O negócio do retalho farmacêutico foi quase sempre bom. E foi quase sempre exclusivo dos próprios farmacêuticos. No entanto, como o negócio é bom, as multinacionais do retalho querem esta fatia apetecível. Só que o Tribunal Europeu impede que as redes de distribuição pan-europeias consigam actuar em toda a União Europeia.
- Efforts by some of Europe’s biggest retail chains to overturn ownership restrictions on pharmacies in European Union countries including Germany, France, Italy and Spain were frustrated in Europe’s top court on Tuesday.
- A surprise preliminary legal opinion in two test cases found European law does allow EU member states to put curbs on who may own and operate pharmacies. The conclusion could seriously hamper expansion plans for a number of companies.
- A senior legal adviser at the Luxembourg-based European Court of Justice said restrictions – for example, requiring owners to be qualified pharmacists – were justified because of the need to “protect public health”.
No entanto, esta "guerra" não terminou:
- Advocate-generals’ opinions are not binding on the full court at the ECJ, which must still rule on the matter. But they are upheld in about 80 per cent of cases.
- If the court does take the same view, it will be a serious setback for retailers including Germany’s Celesio and Britain’s Alliance Boots and supermarket chains such as France’s Carrefour, known to be keen to expand into pharmacy.
