The Pharmaceutical Monopoly in Italy
Tuesday, November 22nd, 2005 -- J. DoeA week after I first arrived in Italy I developed a headache.
I walked to my local Supermarket to buy aspirin, but alas, I could not find them anywhere in the store.
When Buzzurro came home from work I told him that I looked all over for aspirin in the supermarket, and could not find them. He asked me if I had gone to a pharmacy.
“No,” I answered. “Of course not. I went to the supermarket.”
He replied that in Italy, ALL medicines, those requiring a prescription as well as those who don’t, by Italian law can only be sold in a pharmacy.
The next day I went to a pharmacy and saw a box of aspirin on sale. There were 10 in a box and the price was 3 euros and 80 cent.
“What !” I thought to myself “3 euros and 80 cent. For 10 aspirin? Are they crazy here?” (but bought them anyway because I still did have a headache).
This was my first experience with the miseries brought upon the Italian nation by the monopoly of pharmacies, Federfarma.
Federfarma is opposed to the selling of over the counter OTC medications in any place other than a pharmacy.
Of course this keeps the prices of the non-prescription medicines such as aspirin extremely high.
They set the prices.
Competition is not a factor at all.
Their reasoning being that selling non-prescription medicines in a store other than a pharmacy is dangerous and will create grave risks for diseases caused by misuse or overmedication.
They want the public to buy all medicines in a pharmacy because the pharmacist explains the doses of medicine needed and how to correctly use them.
I for one have never had a pharmacist explain to me how to take an aspirin.
I buy them at their extremely high price, go home, and read the instruction booklet for the medicines which is included in the box of them.
I assume that other people in Italy can read and do this too.
Non-prescription medicine is the costliest in Italy than in all of Europe, the US and for all I know, the rest of the world.
I read somewhere that there is a small group of Italian consumers that they have a petition requesting the sale of non-prescription medications in stores other than pharmacies.
I don’t know who they are, I’ve never seen a petition, but sign me up ! It’s a worthy cause.
Relax, J.Doe. Take a chill pill.
Joe grazie di tutto
Nickie, That’s the problem…I can’t take a chill pill. They are only sold in pharmacies and are too expensive!
3 euros and 80 cents for ASPIRIN? That’s outrageous! I guess the only really practical “health plan” in Italy (or anywhere else, really) is simply “Don’t Get Sick. Ever.”
Or try fighting a headache with a tall glass of cool lemonade, a nice cool quiet (and half-dark) room, and a nap.
That’s Italy, baby ! Or, as they say in Italian, “E’ cosi’”.
So Buzzurro, if you agree that it is ridiculous, why do you not do anything about? That’s the exact problem with Italy that many (including your wife I believe) have pointed out. Every Italian knows there are some major things wrong with their country. They’ll complain, but in the end? It’s all “e’ cosi’.” None of them do a thing about it. So it stays the SAME.
Sometimes I think they just like having things to complain about. Since most of them can’t find a job, if they had nothing to complain about, what would they do all day?
Lol? What does it mean?
Tiff, first of all, thanks for your visit.
Yes, I agree with you: most Italians just complain about what doesn’t work, but do little or nothing to improve Italy.
Yes, “e’ cosi’” seems to be a widely used phrase in Italy. It expresses the impotence of Italians facing what’s wrong here, and the lack of will to change anything even in their daily lives.
Believe me, I try to figure out what I’m able to change, and try to change it.
This reminds me the “serenity prayer”:
“Lord, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to hide the bodies of those people I had to kill because they pissed me off !”
Ringo:
“laugh out loud”,
“cio’ fa scompisciare dalle risate”.
Buzzurro, that was beautiful.
Ciao Buzzurro,
Thanks for the welcome. Sorry, I had my own Thanksgiving festivities to take care of and have been busy. I realize that one person cannot change everything, but if everyone thinks of themselves as “just one person” there will never be enough people to make a difference.
I enjoyed your serenity prayer, put a smile on my face. Hope you and your wife had a wonderful Thanksgiving (she made you celebrate it didn’t she? I certainly made my husband celebrate it ::smiles::)