Health Ministry's circular sends solid message to pharmacies across Lebanon

In a time when many pharmacists have disregarded regulations and ethical standards, turning the profession into a business, the daily life of Lebanese citizens has become a constant search for affordable medicine.

However, most of the time, they do not receive what they're looking for. The greed to achieve unlawful profits at the expense of patients' medication has backfired on its perpetrators.

That is what happened at this pharmacy.  

The red wax stamp and the closure were carried out after the Health Ministry discovered that the pharmacy did not adhere to the price index set daily on the MedLeb application.

What happened here on Tuesday served as a warning for all pharmacists.

After confirming that the pharmacist manipulated drug prices and sold them higher than the official price index, the Ministry warns that any pharmacy following suit will face legal action.

The Order of Pharmacists quickly circulated the news of the Health Ministry closure of the pharmacy in the Bouchrieh real estate area through WhatsApp groups dedicated to pharmacists, demanding compliance with the laws and price index. Otherwise, the syndicate will not cover anyone.

Will the commitment and adherence to the official price index be officially enforced among pharmacists?

To ensure that pharmacies in Lebanon adhere to the price index set by the Health Ministry, it is recommended to download the MedLeb patient guide on their mobile phones, which allows access to all the information related to medication, especially its selling price.

We asked several pharmacies about the medications, some of which adhere 100% to the Ministry's index, especially after the syndicate's circular. In contrast, others refused to answer our questions or stated that those medications were unavailable. Here, the search for the truth begins.