indeed like to make the pharmacy sector more competitive, and thanks to this provision, to reduce prices by 20 to 25%. “I’m not asking that we put the drugs on the shelves between the Bic pens and the peas, because a drug is not neutral,” he nuances. “But to sell them cheaper, I do not see what would oppose installing them in a parapharmacy space, under the authority of a qualified pharmacist”, he defends himself, asking for the establishment of a competitive drug circuit.
Especially since in the Internet age, it is already today possible to buy many drugs online, without any control, argues the CEO. In France, however, internet sales are only possible if the pharmacist already has a physical pharmacy. And only drugs not subject to prescription can be offered. But the CEO of the famous supermarket underlines the “great paradox of France. You can buy everything on the web, but not in a supermarket parapharmacy space. “
A business in its own right
For Michel-Edouard Leclerc’s opponents, the big brands simply want to make money before providing real advice to customers. Even if a specialist were present, these drugstores would be more concerned with being a profitable business, they believe. Especially since pharmacies are in difficulty today. For Michel-Edouard Leclerc, it is not so much the price of drugs that must be questioned, but rather the difficulties for young pharmacists to access the profession, because they often buy back the business assets of their predecessors.
For him, breaking the monopoly would therefore be a good thing, because prices would drop … and customers would perhaps buy drugs more easily, which would be good news for supermarkets, as for pharmacies.
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