Representatives of the Supreme Pharmaceutical Chamber (NIA) spoke at a meeting of the Parliamentary Group for the Regulation of the Pharmacy Market and Medicinal Products, presenting their position on the problem of pharmacy availability, the so-called "white spots" and the principles of the Pharmacy for the Pharmacist Act.
Supreme Pharmacy Chamber has an idea on how to increase the availability of pharmacies in smaller towns and cities
Published Sept. 24, 2025 07:49
Protection from market monopolization
- "The main idea of the Pharmacy for Pharmacists Act was to protect the market from monopolization. The idea was to prevent the emergence of 2-3 large chains that could influence the state's drug policy," emphasized M.D. Pharm. Malgorzata Pietrzak, chairwoman of the NIA Pharmacy Court. In her opinion, it is crucial for the government to create "maps of pharmacy needs" in cooperation with the local government and state institutions. - "Pharmacists are ready to open pharmacies in smaller towns if they receive guarantees from the state, rather than support from investment funds whose goal is solely profit, " she added.
Legal context and European benchmarks
The regulatory issues were addressed by attorney Krzysztof Baka, legal counsel for the Supreme Pharmaceutical Council. - The law is clear - a pharmacy can only be operated by a pharmacist or a partnership of pharmacists and a maximum of four pharmacies. Discussion of "white spots" should be based on reliable data, not on circulating opinions, he noted.
He also pointed to examples from France, Spain, Austria or Denmark, where the professional-based pharmacy model is used. - Where there is a shortage of pharmacies, local governments are involved in co-funding services, which preserves the professional nature of pharmaceutical care, he stressed.
"7 Steps to Pharmacy"
Specific legislative proposals were presented by Pharm. Marcin Piątek, president of the Pomorsko-Kujawska OIA and chairman of the NIA Information Committee. - NIA has prepared a document called "7 steps to a pharmacy," which includes solutions to reduce costs and barriers for pharmacists who want to open a pharmacy in municipalities with low profitability potential, he said.
Among the suggestions were:
- Reducing the fee for a pharmacy license in rural areas from PLN 23,000 to PLN 233,
- Simplification of premises requirements and the possibility of opening pharmaceutical care points,
- property tax cuts,
- Faster signing of contracts with the National Health Fund (within 48 hours),
- Co-funding of on-call pharmacies with public funds.
- These are fair and rational solutions that will make it easier for patients to access pharmacies where they are really needed. At the same time, it is worth remembering that many municipalities, like Perlejewo, have never had a pharmacy - even before 2017, when the market was completely open," added Friday.
Professional pharmaceutical care as a common goal
Representatives of the Supreme Pharmaceutical Chamber unanimously stressed that the most important task of the state and the self-government of the pharmacy profession is to ensure that citizens have access to professional pharmaceutical care, and not to create more facilities under the dictates of investment funds.
Source: NIA
