WILLEMSTAD - The Association of Pharmacists and Pharmacy Owners (VAE) regrets that politicians give incorrect explanations about the medicine supply in Curaçao. As a result, pharmacies often have their backs against the wall in a conflict over which they have no influence.
In a press statement, the pharmacists explain how the pharmaceutical supply works in Curaçao. A pharmacy declares a medicine at the Social Insurance Bank (SVB) for the price invoiced by the supplier. The pharmacy has no profit margin on that, says the VAE. The level of the supplier price that SVB reimburses the pharmacies is determined by the Ministry of Economic Affairs.
Prescription Line Fee
Pharmacists pay their costs from the fixed prescription fee, a fee they receive for each delivery of a medicine, regardless of the price. Since introduction in 2001, this fee is 7 guilders, plus the personal contribution of 1 guilder that the pharmacy is legally obliged to collect. As a reference: the fixed fee per prescription is approximately 16 guilders on Aruba and Sint Maarten and approximately 7 dollars on Bonaire, according to the VAE.
Pharmacists understand that given the current financial situation that the government is in, it is clear that cuts need to be made. The VAE, in consultation with the previous Minister of Health and the SVB, has signed a covenant with the main point that more generic medicines will be allowed to the island, medicines that have been proven safe in Europe and USA / Canada for years and have already been assessed there. This could save about 30 million guilders per year, the pharmacists think.
Influence
The VAE emphasizes that pharmacies have no influence on the prices of medicines and that the purchase price is equal to the delivery price, without risk coverage for medicines that can expire.
The VAE regrets that illiterate politicians are trying to misinform the population about this.