The pharmacies' strike was confirmed today, to protest against the cuts envisaged by the spending review. The announcement was made by the president of Federfarma, Annarosa Racca. She only opened the pharmacies on duty. The about-face in Parliament was useless: the speakers at the Senate Budget Commission filed an amendment that eliminates the increase in the discount due by pharmacies in favor of the NHS.
The spending review decree identifies a new spending ceiling of 11,5% for local pharmaceuticals (compared to the previous 13,3%). For hospital pharmaceuticals, the new ceiling is 3,2% (compared to the previous 2,4%). According to Federfarma, the spending review rules put at risk about 20.000 jobs out of a total of 64.000 people who work in pharmacies and provide for cuts, in 2013, of a further 40.000 euros for each individual pharmacy, in addition to the deductions already envisaged.
