فاس نيوز ميديا جريدة الكترونية جهوية تعنى بشؤون و أخبار جهة فاس مكناس – متجددة على مدار الساعة
With the Ministry of Health’s announcement of a new decree aimed at reducing drug prices, the long-standing debate over pharmacists’ profit margins has resurfaced, dividing opinions between accusations of inflated profits compared to other countries and professional defenses highlighting the fragile real incomes of pharmacies.
According to a 2021 report by the Supreme Audit Institution, the profit margin for pharmacists in Morocco reaches 57% for low-priced drugs (under 166 dirhams excluding taxes), a rate significantly higher than that of countries such as France (21.4%), Turkey (25%), Belgium (6.4%), and Portugal (5.6%). For high-priced drugs, pharmacists receive a fixed compensation that may reach 400 dirhams per box, making Morocco an exception in pricing structure.
Professional bodies, however, assert that these figures do not reflect the true situation, emphasizing that quoting “gross profit margins” without accounting for operational costs is misleading. They estimate that the actual net profit margin for pharmacists does not exceed 8% after deducting expenses such as rent, equipment, salaries, taxes, fees, and losses due to expired or damaged drugs.
Pharmaceutical unions warn that any price reductions without a comprehensive review of profit margins could lead to a gradual bankruptcy of many pharmacies, especially those in rural and semi-urban areas where pharmacists play vital social roles beyond commercial ones.
On another front, the decree project announced by the Ministry of Health includes revising reference drug prices annually instead of every five years, promoting local manufacturing, encouraging generic drugs, and ensuring fairer and more transparent pricing. The government affirms that the new regulation balances the interests of all stakeholders and will not affect pharmacists’ income.
Conversely, unions criticize the project for being prepared “without genuine professional consultations” and warn against imposing it without accompanying support mechanisms, considering this a breach of partnership principles and disregard for sectoral specifics.
Meanwhile, consumer protection associations have welcomed the decree, urging its swift adoption to enhance pharmaceutical justice, end what they call “drug monopolies,” and facilitate access to essential medicines for vulnerable populations.
