The script is always the same: the pharmacies linger in uncertainty and someone faster than them burns them on departure. It also risks happening for the home delivery of medicines, one of the new services that Legislative Decree 153/2009 had launched with great fanfare two years ago. It is finally about to leave in eleven regions of the boot, but it is neither pharmacies nor their cooperatives that are proposing it, but a private company – Farexpress – with franchised offices in about forty cities. In summary, the formula is that of the old pony express from the 1980s: the customer calls, the delivery boy goes to the doctor to collect the prescription, goes to the pharmacy and then delivers the medicines home. The service is paid for and therefore can be requested by anyone: not only disadvantaged or elderly people, but also lawyers who are too busy with work to queue up for the doctor or managers who work ten hours a day and would never find the pharmacy open on their own. There is even the possibility of an annual pass with a card, which also entitles you to nursing services (home care), booking exams and so on (coincidentally, other services of the Fazio decree).
And the pharmacies? In Florence, where Farexpress presented itself on Thursday with a press conference attended by municipal and provincial councilors, we are left to watch for the moment. «The company contacted us to explain the service to us» explains Marco Nocentini Mungai, president of Federfarma Toscana «they plan to offer holders subscription packages to give to their most loyal customers. Our concern is that freedom of choice is safeguarded: from what we have been told, the ponies will only bring prescriptions to the pharmacies indicated by customers, but the fear is that over time someone may be tempted to use the system to grab customers. We will remain on the alert, even if the order will have to be vigilant above all on the deontological aspects ». "In fact, we will supervise" confirms the president, Andrea Carmagnini "in principle all the services that meet the needs of citizens are welcome, our concerns - for which we will carry out checks - concern the protection of privacy and compliance with the rules: transport, conservation, delivery, etc".
In the meantime, the fact remains that the owners were beaten to the punch by a private individual who did not wait for ASL agreements or tariffs: certain that the service would have been so appreciated as to push citizens to pay just to have it, he jumped in without much delay. "It's true, it's not the first time this has happened" Nocentini admits again "perhaps in this case we were held back by the idea that it was still important to maintain a direct relationship with the patient". Yes, but in this way the pharmacies risk not talking to the customer even by telephone: a pony takes care of everything. Perhaps it would have been better to plan ahead.
13 February 2012 – Pharmacist33
