Argentina: Local Pharmacies will appeal to stop Farmacity

Mendoza Province’s Supreme Court has issued a ruling which will permit Farmacity, Argentina’s largest drugstore chain, to operate within the province, raising worries among local chains. They consider the ruling, which dates to a 2009 legal battle to stop Farmacity’s operations within the province, does not address the central issue of quality and pricing.

The complaints have been raised by several institutions related to the pharmaceutical industry, including the Mendoza School of Pharmacists and the Center for Pharmacy Entrepreneurs. They will take their concerns to the federal justice system “…attempting to preserve public safety in the handling of drugs and medicines.” Farmacity’s planned activities in the province, they argue, would violate existing regulations limiting the actions of pharmacists and drugstore owners.

In 2009 Farmacity, part of the Pegasus group, announced their takeover of the Mitre/Del Águila drugstore chain, the leading chain in the Mendoza region with over 30 establishments. The chain store is accused by rivals of endangering the current model for Sanitary pharmacies by installing ‘self-service’ stores, as well as threatening the survival of independent pharmacists.

Full content: Mirada Profesional

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